A finale to remember for Salute to the ’40s
What an incredible weekend it has been. Yesterday we lowered the flag on Salute to the ’40s and it was wonderful to see so many of you enjoying the festival. With more than 5,000 visitors joining us, this has been the most successful event we have hosted in a number years.
You can appreciate how difficult it therefore makes it to reaffirm that this year’s Salute to the ‘40s was also the last. After 18 years the festival has reached a natural turning point. Whilst we know that for so many of you this is a much loved highlight in your annual calendar, sadly there are not enough of us, and in recent years we have seen a decline in visitor numbers while operating costs have continued to rise. As a charity and independent museum we must take great care in how we use the money we raise to keep this special place alive.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War felt like a fitting time to close this chapter. Rather than let the festival fade away, we wanted to give it a proper send-off and create a finale to remember. This weekend has been just that.
Salute to the ’40s has always been rooted in real community spirit, and we could not have done it without you. On behalf of everyone at Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, thank you to the performers, reenactors, exhibitors, traders and every single one of you who has bought a ticket over he past 18 years. Your support has shaped Salute to the ’40s and made it the much-loved event it became.
While it won’t be on the calendar next year, we have a busy programme of events planned for the rest of 2025 and are already looking ahead to 2026. We hope you will continue to support us and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Richard Morsley
Chief Executive
Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust
