Ramsgate: The Heart of the Dunkirk Little Ships
Operation Dynamo 85th Anniversary: Honouring the Spirit of Ramsgate and the Little Ships
The 2025 anniversary highlights the Little Ships, the heart of Operation Dynamo. Visit Ramsgate to see more than 70 of these cherished vessels, meet their proud custodians, and hear the tales of their daring voyages across the English Channel. Take the opportunity to board the Medway Queen, a paddle steamer and heroine of Dunkirk.
Watch as the Dunkirk Little Ships depart Ramsgate on 21 May for their 10 hour crossing to Dunkirk, accompanied by Royal Navy warships. Welcome them back when they return on 26 May. Both subject to weather and sea conditions.
From Thursday 15 May
- Dunkirk Little Ships, including The Medway Queen, will start to arrive in Ramsgate
Friday 16 - Monday 26 May
- 10am-4pm: Operation Dynamo Exhibitions at Ramsgate Tunnels - The Ramsgate Story: visualisation of the 40,000 evacuees that came through Ramsgate and personal stories and RNLI Ramsgate Exhibition
- Standing with Giants: The Story of the Return of the Dunkirk Little Ships - told through panels along Marina Esplanade and Military Road
- The Medway Queen - explore the Medway Queen and discover the story of her participation 10am-4pm
- The Tommy Trail - throughout the town look out for the silhouettes of Tommy and scan the QR codes to find out about the rescue and evacuation of soldiers and children
- The Little Ships at St George's Church - see the Dunkirk Memorial stained glass window and an installation of over 3000 little paper boats by local volunteers
Friday 16 - Sunday 18 May
- Fun Fair with rides and amusements on Harbour Parade
- Street Party of live music at the Queen's Head
- Children's 'Little Ships' Town Trail and Harbour Trial
- Royal Harbour Projections (Friday and Sunday) on The Clock House and Royal Harbour Illuminations (Saturday) Royal Harbour and Harbour Parade
Little Ships at Ramsgate Royal Harbour. Credit Brian Whitehead
- 11am-4pm: Handmade and vintage fair and children's workshops at Pier Yard (Harbour Parade)
- The Children's Little Ships - installation of decorated paper boats by over 400 Ramsgate Primary School children. Saturday 10am-2pm at Albion Place Gardens and Sunday 12pm-4pm at Ellington Park
- 10am-6pm: 1940s Vehicles Show - replica Spitfire and 1940s vehicles on display by Ramsgate Tunnels
- 10:30am: Parade from the West Pier, near the Medway Queen, to St. George's Church followed by a public service at 11am. The service will be supported by the Thanet Big Sing Community Choir
- 5:30pm: Little Ships in Concert live performance with opera singers calling to the Dunkirk Little Ships in the Royal Harbour
- 6pm: Live music at Royal Temple Yacht Club
Monday 19 - Wednesday 21 May
- 5.30pm for 7pm: The Little Ships Film Festival at The Granville Theatre - three film showings over three days
Tuesday 20 May
- 11.30am Parade featuring the Band of the Royal Marines and Drum Corp from Ramsgate Tunnels to Sailors Church
- 12.30pm: Dunkirk Memorial Unveiling
Wednesday 21 May
- 6am to 8am:70 Dunkirk Little Ships will depart Ramsgate for Dunkirk, shepherded by a Royal Navy 'guard of honour' of approx six vessels (subject to the weather)
Friday 23 - Sunday 25 May
- 12.30pm - 5pm: The Lost Ships of Dunkirk - short film with wartime soundtrack of the sonar images of wrecks sunk close to Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo
Sunday 25 May
- 10am: Service of Remembrance outside Margate Lifeboat House. Veterans and cadets will then parade to Margate Station.
Monday 26 May (Bank Holiday)
- From 3pm approx: The Dunkirk Little Ships will be welcomed back to Royal Harbour, Ramsgate (subject to weather)
Little Ships departing Ramsgate Royal Harbour
Visitor Information Centre The Droit House Stone Pier Margate Kent CT9 1JD Te: 01843 577577 Email: visitorinformation@thanet.gov.uk www.visitthanetbusiness.co.uk