Festival of Leicestershire and Rutland Archaeology

Saturday 1st July – Sunday 30th July 2023

The Festival of Leicestershire and Rutland Archaeology is back! This year, the Festival will be held between Saturday 1st and Sunday 30th July, running alongside the Council For British Archaeology’s national Festival of Archaeology, which runs from 15th-30th July.

The theme for this year’s Festival is Archaeology and Creativity! Archaeology is about exploration and how it can lead into imagination and story telling. There are many ways to bring to life the material that archaeologists uncover and tell the stories of the places and people around us.

So let’s get creative with archaeology and celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of Leicestershire and Rutland!

Go to new places and revisit old ones. Explore the history and archaeology that is all around us. Write a story or a poem or create a piece of art work inspired by the things you have seen. Where will your imagination take you during this year’s Festival of Archaeology?

  • Archaeology and Creativity competition
  • Guided heritage walks
  • Talks from some of the counties’ leading heritage experts
  • Self-guided walks to enjoy at your own pace
  • And many more family friendly activities, exhibitions and hands-on events across Leicestershire and Rutland

We are always keen for new ideas and offers of help in running events and with publicity. If you are interested in organising an event, or want to help out, please contact us via our contact page.

Events for this year’s Festival will be uploaded soon, so please check back regularly. You can also access our archive of self-guided walks, digital talk recordings and podcasts from previous Festivals via the links below.

The Festival in Leicestershire and Rutland is financially supported by: Leicestershire Fieldworkers; Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society; Leicestershire and Rutland Heritage Forum; CBA East Midlands;  Leicestershire Industrial History Society; The Friends of Jewry Wall Museum;  Hinckley Archaeological Society; University of Leicester Archaeological Services