What's on in Portsmouth: Best Hampshire things to do this weekend including D-Day 80 events

From beloved tourist attractions to D-Day commerative events, here are some of the best activities on offer in the Portsmouth area this weekend - taking place on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2.

Spinnaker Tower D-Day photography exhibition opens

Portsmouth’s iconic Spinnaker Tower will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a special photography exhibition, light show and more. From June 1 to 9, Spinnaker Tower’s view deck, 100 metres above the harbour, will display a selection of striking D-Day photographs on loan from The D-Day Story, Portsmouth and The News. You can find out more information here.

D-Day Firepower Weekend at Fort Nelson - Saturday June 1 and Sunday June 2

Kicking off a week of spectacular commemorative events, Fort Nelson on Portsdown Hill will invite visitors to see “Second World War artillery displays, re-enactors and military vehicles, as well as contemporary music from singing duo Perfect Vintage.” Also taking place at the fort - home to much of the Royal Armouries collection - will be children’s activities, face painting, search and rescue dog demonstrations, Second World War reenactors and more. You can find all the details for this here.

Portsmouth Cathedral Summer Celebration

Portsmouth Cathedral in Old Portsmouth is hosting a free day of entertainment to mark the beginning of summer. Enjoy live music, games, BBQ, face painting and more from 11.30am to 2.30pm. Jazz and easy-listening singer Stacey Mogg will also perform at the event and a visiting animal petting farm will delight families. You can find out more about the event here.

Live At The Bandstand

Portsmouth’s summer roster of free live music continues this weekend. Saturday, June 1 will see An Afternoon of Original Acoustic Music come to Victoria Park featuring The Alistair Goodwin Band, Omam Dawn, and Ed Goodale. On Sunday, June 2, Jazz in the Park will feature the sounds of Southsea Groove Collective. Find out more here: Live at the bandstand 2024: Full lineup.

D-Day Poetry at Southsea Cinema and Arts Centre

"From Sword to Utah" is a free poetry poetry event honouring those who participated in the D-Day landings while raising money for the The Combined Operations Memorial Fund and The Royal British Legion. Some veterans of the Normandy landings are expected to attend the event, taking place from 3pm to 5.30pm this Sunday. Find out more here.

Car Boot Sales in Southsea

The hugely popular Portsmouth and Southsea Car Boot Sale has returned for 2024. This Sunday will see the event take place on Castle Fields before it returns to its usual Southsea Common site off Duisburg Way.

The car boot will begin at 7.30am and end at 1pm. Traders will be able to access the site from 6.30am and can load out until 1.30pm. You can stay up to date with information about the event - and any last-minute cancellations - here: www.facebook.com/PSCarBoot.

Enjoy a wonderful walk

With a perfect location of being both right on the coast and at the edge of the South Downs National Park, Portsmouth and its surrounding towns have a whole host of fantastic walks to enjoy this spring - and this weekend is the idel time to explore.

Here are just some of our favourites: 17 of the best spring walks in and near the Portsmouth area.

Visit Southsea’s hidden gardens

This week, we decided to explore some of Southsea’s quirky, historic and peaceful gardens including The Rock Gardens, The Rose Garden and Portsmouth Japanese Garden – all adjacent to Clarence Esplanade. These spots, arguably hidden gems overshadowed by the nearby beach, rival the seafront as places to relax and take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. You can take a look here: I visited Portsmouth's quirky Rock Gardens, Rose Garden and Japanese Garden.

Walk The Millenium Promenade

The Millennium Promenade is a 3km walking route which takes those who follow it across Portsmouth’s historic waterfront. Follow the anchors imprinted in the pavement and you’ll find yourself passing landmark like the Spinnaker Tower, Clarence Pier and the Round and Square towers in Old Portsmouth. Start your free tour of the city by finding the first anchor at Spur Redoubt near Clarence Pier.

Visit Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery

Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery has plenty of excellent – and free – displays on local history, and is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10am and 5pm.

A statement on the museum’s website reads: “discover the world of Sherlock Holmes, see fascinating works of art, trace the history of Portsmouth FC and a whole load more besides.”

For more information, visit https://portsmouthmuseum.co.uk/.

Visit the Mary Rose Museum

The Mary Rose Museum, in Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard, offers a fascinating glimpse into Tudor history with thousands flocking to see it every year. It is one of the cities main tourist attractions but shouldn't be overlooked by locals either.

Enjoy a free Portsmouth day out

A great day out in the island city doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Read on here for 8 of the city's best free attractions – and watch our reporter see them all in one day out.

Join a Parkrun

Parkruns are free weekly races held across the country – including in Portsmouth. You can find your race on the Parkrun website, and for more details about the best Parkruns in and around Portsmouth, see here: Parkruns: Courses in Portsmouth, Fareham, Havant, Lee-on-the-Solent and Whiteley and what they are like to run.