The activities scheduled in Spain on the occasion of Armed Forces Day 2024

This week, from May 22 to 25, the events corresponding to Armed Forces Day 2024 are held in Spain.

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This year, the main events will take place in the cities of Oviedo (land parade and pass of the Águila Patrol) and Gijón (air parade and naval parade). You can read below the information published by the Ministry of Defense (see PDF of the press dossier).

Data of the personnel and material that will participate in the events

As reported by the Ministry of Defense, 6,250 soldiers (5,688 men and 562 women) participate in the activities scheduled in Oviedo and Gijón for this Armed Forces Day:

• 3,293 military personnel (3,043 men and 250 women) participate in the land parade in Oviedo.
• 157 vehicles (13 armored and mechanized vehicles, 108 wheeled vehicles and 36 motorcycles will participate in the land parade in Oviedo.
• 270 military personnel (261 men and 9 women) participate in the air parade in Gijón.
• 151 military personnel (137 men and 14 women) participate in the Paseo del Bombé exhibition in Oviedo.
• 151 military personnel (137 men and 14 women) participate in the Paseo del Bombé exhibition in Oviedo.
• 292 military personnel (272 men and 20 women) participate in the Military Music Meeting.
• 2,071 soldiers (1,824 men and 247 women) participate in the aeronaval activities in Gijón (Naval Presence and Static Exhibition, Naval Review and Beach Exhibition).

Oviedo

From Wednesday, May 22 to Sunday, May 26

• 1:00 p.m.: Inauguration of the static/dynamic material exhibition, on Paseo del Bombé (Campo de San Francisco). Times: Wednesday: from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm; Thursday: from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm; Friday: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm; Saturday: from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm; Sunday: from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm More information here.

Friday, May 24

• Air presence. Aircraft overflight from 5:50 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.The aircraft participating in the aerial parade in Gijón will then fly over the city of Oviedo. In total there will be 22 EF-18M fighters, 8 training aircraft (4 Pilatus PC-21 and 4 F-5BM), 4 transport aircraft and 22 helicopters.
• Meeting of military music. At 8:00 p.m. in the Cathedral Square.It will be chaired by the Chief of the Defense Staff (JEMAD). It will feature music units from the Royal Guard, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Civil Guard and the Municipal Band of the Oviedo City Council.

Saturday May 25

Central event of Armed Forces Day 2024. It will begin at 12:00 noon and will be chaired by H.M. the King. Constará de las siguientes partes:

• Arrival of HH.MM. the Kings.
• Military Honors to HH.MM. the Kings.
• Magazine of H.M. the King to the troops.
• Hoisting and Tribute to the National Flag.
• Tribute to those who gave their lives for Spain. During this event, the Patrulla Águila of the Air Force will make a pass.
• Land Parade.
• New pass of the Patrulla Águila of the Air Force.
• Farewell to HH.MM. the Kings.
• Lowering of the National Flag.

The parade will be broadcast on YouTube and can be seen live in this video player from 12:00 CET on May 25:

The parade will begin at the intersection of Avenida Padre Vinjoy with Avenida Hermanos Menéndez Pidal and Calle Ángel Muñiz Toca, it will continue along Avenida Hermanos Menéndez Pidal, Calle Real Oviedo and Calle de la Independencia until the intersection with Avenida de Santander. In this link (PDF) you can see the press kit with all the parade data, including the different military units that participate in it. You can see a map of the parade itinerary here (click on the image to see it enlarged):

Gijón

Wednesday the 22nd, Thursday the 23rd, Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th of May

• Naval presence and static exhibition of material, in the Port of "El Musel". The exhibition will have material from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Times: May 22, 23 and 25: from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm; May 26: from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Thursday May 23

• Exhibitions of personnel and material, at 7:00 p.m. at the Las Mestas Complex. They will be chaired by the mayor of Gijón and the Chief Admiral of the Ferrol Arsenal, and will have the participation of the Royal Guard , the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Military Emergency Unit, the Civil Guard and the Undersecretariat of Defense.

Friday, May 24

Central event of the Armed Forces Day in Motril, at 3:00 p.m. in front of San Lorenzo Beach. I indicate below the data of this day that has been published by the Gijón City Council:

• 3:00 p.m.: Naval Review in front of San Lorenzo Beach. It will be made up of ships from the Navy and the Maritime Service of the Civil Guard. Below these lines you can see the plan of this naval parade:

• 4:30 pm: Dynamic exhibition in the Plaza de San Lorenzo. At the end of the Naval Review there will be an exhibition of media and personnel from the Marine Corps Force, the Army, the Air Force, the Military Emergency Unit and of the Civil Guard.
• 5:45 pm: Air Parade on San Lorenzo Beach. If weather conditions permit, this parade will have the participation of aircraft from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Civil Guard. The Patrulla Águila will close the parade and put on a display.

Rest of Spain

On the occasion of Armed Forces Day, the Armed Forces carry out various activities throughout Spain, with open days in barracks, bases and ships, demonstrations, military music concerts, etc. The Ministry of Defense has published data on the events in different provinces on the official site of the Armed Forces Day 2024.

Furthermore, in the Agenda of Defensa y Aviación (click here) you will be able to see those activities of which you are aware. The Defense Culture Portal also regularly publishes activities of the Armed Forces.

Events in other countries

At this link you can see the events scheduled in other countries on the occasion of Armed Forces Day 2024. They are organized by the Spanish military contingents abroad.

Finally, you can see here the official video of the Ministry of Defense for Armed Forces Day 2024:

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Photo: Ministerio de Defensa.