Armistice Day 2027 is Thursday 11 November 2027. It marks the moment the guns fell silent at the end of the First World War in 1918. In the United Kingdom, the main national ceremony is on Remembrance Sunday, 14 November, at the Cenotaph in London. Ceremonies are free, and anyone can attend and observe the two-minute silence at 11am.
When is Armistice Day 2027
Armistice Day 2027 is Thursday 11 November 2027. The date never moves, because it marks the exact day the 1918 armistice took effect. The two-minute silence is held at 11am wherever the day is observed. In the United Kingdom, the main national ceremony is on Remembrance Sunday, the second Sunday in November, which in 2027 is Sunday 14 November. The 2027 timings for the London service are published closer to the date, so check the official GOV.UK page before you travel.
| Date 2027 | What happens |
|---|---|
| Thursday 11 November | Armistice Day: two-minute silence at 11am; ceremonies in France, Belgium, and at memorials worldwide. |
| Sunday 14 November | Remembrance Sunday: National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London, plus services across the UK. |
| Every evening, year round | Last Post ceremony under the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium, at 8pm. |
What is Armistice Day
Armistice Day marks the ceasefire that ended fighting on the Western Front of the First World War. An armistice is an agreement to stop fighting. It is not a peace treaty: the formal peace came later, with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The day is remembered for silence and reflection rather than celebration. Many countries have since widened the day to honour veterans of every conflict, not only the First World War. In the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia it is also called Remembrance Day. In the United States the same date became Veterans Day in 1954. See the full list of national holidays in this category.
What happens on Armistice Day
Each country marks the day in its own way, but the silence at 11am is shared. In London, the National Service of Remembrance takes place at the Cenotaph on Whitehall on Remembrance Sunday. The Cenotaph means "empty tomb": it is a stone memorial with no body inside, standing for all those who died. As Big Ben tolls eleven, a gun is fired on Horse Guards Parade, and two minutes of silence follow. The Last Post is played, wreaths of poppies are laid, and veterans and service groups march past. Read the Royal Family guide to Remembrance Sunday and the Cenotaph ceremony for how the service runs.
In Paris, the French President lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the Arc de Triomphe, and the eternal flame is rekindled. 11 November is a public holiday in France, and towns across the country hold their own ceremonies at local war memorials. Many French people wear the Bleuet de France, a cornflower, as their remembrance flower. In Belgium, 11 November is also a public holiday. Ypres holds a special Last Post ceremony under the Menin Gate at 11am, at the memorial carrying the names of more than 54,000 soldiers with no known grave. The daily Last Post has sounded there every evening at 8pm since 1928. See the Great War guide to the Menin Gate Last Post ceremony in Ypres for how to attend.
Elsewhere, Canada and Australia call the day Remembrance Day, and hold services at war memorials across both countries. Australia also observes ANZAC Day separately on 25 April, for the Gallipoli landing of 1915: a different day, marking a different event.
Tickets
There is no ticket to buy. The ceremonies are free and open to the public. In London, the public watches from Whitehall, and space is limited, so arrive early and allow time for security checks. In Ypres, the 11am ceremony area is by invitation, but the service is shown on a large screen on Market Square for everyone else. In Paris, the Arc de Triomphe is closed on the morning of 11 November for the official ceremony. Some venues near the ceremonies may close or restrict access on the day, so check local listings before you go.
| What | Ticket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cenotaph service, London | Free | Public viewing from Whitehall. Arrive early; security checks, no large bags. |
| Arc de Triomphe ceremony, Paris | Free to watch | Arc closed on the morning of 11 November for the official ceremony. |
| Menin Gate, Ypres | Free | 11am ceremony area by invitation; live screen on Market Square. Daily 8pm Last Post free. |
| Local memorial services | Free | Towns and villages hold their own services at local war memorials. |
The poppy and the two-minute silence
The red poppy became the symbol of remembrance after Canadian doctor John McCrae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields in 1915, inspired by the poppies growing across the shattered battlefields near Ypres. American humanitarian Moina Michael read the poem and began campaigning to adopt the poppy as a memorial emblem. The Royal British Legion adopted it in Britain in 1921, holding the first official Poppy Appeal that same year. Buying a poppy supports veterans and their families. Wearing one is a personal choice, not a duty, and the poppy stands for remembrance and hope, not for war itself.
The two-minute silence has a separate origin. It was first proposed by Australian journalist Edward George Honey in 1919. King George V endorsed the practice for the first anniversary of the armistice, asking the entire British Empire to pause for two minutes at 11am. The tradition has continued ever since. During the silence, people stop, stand still, and stay quiet. Phones go away. It is a short, shared pause, and joining in respectfully is the main thing a visitor needs to do.
How the day began
The armistice was signed at around 5 in the morning on 11 November 1918, inside a railway carriage in the Compiègne Forest north of Paris, where German representatives met Allied commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch. The agreement set the ceasefire to begin at 11am that same day, giving rise to the phrase the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Fighting continued right up until that moment. The railway carriage carries a darker twist of history: in 1940, after France fell to Nazi Germany, Hitler ordered French officials to sign their surrender inside that very same carriage, in the same forest clearing, deliberately turning the site of Germany's 1918 defeat into a symbol of its 1940 revenge.
Another day of national remembrance is the German Unity Day date, host city, and visitor guide. For the full list of festivals across the world, go back to the World Festival and Holiday Calendar.
Safety and visiting tips
- Silence: join in fully. Stop, stand still, and stay quiet for the two minutes. Do not talk, take calls, or take photos during the silence.
- Dress: wear dark, plain clothing if you can. You do not need a uniform or a poppy to attend, but a poppy is a welcome sign of respect.
- Crowds: ceremonies draw large crowds. Keep your bag closed and in front, carry little of value, and agree a meeting point with your group.
- Security: expect bag checks, barriers, and controlled access at busy ceremony areas. Arrive early. Do not bring large bags, and never fly a drone near Whitehall.
- Weather: mid-November in London, Paris, and Ypres is cold and often wet. Bring layers, a rain jacket, and warm, comfortable shoes for standing outdoors.
- Getting around: stations near the ceremonies get busy before and after the service. Allow extra time, and check transport updates on the day.
- Stay: book ahead if you plan to be in London for Remembrance Sunday weekend, as hotels near Whitehall fill fast.
- Children: the ceremonies are solemn and quiet. Explain the silence beforehand so children know what to expect.
Sources
- The Royal Family: Remembrance events (Cenotaph, Remembrance Sunday)
- GOV.UK: National Service of Remembrance (ceremony format, public access, security)
- Great War: Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres
- Public Holidays: Armistice Day in France (public holiday, Arc de Triomphe ceremony)
- The Gazette: The history of Armistice Day (1918 signing, 11am ceasefire)
- National Army Museum: The History of the Poppy