Salute to the ’40s
09 Sep - 10 Sep 2023
IT’S TIME TO MEET AGAIN
… your must visit 1940s weekend
Celebrated as ‘one of the Britain’s best vintage festivals’, get ready to reminisce and feel nostalgic as the Historic Dockyard is transformed into a 1940s experience. Relive the whole decade, from military wartime displays through to the glamorous years in the late 1940s.
Hundreds of re-enactors will bring life on the home front back to life. Music will fill the air with songs made famous by Dame Vera Lynn and Glenn Miller to the Andrew Sisters. The fantastic line up of musicians includes the ever popular act The D-Day Darlings; back by popular demand the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Adam Hoffman, Miss Holiday Swing and The Knightingales,
There will be plenty of opportunities to shop for those 40’s fashion essentials in the Vintage Street Market. Lining the streets of the Dockyard will be market stalls selling the best of ‘40s fashion, accessories, homeware and more. Whether you come ‘40s prepared or not, you’re bound to find something you’ll want to buy and cherish.
Family fun is certainly not going to be rationed with FREE vintage funfair rides. Dance the day away in our many dance lessons and experience an air-raid with a tour one of the Dockyard’s air raid shelters.
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Tickets
Early bird tickets are now available – with prices held at 2022 levels.
This is an important fundraising event in aid of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.
One Day Ticket
Child
- Aged 4 – 15 years
- Aged 3 and under go free
Advanced Online Price
£16.50
On the Day / Weekend Price
£18.00
One Day Ticket
Concession
Concession ticket applies to Senior Citizen (Age 65+), Ex-Forces, HM Forces, Kent Services and Forces with ID & Students (walk up only with ID).
Advanced Online Price
£23.00
On the Day / Weekend Price
£24.75
One Day Ticket
Family
2 adults and up to 4 children or 1 adult and up to 5 children.
Advanced Online Price
£67.00
On the Day / Weekend Price
£72.00
Weekend Ticket
child
- Aged 4 – 15 years.
- Children aged 3 and under are free.
Advanced Online Price
£24.50
On the Day / Weekend Price
£26.50
Weekend Ticket
concession
Concession ticket applies to Senior Citizen (Age 65+), Ex-Forces, HM Forces, Kent Services and Forces with ID & Students (walk up only with ID).
Advanced Online Price
£33.00
On the Day / Weekend Price
£35.00
Weekend Ticket
Family
2 adults and up to 4 children or 1 adult and up to 5 children.
Advanced Online price
£97.00
On the Day / Weekend Price
£105.00
What On?
Live Music
Across the weekend there will be an array of music. Come together on Museum Square as we sing along to wartime classics.
Saturday Only
The Glenn Miller Orchestra
Through an arrangement with Glenn Miller Productions in New York, veteran band-leader Ray McVay has put together an orchestra we feel the maestro would be proud of were he here to see it.
Sunday Only
The D-Day Darlings
Following their success on 2018’s Britain’s Got Talent, The D-Day Darlings were signed to Sony Music UK and their hugely successful debut Album “I’ll Remember You”. The D-Day Darlings are The Best Selling Female group to come from Britain’s Got Talent.
Saturday & Sunday
Adam Hoffman
Adam is an all rounder, Hosting, Singing, Magic, Comedy, Musical Instruments and general tomfoolery are just a few of the strings to his bow. He absolutely loves entertaining an audience and is super excited to be back hosting and performing at Salute to the ’40s.
Saturday & Sunday
Miss Holiday Swing
Miss Holiday Swing will take you through the nostalgic wartime years with songs such as You’ll Never Know & A Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square, but being a keen Lindy Hopper herself she will get your toes tapping to the sounds of In The Mood & Choo Choo Ch’Boogie!
Saturday & Sunday
The Knightingales
The Knightingales combine effortlessly precise harmonies with polished choreography to create a show unlike any other. The trio radiate glamour and sophistication and will have you tapping your toes and singing your heart out with their infectious energy and sensational vocals.
Saturday & Sunday
Flanagan & Allen
Let’s take you back in time with these two loveable rogues, Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen – two notorious members of the Palladium Crazy Gang. With songs and sketches you will know and love and with plenty of sing along moments throughout the show, it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Saturday & Sunday
Sparky & Sprite
Sparky and Sprite are an experienced duo who sing songs from the 1940’s, 50’s & 60’s and can adapt to most styles of popular music from Easy Listening/Swing to Rock & Roll to West End.
What’s On?
Entertainment
Vintage Vehicles
Motor enthusiasts will be wowed by the daily ‘Coming Home’ parade – an impressive convoy of vintage cars, trucks and jeeps.
Living History & Reenactors
Re-live the iconic era brought to life through 1940’s military and civilian re-enactors, military camps, a bombed-out house, shop and 1940’s pub, and land army displays. For those that really want the 1940s experience you can also get your hair styled in the salon or barbers. Fashion & vehicle parades will tour the grounds greeting crowds as crowds gather for the final hurrah.
Food & Drink
Dig for Victory! When you find the time to take a breather from the dancing, shopping and entertainment, don’t miss out on the array of food and drink available.
From our own food outlets: The Mess Deck – for your Pie & Mash and Fish & Chips or the Wagon Stop for savoury snacks: sausage rolls (vegan available) pasties and pies.
There are no rations at this event, with a variety of food stalls by HMS CAVALIER and on the green by the vintage market.
Fashion Parades
Dress to impress! Whether you’re dressed for the Homefront, family life or high end ’40s, we encourage you to dress up for the day participate in our fashion parade. Starting from the ropery, walk through the buzz of the site to Museum Square as the crowds gather for the finale.
Vintage Street Market
If you’re looking to add to your 1940s wardrobe, then look no further. Visit the Vintage Street Market to add to your collection. Get your fashion fix with: Ruby Jo Retro, Buy Design, Lainey’s Millinary and Chaps of Distinction to name a few. Don’t forget that you can get your hair styled at Belle’s Parlour to complete your vintage look.
Dancing
Learn to Jive, Charleston, OneStep & Hawaiian and swing into the ’40s spirit with our 1940s DJ!
Lesson times happening at 1pm and 2pm.
FREE Funfair
Listen to the live music and entrainment as you spin on the carousel, swing boats and chair o planes.
Unlimited funfair rides included in your entry ticket
Air Raid Experience
Take a seat inside one of the dockyard’s air raid shelters. Listen to stories and sound effects and discover what it was like inside an air raid shelter in the 1940s.
Small additional fee applies £5 adult & £2 child.
Times: 11.00, 12.30, 13.20, 14.20, 15.45, 16.20.
Call the Midwife Taster Tours
Our Call The Midwife Official Location Tour is the only one of its kind in the world. This 20 mins taster tour allows you to walk in the footsteps of Nurse Trixie Franklin, Sister Julienne and Dr Turner and explore where the real drama happens.
Taster Tours are bookable on the day at £5 adult & £2 child. Please note this does not include entry into the Call the Midwife gallery. Tours run every 30mins from 11am.
Historic Locos
Meet the team behind the restoration of historic loco, Rochester Castle, and be among the first to climb aboard her footplate in the Wagon Stop Workshop.
Afternoon tea treat
Take a break from the busy streets of the Dockyard and relax with a delicious afternoon tea in the Commissioner’s House Ballroom. Built in 1704, the Commissioner’s House is the oldest intact naval building in Great Britain and is the perfect setting for this quintessentially British treat.
Please note, afternoon teas in the Ballroom are only available when booked in advance. Spaces are limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have a variety of catering options on offer including our famous Fish & Chips or Pie & Mash from the Mess Deck Restaurant. We have freshly made sandwiches, sausage rolls and pies available in the Wagon Stop Canteen, as well as outlets serving Indian Street Food, Greek Wraps, Sausages and Churros.
Unfortunately, we can not allow alcohol to be brought in to, or out of the site (a range of premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be on sale from our bars)
The gates open at 10.00am. Please have your ticket information at hand ready to be processed and to receive your wristband
This event finishes at 6pm.
Please Note: THE RUNNING ORDER WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE DAY AND NOT IN ADVANCE.
Tickets for our events can be booked securely through this website, links posted by us and links on our social media pages.
Please check your junk inbox in case the email has been sent there.
For all other ticket enquiries, please contact info@chdt.org.uk and our team will do our best to help and send your reference number to you.
In our efforts to make Salute to the ’40s accessible to everyone, we offer disabled ticket holders, a free ticket for a personal assistant.
This offer is open to those who hold a current higher rate of DLA or other UK government approved supporting evidence of their requirement for a personal assistant.
Carer tickets can only be issued against general entry tickets.
IMPORTANT: This offer is only available to those people that would be unable to attend the event without a full time assistant.
To apply for a carer/ personal assistant ticket, please follow the procedure below:
– Buy a standard general admission ticket for the person you are caring for as they require ticket for entry.
– On the day of event please bring a copy of your letter of award for DLA (or equivalent) and our team will process your ticket for you. You cannot buy your carer/personal assistant ticket in advance
We welcome dogs to this event (some even dress up!) but please note that we do not allow entry for dogs inside our galleries and restaurants (with the exception of guide dogs).
Please also be aware that this is a busy and loud event so some dogs may find this unfamiliar.
Yes, we have made the site wheelchair friendly but please lookout for the railway tracks to ensure wheels do not get stuck. There may be areas that get busy from time to time, but our staff are on hand to help with any issues.
If you need a wheelchair please contact us on – 01634 823800 – and we can book one for your visit.
Please also see our Accessibility page for our Accessibility guide.
Get a taste of the festival
Salute to the ’40s
With thanks to our event photographers Ray Fothergill, Rhiannon Ideson, Patrick Boniface and Chick Pea Photography.
Blogs & Articles
Dive a little deeper
Go behind the scenes and get under the skin of Salute to the ’40s in our blogs and articles.
Events & Activities
Not to be missed
Don’t miss out on other great events and activities taking place this year.
Join the conversation
Share your day with us using hashtag #DockyardChatham
Twitter: @DockyardChatham FB:@historic.chatham
