Led by partners Visit Surrey, BBC Radio Surrey and the Surrey Lieutenancy, Surrey Day brings communities together across towns, villages and attractions to celebrate everything that makes Surrey such a special place to live, work and visit. Each year features special visits, well-known ambassadors, live radio coverage, podcasts and celebrations across the county. Here’s a look back at how Surrey Day has grown.
Surrey Day 2024 – Saturday 11 May
Theme: Surrey from the Sky
Ambassador: Brian Blessed
The sixth Surrey Day celebrated the theme Surrey from the Sky, highlighting our county’s aviation heritage and spectacular viewpoints.
The theme reflected Surrey’s strong links with aviation, from the iconic Concorde at Brooklands Museum near Weybridge to the lifesaving missions flown by the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex from Redhill Aerodrome.
We also celebrated some of Surrey’s finest viewpoints, including Box Hill and Leith Hill, home to Leith Hill Tower - the highest point in south east England.
At Painshill Park in Cobham, lucky visitors experienced balloon flights over the landscape, now widely recognised for its appearances in Bridgerton.
Actor Brian Blessed, a proud Surrey resident and honorary patron of the Guildford Shakespeare Company, served as Surrey Day ambassador.
Throughout the day, BBC Radio Surrey broadcast from Birdworld near Farnham, Fairoaks Airport near Chobham and concluded with a celebratory tea party at Brooklands Museum.
Surrey Day 2023 – Saturday 13 May
Theme: Celebrating Surrey’s Waterways
Ambassador: Penelope Keith
Surrey Day 2023 took place a week later than usual to accommodate the coronation of King Charles III.
The fifth annual celebration proved the most successful yet and welcomed one of Britain’s best-loved actors, Penelope Keith, as its ambassador.
Best known for The Good Life and To the Manor Born, and a long-time Surrey resident who had also served as Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff, she was a fitting figurehead for the day.
Events and visits took place across the county, including an appearance by Dame Penelope at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.
A heritage bus from the London Bus Museum carried the BBC Radio Surrey team to locations such as Painshill Park, RHS Garden Wisley and Hampton Court Palace.
The theme shone a spotlight on Surrey’s waterways, celebrating communities and landscapes along the River Wey and River Thames.
Surrey Day 2022 – Saturday 7 May
Theme: Local food and drink
Ambassador: Eamonn Holmes
Surrey Day 2022 celebrated our county’s outstanding food and drink producers.
Ambassador Eamonn Holmes sampled the Great Surrey Menu at Loseley Park alongside BBC Radio Surrey presenter James Cannon.
The Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey visited venues across the county, including The Wood Fired Larder, Openview Farm, The Lightbox and the Peace Garden at Shah Jahan Mosque.
A special podcast featured Visit Surrey chair Chris Howard walking the North Downs Way from Farnham to the Kent border with BBC Radio Surrey.
Presenter Lesley McCabe broadcast from around the county aboard a heritage bus from the London Bus Museum.
As evening fell, Guildford Cathedral was once again illuminated in green.
This year marked the end of the Surrey Day partnership with Surrey Life, as the magazine closed later that summer.
Surrey Day 2021 – Saturday 1 May
Themes: Raise a Glass, Towns and Villages, Natural Beauty
Ambassador: Brian May
Surrey Day 2021 took place while pandemic restrictions were easing but large gatherings were still limited, so most celebrations remained online alongside a small number of ticketed events.
Brian May shared his love of Surrey’s nature and landscapes, while audiences joined BBC Radio Surrey, Visit Surrey and Surrey Life across social media and on air.
Highlights included Raise a Glass, which encouraged people to toast those who had helped keep communities going during difficult times, and a spotlight on Surrey’s towns and villages, recognising the resilience of independent shops, pubs, theatres and high streets.
The county’s countryside was also celebrated for supporting wellbeing during lockdown, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex visited Kingfisher Farm Shop.
Surrey Day 2020 – Saturday 2 May
Theme: Surrey celebrities shared their favourite places
Ambassador: Judi Dench
The second Surrey Day was reimagined as a virtual celebration as the pandemic and national lockdown took hold.
Despite the circumstances, organisers welcomed one of Surrey’s most famous residents, Dame Judi Dench, as the event’s first ambassador. She shared her love for the British Wildlife Centre.
Surrey Life also interviewed well-known Surrey figures about their favourite local places.
Audiences from around the world tuned in to BBC Radio Surrey and followed #SurreyDay online, with residents sharing the places they missed most and expats sending memories from afar.
The programme featured online tours of museums, galleries and attractions across the county, and the celebrations concluded with Guildford Cathedral illuminated in green by Peachy Productions.
Surrey Day 2019 – Saturday 4 May
Theme: The Seven Wonders of Surrey
The first Surrey Day took place on Saturday 4 May 2019, launching a new annual celebration of the people, places and heritage of Surrey.
The event was created by Visit Surrey, BBC Radio Surrey and Surrey Life magazine to raise the county’s profile through events, tours and storytelling.
BBC Radio Surrey listeners selected the Seven Wonders of Surrey, later published in Surrey Life, including Watts Gallery in Compton, Waverley Abbey near Farnham and Leith Hill Tower near Dorking.
Thousands of people took part in the inaugural event across the county, enjoying behind-the-scenes tours at National Trust properties, a lively street party at Silent Pool and a communal beacon-lighting finale at Priory Farm.
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