Heritage Open Days (HODs) in Wakefield district
Heritage Open Days is the largest community-led heritage festival in England. It runs in September every year, involving thousands of volunteers and heritage organisations. Groups host free events to showcase historic sites and stories in their local areas. In 2024, there were over 100 festival events across Wakefield district. The events attracted more than 4000 visitors.
HODs Resources
We want to support more local heritage groups to get involved in the festival. We recently held a free information event to support new and existing organisers. Groups discovered how to get the most out of their Heritage Open Days events. The presentations are now available as free downloads. They include advice on how to market and evaluate your Heritage Open Days events.
Download the resources:
- why evaluating your heritage event matters (and some tips on how to do it) (PDF)
- Wakefield Council Tourism: How to promote your heritage open days event (PDF)
HODs Guidance
There is also lots of useful guidance on the national Heritage Open Days website. Visit the below web links to find out what is happening near you. You can also sign up to our regular heritage e-news to find out about local heritage events and news.