D-Day Anniversary: June 6 in Normandy

Normandy marks the D-Day anniversary every year around June 6 with a festival that runs for about two weeks on and behind the landing beaches. In 2027, the 83rd anniversary, Normandy Tourism lists the D-Day Festival Normandy for May 29 to June 13, so plan and book early because this is the busiest time of year on the beaches.

When the D-Day commemorations take place

The D-Day commemorations are built around June 6, the date of the 1944 landings, but the events spread across the days before and after it. The tourist offices of the landing-beach area coordinate them as a single program, the D-Day Festival Normandy.

Recent and upcoming dates:

• 2026 festival: May 30 to June 14, 2026
• 2027 festival (83rd anniversary): May 29 to June 13, 2027, across the D-Day sector

The 2027 program is expected around mid-May 2027. It is published online on the festival’s website and in print at local tourist offices. Events can be added or changed only a few days beforehand, so check the program again just before you travel rather than relying on a list you saved months earlier.

What the D-Day Festival Normandy includes

The festival celebrates the freedom regained in 1944. In 2026 the program counted nearly 100 events. The tourist offices ask visitors to respect the memory of the people who fought and suffered here, which is worth keeping in mind at ceremonies and cemeteries.

The kinds of events you can expect:

• Parachute drops
• Parades of military and civilian vehicles
• Bagpipe concerts and dances
• Historical re-enactments
• Fireworks
• Exhibitions and documentary screenings

Some events come back year after year. The tourist offices name a parade of 150 civilian and military World War II vehicles that sets out from the Hillman site and travels along Sword, Juno and Gold beaches. There is a military vehicle camp at Radar Station 44 in Douvres-la-Délivrande, and the Marathon de la Liberté starts from Courseulles-sur-Mer.

Camp Géronimo is held each year in the field behind the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église. In 2026 it ran from June 3-7. Check the museum for the 2027 dates.

Where the events take place

The festival covers all five landing beaches (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword) and the ground between Pegasus Bridge in the east and Sainte-Mère-Église in the west. Ouistreham, Arromanches, Pointe du Hoc, Caen and Bayeux all host events.

That covers a lot of coastline, so it helps to choose a base and a few sites rather than chase every event. The D-Day beaches map shows how the sectors line up. The attraction pages give prices and hours for each site:

• American sector: Utah Beach D-Day Museum, Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc and the Normandy American Cemetery
• British and Canadian sectors: Arromanches D-Day Museum and the Juno Beach Centre
• Inland: Bayeux and Caen, home of the Caen Memorial Museum

If Pegasus Bridge is on your list, note that the Pegasus Memorial at Ranville is closed for renovation from September 1, 2026. That includes January to May 2027, and there is no confirmed reopening date.

For background on the landings themselves, read D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.

Why D-Day 2027 matters

Normandy Tourism expects the 83rd anniversary to bring in more international partners and veterans’ organizations. It also says 2027 could be one of the last anniversaries with a substantial group of veterans present. If attending with veterans in the area matters to you or your family, that is a reason to go in 2027 rather than wait.

Each year Delta Air Lines’ Normandy Legacy Flight brings veterans and students to Deauville airport. The public can greet them there, but you must sign up in advance. Details for 2027 have not been announced yet. Deauville is covered on our Deauville and Trouville page.

Crowds and what to book early

Normandy Tourism describes early June as the busiest time on the D-Day beaches because of the commemorations. Spring, autumn and winter are quieter. If you want the sites without the festival, see Best Time to Visit Normandy.

If you do come for June 6 in Normandy, a few things need booking ahead.

Normandy American Cemetery registration

The American Battle Monuments Commission expects compulsory pre-registration for all visitors to the Normandy American Cemetery from summer 2027. The registration system is due at the end of 2026. Next of kin will still be able to visit whenever they choose. Plan to register as soon as the system opens and you know your date.

Guided tours

If you would rather not drive, the Mémorial de Caen sells guided minivan tours of the beaches. Each tour takes 7 passengers and can be booked online, so reserve once your dates are firm. See the Caen Memorial Museum page for details.

Places to stay

Bayeux and Caen are the natural bases for the festival area. Book rooms early for the festival dates.

Getting there in early June

From Paris, you can reach the beaches by car or by train to Caen or Bayeux, then by tour. Getting to Normandy from Paris compares the options. Normandy Without a Car shows how to manage the trip on public transport and tours.

If you drive from Paris, the A13 Saint-Cloud tunnel is closed in the Paris-to-Normandy direction from November 16, 2026 to the end of August 2027. Diversions are signposted, but allow for them when you plan your departure.

No official road-closure or traffic plan for the 2027 ceremonies has been published yet. Ceremonies and parades can affect local access, so check the festival program and tourist offices closer to the date before you set your driving plan.

Building a trip around the anniversary

A short visit can work well during the festival if you keep it focused. These itineraries give you a starting point:

• One Day on the D-Day Beaches
• Bayeux and the D-Day beaches
• D-Day Beaches Day Trip from Paris

If you have more time, combine the commemorations with the rest of the region using Three Days in Normandy or Five Days in Normandy. Then check the mid-May program, register for the cemetery, and fit your days around the events you most want to see.