Get ready to celebrate a decade of heritage and history! The Halifax Heritage Festival is back for its 10th anniversary from September 6th to 15th, 2024, and it’s bigger and better than ever.

Dive into a week filled with tours, trails, talks, family fun days, open days, exhibitions, shows, music, and so much more – all with free access to some of the most stunning heritage buildings around.

A decade has passed since Halifax first joined the national Heritage Open Days in 2014. It all started with the ‘Hidden Gems Tours,’ which began to shine a spotlight on our town’s rich heritage – and what a journey it’s been. Over the past ten years, we’ve seen tremendous growth and transformation in Halifax and across the Calderdale area.

This year’s festival is extra special thanks to CultureDale, which is part of Calderdale’s Year of Culture, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Calderdale as a local authority. With their support, along with the continued partnership with Discover Halifax, you have the opportunity to discover a treasure trove of heritage gems, both in Halifax and borough-wide.

Below you can find some of the events happening during the festival, but we encourage you to download a PDF copy of the Festival ‘newspaper’, detailing everything that’s taking place over the ten days – or pick up your free printed copy at the Discover Halifax Hub.

Tours, including:

• Halifax ‘Town Centre Taster’ by Halifax Heritage Tours, Saturday 7th September : Walk through the town centre, exploring buildings from the Medieval, Georgian, and Victorian eras to modern times
• David Glover: The Dean Clough Heritage Tour, Sunday 8th September
• Hebble Trail by Tour Halifax Heritage Tours, Wednesday 11th September : Follow the old canals’ length as the route climbs 100ft over 1 ½ miles alongside the Hebble Brook
• Marketplaces of Halifax at Halifax Borough Market (start at Halifax Minster), Wednesday 11th & Thursday 12th September : A stroll through Halifax’s historic and current marketplaces
• Elland: A Town History Trail with a bonus Market stop, from Project Colt, Friday 6th September and Friday 13th September
• Historic Routes Tour in Sowerby Bridge, Saturday 14th September
• Lister Lane Cemetery 25th Anniversary Tour, Sunday 15th September : From the Crossleys to newspapermen and murder victims, Lister Lane’s stones tell a wonderful story of industrialised 19th Century Halifax

Events, Talks and Exhibitions, including:

• ‘Criminal Coiners’ Exhibition at Heptonstall Museum, Thursday 5th September – Sunday 8th September and Thursday 12th September – Sunday 15th September : This exhibition tells the story of the notorious ‘Criminal Coiners’ within the friendly volunteer-led Heptonstall Museum, in the atmospheric village of Heptonstall
• Sowerby Bridge Rushbearing Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September : Celebrate this centuries-old tradition, which includes the Rushbearing procession around seven towns and villages visiting many churches, local hostelries, cricket & bowling clubs along the way.
• Lego Building Workshop at Halifax Central Library, Saturday 7^th September : Recreate some
  of Halifax’s iconic shop fronts using Lego
• Dragons of Wainhouse Tower Story & Craft Session at Sowerby Bridge Library, Saturday 14^th September
• Heritage Festival Fun Day at Calderdale Industrial Museum, Saturday 14th September : Gain hands on experiences of some of the past industrial trades, including spinning, doffing and weaving and stone and wood carving

Heritage Open Days – Free admission to Calderdale’s heritage spaces, including:

• All Souls’ Church,  Saturday 7th September
• The Crossley Heath School Heritage Open Day, Saturday 7th September
• Shibden Hall, Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th September (booking essential)
• Calderdale Industrial Museum, Saturday 7th to Sunday 8th September
• Bankfield Museum, Sunday 8th September
• Todmorden Town Hall, Saturday 14^th September
• Peter’s Church, Sowerby 14th & 15th September
• Halifax Minster, Thursday 5th September to Sunday 8th September, and Saturday 14th September
• Lister Lane Cemetery Open Day, Sunday 15th September

So, get ready to embark on a journey of discovery, as you take part in a festival packed with history, culture, and fun for all! Make sure you don’t miss anything but checking out the festival programme here.