City-wide heritage week set to return for 12th year
Birmingham’s popular Heritage week has returned for its 12th year.
The city-wide festival shines a spotlight on Birmingham’s fascinating history with some of the city’s most important heritage locations and unique buildings opening their doors for talks, tours, workshops, walks and much more.
Running from Friday 11 to Sunday 20 September Birmingham Heritage Week is an opportunity to explore and discover your area and some of the city 's buildings and outdoor spaces you would not normally visit.
Many of the smaller-capacity events sold out quickly when bookings opened in August, but organisers are reminding visitors that there are still plenty of opportunities to take part.
Some bookable events still have places available, while many others are free drop-in events where no advance booking is needed.
Visitors can easily see what is still available online by looking under ‘drop-in’, or by selecting a date and browsing the programme. Events showing a red banner are either fully booked or operating a waiting list.
Bournville will become a focus for Heritage Week on Saturday 12 September, with 19 venues taking part and opportunities to explore the history of the famous garden village.
In Yardley on Saturday 19 September, visitors can discover one of Birmingham’s oldest areas, with St Edburgha’s medieval church opening its doors alongside heritage crafts and guided walks through Old Yardley village.
The historic Almshouses will also take part for the first time, while nearby Blakesley Hall will be open to explore.
Birmingham’s churches and places of worship are another major part of the programme, including the city’s four surviving medieval churches in Yardley, Sheldon, Kings Norton and Northfield.
Drop-in and bookable opportunities are also available at venues including Birmingham Central Mosque, Birmingham Oratory and the Buddhist Vihara near Edgbaston Reservoir.
In the Jewellery Quarter, visitors can discover some of the area’s extraordinary industrial heritage, with opportunities to visit places including St Paul’s Church, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and the historic J. W. Evans silver factory.
Further afield, events include an open day at New Hall Mill in Sutton Coldfield, while family-friendly activities are taking place at locations including Winterbourne House and Garden, Highbury, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and The Exchange.
Several free exhibitions can also be visited throughout Heritage Week, exploring subjects ranging from jewellery and photography to Birmingham’s lost cinemas.
Irene De Boo, Birmingham Heritage Week Co-ordinator, said: “The response to this year’s Birmingham Heritage Week has once again been fantastic and many of our smaller events filled very quickly when bookings opened.
“But there is still so much to see and do. Heritage Week isn’t only about the events that need to be booked weeks in advance.
There are wonderful buildings, exhibitions, open days and activities right across Birmingham where people can simply turn up and take part.
“My advice is to have a look at the programme, choose a day or an area of the city and see what you can discover. Birmingham has an extraordinary heritage and over the next 10 days there are hundreds of people opening doors and sharing the stories behind it.”
