The Armed Forces Major Events Team (AFMET)
The Armed Forces Major Events Team (AFMET)
Armed Forces Day 2026
Travel and transport
Armed Forces Day 2026
June 26th, 27th & 28th 2026
Below was the guide for getting to the Armed Forces weekend in Cleethorpes for 2025. It is hoped similar arrangement can be made for 2026. Further details will be announced when confirmed.
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Trains
The closest station is Cleethorpes. The next town, Grimsby is served by the same line. There's regular trains to the area, and if you can only get to Grimsby, there's lots of buses, run by Stagecoach, available to get you to the resort.
National Rail - for rail timetables
Stagecoach - for bus timetables
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Additional Rail services
TransPennine Express are bolstering their service over the weekend between Grimsby and Cleethorpes running a regular shuttle service between 0930 and 1800hrs. Please see their press release: TransPennine Express media release.
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Park and Ride
There are two major Park and Ride facilities at Origin Way on Europarc (off the A180 - postcode: DN37 9TZ) and at Grimsby Institute (Nuns Corner, Grimsby - postcode DN34 5BQ). Both of these are being serviced by Stagecoach with buses dropping customers off at Cleethorpes Memorial Hall over the weekend. Car parks will close at midnight each day.
​Service No X20, from Europarc Park and Ride will start from 4pm on Friday, 9am on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Grimsby Institute is served by normal bus routes. You can catch buses from these sites at the existing stops on the main road. At peak times, the service will run approximately every 15 minutes.
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At the Memorial Hall, the Europarc service will use stops on Grimsby Road. The Grimsby Institute service will use stops on Clee Road.
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Other out of town parking is available at the following locations, serviced by normal Stagecoach services:
Orwell St, Grimsby DN31 3HB
Toll Bar car park: New Waltham, Grimsby DN36 4RZ
Clee Fields, Ladysmith Rd, Grimsby DN32 9SW​​
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Bus fares: A single journey fare will be £1.50. But get together with some friends or family, and you can get a group ticket for up to 5 people of any age for just £8 (unlimited travel throughout the day for everyone in the group as long as they travel together). Concessions are still in operation. ​​​​​Travel on Stagecoach services is free for veterans and for those in service uniforms.
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Buses are not using St Peter's Avenue this weekend.
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Other parking in the resort
​Parking in the resort is limited, with the event taking over several major car parks. NELC are Council owned car parks, and charges are standard. There are other car parks not associated with the event but providing parking over the weekend. These are listed as "private" and may be raising funds for their own use, not to support the Armed Forces Weekend.
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Coach drop off information
Saturday: Please drop off passengers on Sea Road up to 0930am. Coaches must leave the area by 09.45am. The closest drop off stops between 09.45am and 12.30pm are at Memorial Hall in Cleethorpes (postcode: DN35 8AH). The Sea Road area will reopen after 1230pm.
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Weekend car parks (in the immediate area)
NELC: Grant Street (not available Friday)
NELC: High Street
NELC: North Prom (no access or exit on Saturday from approx 10am to approx 1230 to support the parades)
NELC: St Peter's Avenue
NELC: Yarra Road
NELC: Wardall St
NELC: Cleethorpes Leisure Centre (Blue Badge and Leisure Centre users only)
NELC: Boating Lake / Thrunscoe Land (Blue Badge to the right of entrance to the barrier)
Private: Cleethorpes Cricket Club (not available Friday) (DN35 0HZ)
Private: Parkway Cinema, Cleethorpes (DN35 0AQ)
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Closures:
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Central prom will be closed to all traffic, except emergency vehicles and the Land Train, all weekend (from 10pm on Thursday 26 June to 11.59pm on Sunday 29 June inclusive).
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Knoll / Civic Offices / Sea View Street car parks will be closed all weekend (from Friday 27 June to Sunday 29 June inclusive)
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Grant Street car park – closed all day Friday 27 June, to support the Community Carnival, but will be open on Saturday and Sunday as normal.
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Cleethorpes Leisure Centre – will be closed to all users except Lincs Inspire pass holders and Blue Badge holders from 10pm Tuesday 24 June to 11.59pm Monday 30 June.
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Thrunscoe Land (Boating Lake car park) - Bays to the left of the entrance and bays beyond the barrier on the right of the entrance will be closed from Friday 27 June to Sunday 29 June inclusive. A small car park area will be reserved for Blue Badge holders near the entrance.
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Getting around the event
Also new for this year, given the longer footprint of the event, is a shuttle service provided by vintage buses, between Cleethorpes leisure centre and Meridian Showground. Due to the increased standard Stagecoach service, there will be no shuttle on Saturday. However, the service will run 10am to 6pm on Sunday. Donations will be accepted on the buses.
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Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway will be running an increased service starting at 10am through to 6.30pm on Saturday and 10am to 6pm on Sunday. Trains will be running regularly between Meridian Showground and Kingsway Station next to the Leisure Centre. For more information about CCLR visit their facebook page (External site).
​Road Closures
There's lots of other road closures in operation. For the full list, visit the Council's website.
