Llangollen's VE Day 80th party goes with a swing

* A couple get into the swing of things on the dance floor.

A two-day programme of events for Llangollen's celebration of the 80^th anniversary of VE Day started with a swing yesterday (Monday). 

The Bank Holiday and this Thursday (May 8) will see community-based celebrations across the UK to celebrate the landmark anniversary of the day the war in Europe ended in 1945.   

In Llangollen the town council has arranged a full package of events to mark the occasion in style, all centred on the Town Hall and nearby Centenary Square. 

Yesterday at 9.30am the flag was raised in the square as town crier Chem proclaimed that the celebrations were officially underway. 

In the town hall scores of people turned up to enjoy a free VE Day party with performances by a wide range of local groups such as Llangollen Silver Band and The Melodics Choir, dancers Valentine and Karen Lyon and solo singers Charlie Jones and Phil Robinson. 

Throughout the day wartime archive video and photographs were shown on a big screen while schoolchildren from Bryn Collen and Y Gwernant were shown in a film singing a wartime era song. 

There were stands manned by local organisations such as Llangollen International Eisteddfod, Dementia and the local branch of the Royal British Legion.

Complimentary teas, coffees, and cakes were served throughout the day and the event closed with a powerful performance by North Wales Opera who are currently rehearsing in the town hall for their Opera Cavalleria Rusticana and Paglicci, and the group’s Eve Callahan sang a VE-Day song. 

The  day's events were filmed by a crew from GB News with a number of live sequences from Llangollen being screened nationally throughout the day. 

Celebrations continue on the evening of Thursday May 8 when church bells will ring out at 6.30 and the Royal British Legion will lead a short commemoration on the Town Square followed by the lighting up of the Town Hall in symbolic red, white and blue by the mayor. 

* The VE Day flag is raised in Centenary Square as town crier Chem reads the proclamation to start the day's events.  

* The Silver Band plays to start the Town Hall party.

* The Karen Lyon dance group take the floor.

* Town Mayor, Aled Morris, joins in the dance action.

* The Julie Thomas dance group go through their paces.

* The Melodics in fine voice.

* North Wales Opera Studio's Eve Callaghan takes the applause after her solo singing performance.

* The North Wales Opera Studio chorus sing a selection from their forthcoming production.

  * The GB News film crew capture the day's action.