The big guns come out for Battle Proms picnic concert in aid of Armed Forces charity

Battle Proms, an open-air picnic concert featuring choreographed Spitfire and parachute displays, will be returning to Hertfordshire this summer.

In addition to the amazing aerial displays, live orchestral music will be performed, including Beethoven’s Battle Symphony. In fact, Battle Proms is believed to be the only event in the world where audiences can hear the masterpiece as its German composer intended, with 193 live firing cannons providing a thunderous percussion!

Cavalry displays and a musical fireworks finale will also be among the highlights of the spectacle, which is expected to attract a crowd of 40,000-plus.

Tickets to the event are on sale now in aid of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, which provides lifelong support to Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel, veterans and their families.

Since 2004, the Battle Proms concert series has raised more than £300,000 for various military charities. 2018 marks the first year the Battle Proms team have joined forces with SSAFA, formerly known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association.

Adam Slough, event director for Battle Proms, explained: “While our concerts are joyous occasions, we are mindful of the fact that much of the music we perform – such as our signature piece, Beethoven’s Battle Symphony – was written to commemorate battles in which lives were lost.

“It therefore seems fitting to give SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity a platform at the Battle Proms, to both raise awareness of, and funds for, their vital work with our serving forces, veterans and their families.”

Jonathan Sandall, director of fundraising at SSAFA, added: “We are thrilled to be a part of such a dynamic and uplifting occasion, focusing on our pride for the Armed Forces. It’s a year of great celebration, being 100 years since the end of the First World War – as such, it seems especially fitting that we are working with such a poignant event.”

Battle Proms will take place at Hatfield House on Saturday, July 14. Early-bird tickets are available until Tuesday, May 1, priced £36. Visit www.battleproms.com