Since it was established in 1994, Heritage Open Days has become England’s largest festival of history and culture. As the country’s contribution to European Heritage Days, it joins 49 other countries in providing free access to a number of landmarks, including many which are usually closed to the public.
With this year’s coronavirus pandemic, you might be wondering if Heritage Open Days might be cancelled, like so many other events. But we have good news. Not only will this year’s festival take place; for the first time it will feature a mix of in-person and digital events, allowing people to participate while observing current safety measures. So start checking the website and make plans to explore some of England’s hidden places in September.
Heritage Open Days
The event is coordinated by the National Trust. Funding comes from the People’s Postcode Lottery. Each year, an army of volunteers helps with the festival, which comprised 5,700 events last year and attracted more than 2.4 million visitors. Organisers hope that this year will be just as successful, even if they have had to be a little more creative in planning.
Heritage Open Days is about connecting people so we can share in the amazing stories of the places, spaces, nature, heritage and history around us. The last few months have shown us how online events can bring us together even when we have to remain apart. We have seen some ingenious approaches to culture going digital, from virtual tours and online galleries to up-close explorations of artefacts and objects, through to workshops and live-streamed debates. We’re excited by the potential for HODs, not least of all because so many more people will be able to experience the festival regardless of where they are in the country. – Annie Reilly, Head of Producing for Heritage Open Days.
The Challenge of COVID-19
This year’s social-distancing guidelines have made planning events challenging. However, many locations have risen to the occasion, embracing virtual tours and digital lectures. Sue Skipper, a HODs event organiser from Norwich, says: “For somewhere like the Britons Arms, the current restrictions mean it would be almost impossible to do our usual tour. The prospect of a digital tour sounds fun and something we would like to be able to offer.”
Hidden Nature
The theme of this year’s Heritage Open Days is Hidden Nature. Organisers see that as an opportunity for people to discover nature and history in their own communities. Areas of the countryside that aren’t normally accessible to the public will be opened up. Events will reveal the hidden history of not just our natural landscapes, but gardens, green spaces, urban parks, orchards, vineyards, farms and forests.
Over the last couple of months, with time outdoors being limited, access to nature has become even more important to many of us and HODs will give us all something to look forward to. From socially distanced ‘netwalking’ and rural rambles, to nature-inspired art collections, scavenger hunts, food and craft events – we’re excited to see how the theme of ‘Hidden Nature’ is interpreted and used to create exciting online and offline events and activities. – Annie Reilly.
Sample Events
Some events have already been announced so we wanted to let you know about a couple of options.
On Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, take a self-guided tour of the Albury Organic Vineyard in the Surrey Hills near Guildford. Learn about English winemaking and taste some of their excellent award-winning organic wines. Tours are available from 11am to 5pm.
Tune in from home for a live online presentation, Rediscover Britain’s Lost Foods, presented by Winchester-based drinks innovators Proudfoot & Co. Join them for a journey through historical cookbooks and watch a recipe demonstration to learn about lost ingredients that can still be found in the wild. You’ll also learn how to make a variety of creative non-alcoholic drinks. Online presentations will take place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 19 September at 7pm. (We will update this space with registration info once it is available.)
Find Your Local Events
Every Heritage Open Days event is absolutely free, even for those events at sites that usually charge admission. This makes it a great opportunity to get out and explore somewhere that might otherwise be off-limits.
To find out what is happening near to you, visit www.heritageopendays.org.uk. The events programme will be available on 11th August, but don’t worry if you don’t see anything yet. Organisers are adding more events throughout the month so check back regularly. And remember: for digital tours, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your couch.
We’d love to see where you explore on Heritage Open Days. Be sure to share your photos in our Facebook group.
