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Event highlights, some of which celebrate this year’s ‘outstanding inventions’ theme, include:
- Explore the invention of Lego while discovering more about women’s suffrage at Weston Library. Visitors are encouraged to take a selfie with ‘Hope’, a life size suffragette made from 32,327 Lego bricks, and children can take part in activities to create their own outstanding inventions.
- Learn about the history of the Pride flag at the Proud Bar. Since its invention 44 years ago, the Pride flag has become the global universal symbol of LGBTQ+ communities. Find out more about the Pride flags, how they have evolved and what they represent.
- Discover post-war inventions at Walker & Ling. Join Weston’s oldest independent family-run department store as it celebrates its 130th birthday. Explore its history and inventions including Lamson pneumatic cash tubes and the first passenger lift in Weston-super-Mare – still in use today!
- Celebrate creative inventions in prehistoric style at this year’s Whirligig Festival. Get transported back to the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth with a prehistoric spectacle guaranteed to make modern jaws drop. Part of Theatre Orchard's annual Whirligig Festival, ‘SAURUS’ by Close-Act Theatre Company is a unique, large-scale street theatre experience.
- Weston walks. Follow the blue plaque trail, stop off at Ellenborough Park West and learn more about architect Hans Price. Go behind the scenes at Grove House without leaving home with a virtual tour.
- Weston talks. Find out more about Weston’s Heritage Action Zone, meet Birnbeck Regeneration Trust, go backstage at The Blakehay Theatre and discover the history of The Old Thatched Cottage, Weston’s oldest building.
- Access All Saints Church and the town’s Victorian neo-gothic cemetery chapel.
- Learn more from a wealth of free online heritage resources.
Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council’s executive member for placemaking and economy, said: “There’s something for everyone in this year’s Heritage Open Days festival – ten days of free tours, walks, talks, exhibitions, open days and performances across the town. Come along and enjoy! Thanks to all the organisations and businesses taking part. Showcasing these events wouldn’t be possible without financial support from Historic England as part of our High Street Heritage Action Zone work.”
North Somerset Council’s heritage and regeneration champion, Councillor John Crockford-Hawley, added: “Heritage Open Days enable people to find out more about Weston and its rich heritage in a fun and creative way. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to get involved and learn more about our town’s history.”
A programme of Heritage Open Days events can be viewed or downloaded at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/heritageopendays22.
More information about Heritage Open Days across the country can be found at www.heritageopendays.org.uk.