Portsmouth100 Music Service

Portsmouth Music Hub is bringing schools from across the area together at Portsmouth Guildhall on Thursday 9 July for the Portsmouth100 Music Service. It's a showcase of songs inspired by the city's heritage, with local schools taking the stage to perform them.

The whole thing sits inside Portsmouth100, the year-long celebration marking the 100th anniversary of Portsmouth gaining city status. The commemorations kicked off on New Year's Day with a free community event, music, and a short fireworks display, during which the lighthouse at Southsea Castle was lit up for the first time since 2017. This music service is one of the events spread across the city throughout the year, so it's part of a much wider calendar rather than a standalone show.

If you're around the city later in the summer, there's another part of the festivities to keep in mind: the Pride of Portsmouth Lion Trail Hunt. It's a free art trail with artist-designed lion sculptures placed around Portsmouth from 13 July to 13 September, so it starts just a few days after the music service. Between the two, you've got a good sense of how the city is marking the centenary — one in the Guildhall with local schools singing about the city's history, and another out on the streets with a trail of lions to find.

So, the Portsmouth100 Music Service is at Portsmouth Guildhall on 9 July, with schools from across the area performing songs inspired by the city's heritage as part of the wider Portsmouth100 celebrations.