Heritage Open Days

Click here to view our Heritage Open Days 2024 booklet

Heritage Open Days 2024 is back! 

Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Every year in September it brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history. Stories are told, traditions explored, and histories brought to life. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all FREE.

This year Leeds will play host to over 100 events many embracing the festival’s theme ‘Routes, Networks and Connections'. We will see the return of events from Middleton Railway, Left Bank, Hyde Park Picture House, Temple Newsam and welcome new openers such as Ahlulbayt Cultural Centre, Leeds Goth Trail and a tour round the recently renovated iconic Wagon Hoist located in Wellington Place.

For the festival, Leeds Civic Trust will be unveiling two blue plaques one to celebrate the heritage of Waddingtons and the other for the legendary gig venue ‘The Duchess of York’ where bands such as Nirvana and Oasis played.

After 3 decades the festival continues to bring people together to celebrate their heritage and community history, stories are told, traditions explored and new experiences are had!

Liam Montgomery, Heritage Open Days Marketing & Projects Manager says: “The scale and diversity of Heritage Open Days is just incredible – every year thousands of passionate people help visitors to make doorstep discoveries and connect with history and heritage in every part of England. This year though, it will be extra special as we celebrate three decades' worth of stories and all the brilliant people and places that have made it, and continue to make it, all possible!”

Each year Leeds Civic Trust produces a listings and highlights booklet, 7,000 copies are distributed across the district in libraries, One-stop centers, Galleries and Museums. The booklet will be available from the 22 July. 

We hope you enjoy this year’s
festival!

To view this year's events click here and search Leeds.

What is Heritage Open Days?

Over 5,500 events take place throughout the country, created by more than 2,000 organisers and 46,000 volunteers. Heritage Open Days is England's largest cultural festival, taking place annually every September.

Leeds Civic Trust has been involved with Heritage Open Days for over 20 years - we help to market the festival here in Leeds, producing leaflets, city wide posters, publicise events on social media, distribute flyers and generally getting the word out! We’re also not ashamed to say it, but we are ‘Heritage Open Days Super-Fans’! and our steering group have built up brilliant relationships throughout the city and know the festival and how its organised inside out.

Each year Leeds Civic Trust produces a listings and highlights booklet, 6,000 copies get distributed across the district in libraries, One stop centres, Galleries and Museums. If you are an organiser and would like your listing to feature in our booklet please register by 07 June. 

Heritage Open Days is a wonderful day out, whether with family, friends or exploring alone. Past examples of events have ranged from dance workshops, spoken word events, exhibitions and singalongs, to the ever popular walks, talks and tours.

How Can I Get Involved? 

Whether there is a local figure you’d like to celebrate, a great story you would love to tell, or you’d like to open your place of work or home, we’d love you to take part and support your event! You can find out more about Heritage Open Days by visiting the national website here or we can pair you with one of our wonderful HODs coordinators who can help you with queries such as organising an event, registering your event, insurance, publicity, and we can even help you find a venue.

For further information an support please email office@leedscivictrust.org.uk or call 0113 243 9594

Important Dates: 

• Heritage Open Days Registrations are NOW OPEN 
• Leeds Civic Trust Support Grants Closes on 10 May 2024
• Registration for your event to be featured in the Leeds Civic Trust HODs guide is 07 June 2024
• Registration for the Heritage Open Days National Site closes in August 2024 
• The festival runs 06 - 15 September 

We are delighted to announce the return of our Event and Support Grants!

After a fantastic 2023, which saw 19 new events join the Heritage Open Days Festival with the support of our grants, we are delighted to be bringing them back for another year!

Our events support grants are designed to encourage events that advocate Leeds Creative practitioners, freelancers and historians and to support communities and organisations that wouldn't normally be able to take part and require further support.

Applications are now closed 

Please keep an eye on our social media for further information.

Full information will also be available on the Heritage Open Days website.

Don’t forget, if you need any information, you can email us at office@leedscivictrust.org.uk or drop us a message on twitter, instagram or facebook. We are here to help!