Ypres Salient WW1 Events

Daily Last Post Ceremony

Every Day — 20:00 hours

Venue: The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ieper/Ypres

At 8 o'clock (20.00 hours) every evening the traffic through the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing is stopped and buglers of The Last Post Association play Last Post followed by Reveille in a moving ceremony.

Details of the Last Post Ceremony

Monthly Last Post Ceremony - Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing

Every first Friday of the month at 19:00 hours

Venue: Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing

The Last Post is played at the memorial on the first Friday of every month at 7 o'clock (19.00 hours). The ceremony was first started on the 7 June 1999 and is organized by the Comité du Memorial de Ploegsteert.

Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing

Armistice Day Ceremonies & Commemoration

11 November

A number of commemorative events take place in Ypres each year to mark the anniversary of Armistice Day on 11 November 1918. The annual events include morning church services, a special Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing and a concert in St. Martin's cathedral.

Events and times for the following events as part of the Armistice commemoration are outlined below.

Remembrance Ceremony at the French National Cemetery Saint Charles de Potyze

11 November 2024

Time: 08.45 hours

Venue: Zonnebeekseweg, Potijze

A ceremony will take place at the French military cemetery a few minutes' drive to the north-east of Ypres.

For the location of this cemetery see our page at:

Saint Charles de Potyze

Morning Service at St. George's Memorial Church

11 November 2024

Time: 09.15 hours

Venue: St. George's Memorial Church, Elverdingestraat, Ieper/Ypres

By ticket only.

If you wish to apply for tickets contact St. George's Memorial Church via the website at:

Website: www.stgeorgesmemorialchurchypres.com

For information about St. George's Memorial Church see our page at:

St. George's Memorial Church

Service in St. Martin's Cathedral, Vandenpeerboomplein, Ieper

11 November 2024

Time: 09.30 hours

Venue: St. Martin's Cathedral, Ieper/Ypres

Service of Remembrance in Flemish to commemorate Armistice Day in Saint Martin's Cathedral.

The Poppy Parade

11 November 2024

Time: 10.20 hours

Venue: Starting point - the parade departs from Vandenpeereboomplein

The Poppy Parade is open for everyone to join it. For information about The Poppy Parade and how it came about you can read our page:

The Poppy Parade

The Poppy Parade forms up near St. George's Memorial Church and St. Martin's Cathedral in the Vandenpeereboomplein square. The parade Marches Off at 10.20 hours led by the Ypres Surrey Pipes & Drums band in advance of the main parade to the Menin Gate Memorial. The Poppy Parade passes through the Menin Gate Memorial and halts in a specially reserved area to the east side of the Menin Gate Memorial.

If you are carrying a wreath to be laid during the Menin Gate morning ceremony, once you reach the Menin Gate you will be directed to the designated area where wreath-laying members of the public are to stand.

Ceremony at the Ypres War Victims Monument

11 November 2024

Time: 10.30 hours

Venue: Ypres War Victims Monument

Wreaths will be laid at the monument during a short ceremony.

Special Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing

11 November 2024

Time: 11.00 hours

Venue: The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ieper/Ypres

This Ceremony of Remembrance is a special Last Post Ceremony on the occasion of the anniversary of the Armistice. Attendance is by invitation.

The ceremony is usually attended by bands, a choir, Standards and wreath layers.

Please note: There may be some alternative arrangements for the 2024 ceremony at the Menin Gate during the ongoing restoration works.

Live Projection of the Ceremony

A live projection of the ceremony will usually be shown on a large screen in the Grote Markt (Market Square).

Evening Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial

11 November 2024

Time: 20.00 hours

Venue: The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ieper/Ypres

Free

The daily sounding of the Last Post Ceremony on the evening of 11 November is usually attended by a band and Standards.

For more information about The Last Post Ceremony each evening, see our page at:

The daily Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial

Ceremony of Remembrance, Indian Monument

12 November 2024, 11.00 hrs

Venue: Ramparts, south side of the Menin Gate Memorial, Ieper/Ypres

Free

A ceremony will be held as part of the annual Ypres commemorations to remember the Indian troops who served in the Ypres Salient.

See our page at:

Indian Forces Memorial, Ypres

“The Great War Remembered” Concert at St. Martin's Cathedral, Ieper

9 November 2024 (17.00 & 20.15 hours) & 11 November 2024 (17.00 hours)

Venue: Sint-Maartenskathedraal (St. Martin's Cathedral), 8900 Ieper/Ypres

Entry by ticket only.

The annual Great War Remembered concert is held in the magnificent cathedral. Choirs and bands bring their talents together to submerge the audience in the atmosphere of the Great War through instrumental and vocal music, combined with images of the First World War. The concert is organized by The Last Post Association, the volunteer organisation responsible for sounding the daily Last Post at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ieper.

To buy tickets for the 2024 concerts please visit the Last Post Association website:

Website: lastpost.be/concert/