Heritage Open Day celebrations coming to Boston this month

As part of the national Heritage Open Day scheme, Boston’s town centre will be transformed on Saturday 13 September from 10am to 3pm as part of a vibrant and free celebration of the town and borough’s rich heritage.

The event will take place across the Market Place, outside The Stump, and Boston Guildhall Museum, offering a dynamic mix of street theatre, exhibitions, creative workshops, and immersive experiences for all ages.

Throughout the day, visitors can enjoy walkabout street theatre acts, including Artizani’s Lifeboat, Hilary & Edmund by Mark Mark Productions, and The Wrong Brothers by Feasible Ferret. Adding to the atmosphere, Grimm & 1000 Faces, presented by Transported, will join in on the day.

Inside Boston Guildhall Museum, photographer Sam Atkins will present Through the Lens of Herbert Ingram, a live portrait experience using traditional heritage cameras. The Guildhall will become a hub of image-making, celebrating the people of Boston through instant photography, vintage equipment and live film development. This also forms part of the Illustrating Boston News project, which captures and reflects the stories of the local community.

Visitors will also have the chance to experience virtual reality through MBD’s VR headsets. These immersive virtual reality experiences offer a new way to explore Boston’s past and present through the latest technology to bring these stories to life.

The Market Place will be full of activity including stalls alongside a wide range of creative and historical experiences. Visitors can take part in self-led trails that explore etched plaques, blue plaques and historic buildings or join an architecture scavenger hunt and a hands-on “design your own building” workshop. Guided tours will also be running throughout the day, led by Jane Keighly from Heritage Lincolnshire alongside Cultural Quarter partners, providing deeper insight into Boston’s rich heritage and architectural landscape.

Councillor Sarah Sharpe, Boston Borough Council’s portfolio holder for heritage, culture and tourism, said: “It is so important that we have the chance to understand and celebrate the rich and fascinating history Boston has, and I am delighted that we can bring together the borough’s heritage creativity and community in a way that invites everyone to explore, participate and enjoy together.

“Whether you’re a local resident or visiting the borough for the first time, there’s something here to inspire and connect you with Boston’s story, and I hope that lots of people will take the time to join us, support some wonderful work and performers and discover something new about the place we call home.”

This free, family-friendly event is funded by South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership’s Story Tellers NPO project through funding from Arts Council England, which looks to support arts, culture, heritage and creativity across the whole of South and East Lincolnshire, providing meaningful opportunity and programming for residents, developing the sector and helping to build our arts, culture and heritage offer.