Living history
Connor's pick:
I am a sucker for medieval history and have always found that living history societies are an amazing way to view the past up close. Their knowledge is huge and their attention to detail in their clothes, utensils and equipment is often second to none. I recommend simply popping along to say hi, as you will hear firsthand what it’s like to live and breathe history!
Black inventors
Iris’s pick:
I love the fact that this event has such an emphasis on being interactive and for all ages, especially as the subject matter is so important and interesting. I also like the fact that this is a mobile exhibition and that it's only coming to Bradford for around three or four days. Bradford is such a culturally diverse and exciting place – and it’s City of Culture! This is a great addition to all the other incredible stuff that's going on there at the moment.
Churchyard mysteries
Lydia's pick:
I went for this tour as I thought it looked like a fun and engaging event for everyone. I love the bunny vampire! I think it’s also quite a draw for people who are less familiar with heritage - everyone loves a mystery! It’s a great opportunity to get people more involved in the history of the church.
The first mosque
Jayden’s pick:
My top choice is an event at the first mosque in the UK, which was built in 1889. It was a place that brought a sense of community to the small Muslim population that was in the UK at the time - it also provided education and was used as a place for science and scientific experiments. I thought it looked so interesting, especially with the current political climate and the rhetoric about immigration at the moment. The UK has always been diverse; it's not been a sudden thing in the past 10 years or so. I thought this event was a nice way to highlight this.
Slave trade trail
Rachel's pick:
When people think about the transatlantic slave trade and Cumbria, they often go straight to Whitehaven and The Rum Story (a museum that tells the story of the rum trade) so I think this event about how Kendall profited from slavery looks really interesting. I know Kendall Museum have been putting a lot of work into this over the past year, so it'll be intriguing to see what they've been able to uncover using the archives and how they use it to create a guided tour.
The painted room
Carys’s pick:
I went to this event last year and it was amazing! I’m planning on going again this year. There are so many pretty buildings in Oxford, but what’s fun about this one is it doesn’t look like one of them (it’s opposite a Greggs!). However, when you go inside it's actually a historic painted room. When they took the panelling off the walls during renovations, they discovered lots of amazing wall paintings. Allegedly, Shakespeare could have fathered a child in there, so it's got all sorts of cool history to it as a space. There are also friendly volunteers that show you around it. In a city that's full of lots of big, obvious, cool things, this one is a great hidden one. And it only opens its doors one day of the year!
Archive tours
Eilish’s pick:
My pick is slightly self-interested because I work closely with Kresen Kernow, and I want to give them a shout out! Not only would you usually have to pay to attend this, but it's also just a really cool building. It's in an old brewery and it’s accessible by public transport, so it’s a good one for people who don’t drive.
Not going underground
Orla’s pick:
During MK Pride weekend, the Q Alliance, a group that have been doing a deep heritage exploration of LGBTQ histories in the area, have got a really cool tent for the celebration. They’ll be sharing some of their wider exhibition, showing documentaries they’ve developed and raising awareness of these histories - which don’t get spoken about enough. Many people don’t think Milton Keynes has much history because it’s such a young city, but it’s actually got a very unique story. All round, it looks like a great event.
The forgotten princess
Naina’s pick:
I’ve heard quite a lot of a lot about Irene Singh's father, who is supposed to be the last Raj of India, which I always thought had a lingering sense of tragedy. I thought this event looked great, and I feel like it would be of real interest to the local community.
The colour makers
Joe’s pick:
This looks like a fun demonstration event in Cumbria for all ages. It delves into the history of making paint, how artists and decorators would use it and the alchemy principles to create different colours. It looks like a lot of fun! I really want to see someone with a clear idea of how different pigments and chemicals react together to make certain things – it sounds mind blowing!
Graves at night
Elijah's pick:
I chose this event because I think it’s a great chance to engage with local history, especially for young people who might not have had the opportunity before. I also love a good graveyard at night event!
PLEASE NOTE - These events were accurate at the time of publication but details are subject to change. Check the individual entries for more - including any booking details needed.
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