13th to 22nd September 2019

2019 was an extraordinary year. We celebrated our 4th year organising Winchester Heritage Open Days, nationally they celebrated 25 years and this was the first year we ran for 10 days. Heritage Open Days in 2019 just seemed to get bigger and better.

We had nearly 150 different events in our local programme, many of which took place at multiple times over multiple days. There was so much to do in and around Winchester. We were delighted to see so many favourites return & very excited to introduce some new events too!

In 2019 the box office opened 7th August for general public, and on 14th July for those on our mailing list. Many supporters took advantage of early booking and some of our more popular events were fully booked more than a month before the start of the festival.

John Pilkington, one of Britain's most experienced explorers and public speakers said of Winchester HODs 2019 “many many many congratulations on the biggest and best HODs ever! I didn't think you'd possibly be able to improve on last year's, but you surpassed it spectacularly! Everyone I've talked to said how much they enjoyed it”

Facts and Figures!

  • There were 145 events over ten days in more than 70 venues in and around Winchester - here’s the full programme.

  • Over 22,000 festival visits in 2019

  • 62% of attendees specifically came into Winchester because of the festival, with many sharing they would have otherwise stayed at home and 60% came into Winchester on multiple days for multiple events.

  • 30% of people visit Heritage Open Days because of the opportunities to visit places not normally open, 23% because every event is FREE!

  • For 41% of visitors this was their first HODs, and 18% of our attendees discover Heritage Open Days through family and friends.

Here is a small selection of the comments we received in 2019 when we ask what they liked most about HODs;

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  • Having free access to Winchester's Historic Buildings, and seeing parts of Winchester not usually open to public

  • The variety of events on offer - The casualness of attending, i.e. if there was space you we welcome to join - The quality of the people doing the tours 3 of 5

  • The opportunity to meet really knowledgeable people. Winchester Mediaeval walking tour was the best example for me; our guide loved her subject and enthused us all.

  • It was a lovely day,one of the best "Public " events we have been to this year

  • We really are very fortunate in Winchester to have so many interesting things to see and do and the people to make it happen.

  • The ten day event was superbly organised with a marvellous selection of walks, talks, tours and displays on offer. I have attended the Open Days weekends for several years but still found plenty of new things to do and see this year