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The deputy in charge of organising Liberation Day events has acknowledged that next year's 80th anniversary is likely to see the last of the island's big public commemorations and celebrations.
Since Guernsey was liberated from German Occupation in 1945, 9 May has been a day of reflection and celebration for many.
For decades, the events followed a pattern of formal events during the morning before celebratory events during the afternoon and evening.
Covid disrupted plans for the 75th anniversary events in 2020, and since then more parish events have been organised with less focus on all-island community activities in St Peter Port.
Next May, the main focus will be on town again with around 30,000 people already predicted to visit St Peter Port that day, but Deputy Sue Aldwell has one eye cast to the future.
"This is probably going to be one of the last big ones," she acknowledged.
"It costs a huge amount of money to put something like this on, and also a huge team to do all of these things.
"I don't think people realise the work which goes on in the background to make the day. Sorting the piers out, the waste, the toilets, the security, all of those things and making sure we have the roads closed and the buses are doing different routes," she said.
"But hopefully everyone can come into town and they can come in first thing in the morning and they can watch all the parades and all those things, and then it will feed through to the fair on the Crown Pier, and the charities, and there'll be something for everyone."
Pictured: Both formal and fun events make up Guernsey's annual Liberation Day events. (Chris George)
In 1945 Liberation Day sparked spontaneous celebrations in St Peter Port as news of the German surrender spread across the island, following the Victory in Europe announced the day before.
Nearly every year since, people have gathered on the St Peter Port seafront to commemorate the hard years of the Occupation and the lives lost during the Second World War while also celebrating their freedom.
Events have changed over the years, with a decision made in the early 2000s that larger events would be staged on the 'big' anniversary years with smaller scale events on other years.
Large celebrations were held for the 60th, 65th, and 70th anniversaries of Liberation Day but plans for the 75th anniversary were curtailed by the covid pandemic. With the island in lockdown, events were staged online and in family homes and 'bubbles' instead.
Since covid some people have favoured smaller events held by the parishes but the demand was demonstrated for a large 80th anniversary celebration with plans being published this month, with more details to follow.
Pictured top: Liberation Day 2024 (Chris George).
Plans revealed for Liberation Day '25
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