Surrey Day will be on Saturday 9 May 2026.
The eighth annual celebration of our wonderful county!
Surrey Day is led by founding partners Visit Surrey, BBC Radio Surrey and The Surrey Lieutenancy. We're honoured that Ambassadors and supporters have included the Duke of Edinburgh - then Duke of Wessex - Dame Judi Dench, Dame Penelope Keith, (pictured below), Sir Brian May, Sir Brian Blessed and Chesney Hawkes.
We'll soon be announcing the 2026 Ambassador - watch this space!
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GOING UNDERGROUND FOR SURREY DAY
One of our key themes for 2026 will be exploring ‘Underground Surrey’. From food and drink production, to wonderful places to visit both above and below ground - Surrey Day delves into the layers of soil, rock, and history that support and shape our county. There’s so much we don’t know about ‘what lies beneath’ and we can’t wait to find out more.
HIDDEN TREASURES
We’re looking to spark an interest in getting to know Surrey from a different perspective, through a series of ‘treasure hunts’ across the county. They will give everyone a chance to explore the place we’re lucky enough to call home and perhaps learn something new!
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Looking Back at Surrey Day 2025
In 2025, with VE Day parties taking place, Surrey Day took on a special poignance on Saturday May 10.
Our annual community event, brought Surrey’s towns, villages and attractions together in celebration, in partnership with BBC Radio Surrey and the Surrey Lieutenancy.
Surrey Day sunshine
Once again we were blessed with spectacular sunshine. In 2025, we had two key themes: How World War Two shaped Surrey and “Take the Lead” dog-friendly destinations.
Towns and villages broke out the bunting, memories and wartime stories were shared and local dignitaries, including the Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff of Surrey, visited events across the county, as well as shining a spotlight on some of Surrey’s lesser-known gems.
“This was our seventh celebration of life in Surrey, and it definitely felt like our best to date,” said Surrey Day founder and BBC Radio Surrey presenter Mark Carter.
“The BBC Surrey team, Visit Surrey and the Surrey Lieutenancy worked collaboratively with a host of individuals and organisations to deliver a fantastic celebration. During the day, I lost count of the number of people who stopped me to say how much they appreciate the effort that everyone puts in to making this such a successful, annual event.”
Out and about around Surrey
BBC Radio Surrey broadcast throughout the day, with highlights including a How World War Two shaped Surrey podcast special; Sara Thornton venturing across the county in a vintage World War Two jeep; James Cannon’s Big Dog Walk at local beauty spot, Newlands Corner; music from new and unsigned musicians from across the area; and a grand finale from D’Oyly Carte Island near Weybridge, on the banks of the River Thames.
As well as the VE Day celebrations and World War Two stories, many attractions across Surrey also adopted the “Take the Lead” theme by welcoming dog owners and their furry friends to explore at a slightly different pace. Bespoke doggy menus were even created for the occasion at destinations such as Albury Organic Vineyard, Claremont Landscape Garden in Esher and Painshill in Cobham.
“The One and Only” singer Chesney Hawkes, who lives in the county, also leant his support - following in the footsteps of previous Surrey Day ambassadors, including Dame Judi Dench, Dame Penelope Keith, Sir Brian May and Brian Blessed.
“From all of us at Visit Surrey, we would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who got involved in Surrey Day 2025 and made it such a success - from the attractions that hosted events and BBC Surrey broadcasts to the residents who so enthusiastically embraced this wonderful celebration of our county,” says Chris Howard. “We can’t wait to celebrate with you all again next year!”
