Finningley Boy,
One side of me can understand the comments by +SHRA. After all, this country is in an era of financial duress. A larger part of me, however, totally disagrees.
Why do the military put on displays of equipment & skills? Why do the military partake in ceremonies? There are many answers. These include: -
1/ It allows the public to see what equipment their money has been spent on, and demonstrates the skills of those who operate and maintain said equipment
2/ It engenders patriotism within some of those who attend
3/ It allows the military and civilians to interact and to mix. This is very important as civilians rarely get to have any contact with the military these days. It can engender understanding of what the military does, it shows that people care about what the military does
4/ Tradition, which provides stability in a service persons life - or it can do. A feeling of belonging engendering that feeling of belonging to a special group of people; a family.
5/ To encourage young people to have an interest in the military, and possibly to join when old enough. This is a cheap way of recruitment.