Each year we keep an eye out for those entries that really sparkle - the images that catch the eye, the titles and descriptions that make you want to know more. You could have the best event in the world but for people to come to that event, to know it is happening, the way you present it matters - particularly in the crowded marketplace of our event directory! Here are some of the wonderful entries that really stood out for us last year...
Media knock outs
Key to media success were events that submitted details early with good images and interesting descriptions. This church in Winchester did particularly well - highlighting a range of quirky assets helped it be featured in The Times and BBC online.
St John the Baptist: 'Come and admire Winchester's oldest parish church. Among our many treasures are 13th century wall paintings, including a depiction of the devil's head, huge medieval tie beams and an intricate window with surviving 13th century stonework. This year we will be displaying our recently restored Elizabethan Turret Clock. The clock has been in storage for many years and this is the first time it will be on public display since its restoration. Unusually the clock has no face, but would have struck the hours and the mechanism will be demonstrated during the day. Come and learn about its history at St John's and hear its bell ring! Stewards and a printed guide will be available.'
Social media hits
The illustrated stories from these two events attracted lots of views on Instagram.
Tales of The Riverbank - but no Ratty or Moley!: 'Woodbridge is an ancient town with a long association with building boats, from Anglo Saxon royalty to modern trade. This walk takes in the main attractions including the only working tide mill in the UK.' (Woodbridge Rotary Club and Woodbridge Tide Mill, Suffolk)
Lowdham Signal Box: 'See a historic railway signal box and try your hand on the levers. Learn what a signal box is for, and what the signalman did.' (Lowdham Railway Heritage, Nottinghamshire)
Festival spotlights
These events were picked out multiple times to be highlighted in our Festival Spotlights. We try not to double up in these listings but when guest authors pick something out that we already highlighted, we have to let them be featured!
Minibeast Metropolis: building for biodiversity: 'From green roofs to compost heaps, wildlife ponds to dead hedges, join us on a tour of the Hollybush garden to learn about the places minibeasts call home and what we can do to help them feel welcome. We’ll have lots of family friendly activities to join in with on the day; unleash your inner architect and design your own wildlife garden, build a bug-hotel from recycled materials, and plant pollinator friendly plants for the spring.' (The Conservation Volunteers, West Yorkshire)
Alchemy in Appleby at the Colour Makers House: 'Discover how Alchemy transforms waste from the lead industry into bright blues and greens that grace stately homes in the workshops of the Colour Makers House, rebuilt in 1677.' (Mark Hilsden, Castle Fine Arts, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria)
Inspiring images
A picture's worth 1,000 words... and they're the first thing people tend to look at on a page. So with thousands of listings on our event directory, they make all the difference. From beautifully framed wide shots to close ups of quirky objects and details, here are some that proved popular last year:
Birkheads Secret Garden
Aysgarth School Chapel and Heritage Tour
Poynton Heritage Fair
Behind the Cloister Door – Secrets, Silence and Confinement at Byland Abbey
Churchyard Mysteries - All-Age Guided Tour
Florence Nightingale Museum
Tantalising titles
What’s in a name? A lot! After an image, it’s the first thing to catch someone’s eye when looking through event listings. Since we started these awards our community has really upped their game on this front, making this a hotly contested category! Here are the team’s favourites from last year:
- ‘Nothing fills a hole like a Double Decker’: 'In 1988 a bus fell into a hole in Earlham Road, around 120 yards from the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. Come and find out the history of this event, and how it relates to the story of the Cathedral site from the medieval period to the present.' (Catholic Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, Norfolk)
- The Flintstones: 'A gentle 5.5 mile walk, literally and metaphorically, unearthing the story behind flint, otherwise known as ‘Hampshire/Sussex Diamonds’. After this walk you will never look at a flint wall the same way again!' (Rural Strides, West Sussex)
- Dukes and Dragons: 'Join Dewi the Dragon on a visit to Pulford Church and learn all about the history and architecture of the church, castle and village. Discover our connection with the Dukes of Westminster, John Douglas and Owain Glyndwr.' (St Mary's Church, Cheshire)
Delightful descriptions
The first few lines of an entry can make a world of difference. Questions tease us, descriptions entice us, or simply make us laugh! Here are some that had us smiling and made us want to know more:
Assembly Bangers at All Saints Cressing: 'Remember the thrill of the overhead projector? The clunky piano? The stirring power of 200 schoolchildren mumbling their way through "Shine Jesus Shine"? Well, we’re bringing it all back — but this time, you’re an adult and there’s bottomless Pimm’s. Join us for an afternoon of joyful noise, fruity drinks, and full-on nostalgia as we sing our way through the greatest hits of school assemblies past. From "Shine Jesus Shine" to "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", we’ll be revisiting the classic hymns and toe-tappers that lit up rainy Tuesday mornings in the school hall.' (All Saints Parish Church, Essex)
Unpeeling the past - decolonising the fruit salad: 'Peeling back the layers of our favourite fruits to explore their complex histories & colonial roots. Discover how everyday flavours carry stories of trade, power and migration. Come hungry for knowledge and leave with plenty to chew on – this isn’t your usual fruit salad!' (History Moves UK, online)
Access details
When people search our listings, they are not just checking what might be of interest, they are also looking at what is practical to visit. Clear details of opening times, booking details, location, and also, accessibility details are really important. We want to give special mention this year to a local museum that took care to fill in their site’s accessibility details, ensuring visitors were informed without having to do extra research.
15 Castle Hill: the evolution of a building: ‘The Cottage Museum spans several floors, with access via narrow and steep staircases. The different floor levels and floor coverings are notable. There are no toilet facilities on site, and the lighting levels are very low. An audio description of the Cottage's history is available via QR code for visitors with impaired vision. The museum features hands-on exhibits that offer sensory experiences through touch, smell, and audio. Our team is disability aware and can provide any help or assistance needed. Those with space-related anxiety may find the attic challenging.’ (Lancaster City Museums, Lancashire)
Celebrating 'Architecture'
Last year’s theme was our most popular yet, inspiring nearly half the festival programme. From activities with Lego and displays of architectural plans to a talk on the architecture of chocolate – we love seeing the different ways people explore it! Here are a few favourites but do check out the Festival Spotlight for more.
- Building and Rebuilding the Body: 'From the earliest post-mortems and medical drawings of the body to modern imaging, seeing and understanding how our bodies are built - and therefore how we can rebuild them - has grown and evolved over thousands of years. A free pop up exhibition co-curated with our University of Exeter intern.' (Devon & Exeter Medical Heritage Trust, Devon)
- The Architecture of Chocolate: uncovering the systems behind Norwich’s chocolate history: 'Discover the hidden history of Norwich’s chocolate industry in this thought-provoking talk by Lynn Lockwood, exploring colonialism, trade, and labour through storytelling and visuals. Uncover the global systems behind local architecture and industry.' (Chocolution at Carrow House Creatives, Norfolk)
- Trees - designed by Nature: 'Have you ever wondered why leaves are different shapes? They were designed by nature. Why are trees different from one another in their structure and form? The right tree in the right place perhaps? Discover trees in the town and by the river.' (Hadleigh Town Guides, Suffolk)
- Building the Excitement - creating a circus: 'What does it take to turn an empty space into a magical world overnight? Join us for this fascinating talk on the architecture of the circus from 1768 to present day.' (Philip Astley Projects CIC, West Midlands)
Special mention:
Bungay Town Council in Suffolk had two particularly lovely creative takes for the theme this year:
- The Ups and Downs of Bungay's Architecture – an exhibition and activity trail exploring the rooflines and cellars of the town.
- Bungay's Myths and their Influence on Architecture – a talk in a pub cellar!
Find out more
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Architecture Festival Spotlight - More tasters of events from last year's theme
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Festival Impact Review 2025 - Summary of last year's festival
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Got a story/place to share? - Find out how you can join our festival community
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Read more architecture stories on our blog: Mud to Magnificence: the bricks that built a bar + A Fashionable Collection, exploring the clothes of builders and architects held by the National Trust.
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Newsletter - Sign up for regular updates on the festival and beyond