This event has already passed
Beating Retreat is an annual pageant of military marches and music on Horse Guards Parade -- a magnificent example of the kind of pomp and pageantry that London does so well.
The ceremony dates back to the battlefields of the late 17th-century when the beating of drums and lowering of flags signalled to the troops that the camp gates were about to close. It still includes the lowering of the Regimental flag at sunset, but these days it's more of a military concert with marching bands.
This year's pageant will be performed by the Band of The Household Cavalry, The Massed Bands of the Guards Division, The Massed Pipes and Drums and The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Bear in mind that the stands inside Horse Guards aren't huge so the tickets can be quite hard to come by -- if you want to attend then make sure you grab one in plenty of time.
