It is going to be a weekend of free fun for many families at Clacton Pier.
The attraction is set to welcome frontline Emergency Services over Saturday and Sunday as a big thank you for all they do for the community throughout the entire year.
Each family will be given up to four free rides bands to enjoy across the site.
And on Sunday the pier is celebrating Father’s Day with a free rides band for any adult who accompanies a paying child.
It will be the second time the initiative had been run for dads, grandads, uncles and guardians after a successful pilot last summer.
A similar event was organised for mums in March and went down very well.
Pier communications manager Nigel Brown said that the owners are keen to give back to the community whenever possible.
“The free Emergency Services weekends have been part of the diary for many years and we also run an identical weekend for the Armed Forces and Veterans in September,” he added.
“The whole idea is to give them the opportunity to get away from their stressful jobs and chill out with their families in a relaxed atmosphere. It is a chance to thank them for their efforts on our behalf.”
The Emergency Services included in the weekend are frontline Police, Fire, Ambulance, RNLI and Coastguard. They need to show their staff ID card at the ticket box on the ride deck.
This offer is open to all eligible personnel, not just those living or working in the local area.
Each year around £15,000 to £20,000 worth of free wristbands are given out over the two weekends.
The pier will also remain open to other customers throughout the two days and there will also be free live music outside the Boardwalk Bar and Grill.
The Armed Forces and Veterans weekend will be staged on September 13 and 14 and those attending will need to produce a Forces ID card.
The pier is putting on ten free fireworks displays in 2025 and the next is on Saturday July 26 to mark the beginning of the school summer holidays.
