RAF Spitfire flypast and fun activities during weekend of Spitfire celebrations in city centre

Two days of amazing events will take place this weekend to mark the public opening of Stoke-on-Trent’s stunning new free-to-visit Spitfire Gallery – including a special RAF flypast.   Celebrations and activities - with something for everyone, children and grown-ups - are planned on Saturday and Sunday, September 18 and 19, at several city centre locations.   The events will take place as visitors get their first glimpse of the restored RW388 Spitfire inside its new £5.4 million home at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.   The weekend’s activities are due to include the RAF Spitfire flypast. Subject to RAF timings and weather conditions, onlookers should be able to spot one of the remaining iconic planes soaring over Stoke-on-Trent, close to the museum in Bethesda Street, Hanley, at about 12.34pm on Saturday.   There will also be an array of other fun and fascinating events for everyone to enjoy, such as craft workshops for children, funfair stalls, family activities, street performers, living history groups, special film screenings, talks, music and lots more.   The activities are due to take place at locations including the museum, Smithfield, Mitchell Art Centre, Bethesda Chapel and Gardens, Piccadilly, the Regent Theatre, the Potteries Centre, and City Central Library.

More details on the activities are below this picture of the stunning Spitfire. 

For more details, go to https://www.visitstoke.co.uk/spitfire . Information is also available at https://www.stokemuseums.org.uk/pmag/    

The weekend of events includes:

Friday

• D-Day Darlings concert - Friday, September 17, 7.30pm to 9.30pm at the museum. £20 per person - an evening of wartime music from the Britain’s Got Talent 2018 finalists.

Saturday and Sunday

• 1940s fun fair stalls – fun for everyone to try out, as well as a vintage refreshment van. 10am to 4pm at the museum.
• Circus skills workshop. Fun with Circus Sensible. 11am to 4pm at Bethesda Chapel and Gardens
• Street performers. The Dodo Rider by Dizzy O Dare, Sweep of Swallows by Bird in a Hand Theatre, and Mr Strong Stilt Walker

by Circus House. Smithfield and along Piccadilly during both days.

• The Beach - a day of beach play. 10am to 4.30pm at Smithfield.
• Flycycle at the Beach by Pif Paf. 11.30am to 12.15pm, 2.30pm to 3.15pm at Smithfield.
• World War II display. Saturday, 12pm to 3pm and Sunday 1pm to 3pm at Bethesda Chapel and Gardens.

Saturday

• RAF Spitfire Flypast – subject to RAF timings and weather conditions. Scheduled for 12.38pm, close to the museum.
• Children’s make a medal session – make a medal to take home. 10.15am to 11.15am, 11.45am to 12.45pm and 2pm to 3pm, at the museum.
• Cosford RAF Museum family activities. 10am to 4pm at the museum.
• Spirit of the Home Front – with a model Anderson shelter, Bevan Boys and a civil defence display. 10am to 4pm at the museum.
• Dome film - 360-degree immersive film, combining cinematically recreated battle scenes and political events with original film and photographs. 10am to 4pm at the museum.
• Film screening - Battle of Britain. 2pm at the museum.
• Talk - discover how food was used as medicine, recycling top tips and recipes. Pre-booking required - call 01782 232323. 1pm at the museum.
• Victory Belles – find out more about the role of the Land Army – includes sessions for children to create rag rugs. 10am to 4pm at Smithfield.
• Paul Barry’s Swing Band. Includes two jitter bug dancers – 10.45am, 12pm,1.15pm and 2.30pm at the museum.
• Secret War listening station. 10am to 4pm at the museum.
• Display of vintage cars and war wheels military vehicles. 10am to 4pm at Smithfield.
• Spitfire arts and crafts workshop. For ages seven to 14. Book online at atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre . 10am, 11am and 12pm at the Regent Theatre.
• Film screening: The Spitfire & Me – Reginald Mitchell. Book seats in advance at https://mitchellartscentre.co.uk/the-spitfire-me-reginald-mitchell . 10am, 1.30pm and 2.15pm at the Mitchell Art Centre.
• Children’s paint a Spitfire session. Suitable for ages three to 12. Drop-in sessions (allow 30 minutes to complete activity). 10am to 2pm at the Mitchell Art Centre.
• Film screening: Disney Pixar - Planes. Tickets are £3.50 per child, one adult goes free per paying child. Buy tickets online at https://mitchellartscentre.co.uk/planes . 11am at the Mitchell Art Centre.
• Craft and story time activity. Drop-in sessions. 11am to 1pm at City Central Library.
• Activities linked to the celebration. Throughout the day at the Potteries Centre.

Sunday

• Anything to Anywhere talk and cream tea – The History’s Maid group tell the story of the brave Air Transport Auxiliary women. Tickets £12, with cream tea. To book, call 01782 232323. 1pm at the museum.
• Film screening - Spitfire Birth of a Legend. Sunday, 2pm at the museum.
• Ringmaster by Artizani. Smithfield and along Piccadilly during the day.
• The Baghdaddies marching band. Along Piccadilly during the day.
• Live street art and DJ. DJ timed sessions from 10am to 5pm at Smithfield.
• Polish Squad 303 and ground crew group. 10am to 4pm at the museum.
• Replica Spitfire on display. Throughout the day at Smithfield.
• ATA strolling performers. 10am to 4pm at the museum.

Extra details on some of the specific events are available below. For more details, go to visitstoke.co.uk. Information is also available at stokemuseums.org.uk    

The unveiling of the new Spitfire Gallery

Stoke-on-Trent’s iconic Spitfire and its stunning new museum gallery were unveiled for the first time on Wednesday, September 15 - the day which marks the RAF’s victory in the Battle of Britain.

A VIP launch event was held at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery’s new glass-fronted extension, with guests including Armed Forces dignitaries, veterans, air cadets, local historians, faith leaders and Operation Spitfire members.

Among those attending the private launch on Wednesday was Spitfire engineer Reginald Mitchell’s great-nephew Julian Mitchell.

The city’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Dr Chandra Kanneganti, and Mr Mitchell officially opened the new gallery, which has been designed and built by Morgan Sindall Construction and funded by the city council.

The public will be able to access the exhibition – which includes the iconic RW388 Spitfire and a host of other fascinating displays - for the first time from Saturday.

Part of the gallery will be used to project video, animations and images about the plane and its designer, Reginald Mitchell, who lived in Normacot and was educated in Stoke-on-Trent before becoming one of the greatest aeronautical engineers of his generation.

The exhibition has been funded through a successful bid for £210,000 from a joint funding pot run by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation. Further funding totalling £47,000 was also raised with help from Operation Spitfire, The Friends of the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, and through visitors’ donations.

The 3,800 square foot extension has glass walls at the front and back, so people will also be able to see the plane lit up at night.

The museum’s café has also been updated with a more modern look as part of the work, and the public realm has been improved outside the gallery.

Stoke-on-Trent’s Spitfire had been in a workshop at an airfield 200 miles away in Kent for the past three years, where specialists spent hundreds of hours painstakingly restoring it to its former glory.

It was then transported back to Stoke-on-Trent in June, with a huge crane finally lifting the precious cargo into its new home.

Stay Connected If you enjoyed reading this update, why not check out the other updates and newsletters we offer by clicking here