This announcement follows the success of City Jam, which brought together over 200 renowned artists from around the world, as well as the launch of the city vision survey.
Cllr Daniel Cowan, leader of the council, expressed his excitement:
“Building more pride and having more events in our city is a priority for this administration. Southend-on-Sea is a fantastic place, and City Day 2025 will be a real celebration packed with community events and civic pride. The celebration will take place on the anniversary of being granted city status and will span the whole weekend.”
Cllr Cowan added:
“We want the whole city to feel involved and get involved too. While we are still in the planning stages, we are envisioning four major events that will highlight our local community and voluntary groups, our vibrant artistic and cultural scene, and our rich local heritage. We hope this will be complemented by smaller events run by residents, businesses, and community groups.”
He urged the community to start planning now:
“We are announcing this so people can begin thinking about how they might want to participate and help us build a programme of activities for everyone to enjoy. More details will be shared soon about how people can get involved with City Day 2025.”
The hope is that this event will mark the start of annual celebrations held around the anniversary of Southend-on-Sea’s city status.
Tara Poore, chair of the Southend City Partnership, said:
“We live in a great city and have so much to be proud of. It’s wonderful news that March 2025 will bring the community and organisations together to celebrate all things Southend-on-Sea. I look forward to seeing the details unfold and working with my colleagues on a series of memorable events.”
The event will mark three years since King Charles III, alongside Queen Consort Camilla, granted Southend-on-Sea city status. This historic honour was bestowed in memory of Sir David Amess, the late MP for Southend West, who championed the campaign for city status before his tragic death in 2021.