Boston International Hanseatic Day 2026
The return of the Boston Hanse Festival on Saturday 30 May 2026, bringing colour, music, heritage and creativity back into the heart of Boston’s town centre.
A Celebration of Colour, Creativity and Centuries of European Connection
Running from 10am–1pm (with the parade at 12:40pm), this free event is one of the loveliest dates in our calendar – an annual moment for the town to come together and celebrate Boston’s rich medieval past and its vibrant, diverse present.
Thanks to an Arts Council England Project Grant, we’re thrilled to once again collaborate with the brilliant volunteers of the Boston Hanse Group and Boston Borough Council to deliver a festival full of craft, creativity and community pride.
Why the Hanseatic League Matters to Boston
Boston’s history is woven with stories of trade, travel and exchange. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Boston was one of the most important ports in Britain – a bustling gateway linking Lincolnshire to the great trading cities of northern Europe.
The town exported Lincolnshire long‑wool, a highly prized commodity, and in return received goods such as timber, dried fish, furs and luxury items. The merchants who travelled through Boston left their mark on the town’s architecture, culture and economic growth. These international relationships helped Boston flourish and shaped its identity for centuries.
In 2015, Boston joined the New Hanse, connecting the town with nearly 200 cities across Europe who share this common heritage. The modern network exists not only to honour history, but to continue the spirit of cooperation, cultural exchange and shared celebration that defined the medieval Hanse.
The Hanse Festival is our annual chance to bring that history to life.
Each year, the festival has grown more ambitious, more creative and more joyful.
On Saturday 30th May, between 10am-1pm, the medieval market on the square around the Ingram Memorial will be alive with:
- A working blacksmith’s forge, complete with glowing coals
- Woodcarvers, spinners and mosaic artists demonstrating traditional skills
- A jester entertaining families
- Heritage‑inspired food tastings
- Free creative activities including sheep collage-making with Aga Kowalska
- Dance and live music infusing the market with energy
The day will culminate in a stunning parade at 12:40pm featuring:
- The Derwent Valley Drummers wearing Lincolnshire Longwool Sheep headdresses created by the Boston community in sessions with Ruth Pigott in 2025
- The Lincoln Waites, filling the streets with medieval rhythms
- Dancers from the Josie Clarke Dance Academy, performing routines choreographed by Beth Williams in silk painted skirts created by Donna Fox
- Ten vibrant silk-painted flags, designed with the public in silk batik-style painting workshops by artist Donna Fox in 2025
- Ships costumes made by Rhubarb Theatre with, and worn by, Boston High School students
- Lincolnshire Longwool sheep and lamb puppets created by Robbie Bellekom, puppeteered by Robbie and performer Hannah Peacock
- Stiltwalker Laura Hudson, wearing a bespoke skullcap-inspired costume created by Ruth Pigott with help from Centrepoint Outreach participants, informed by a design created in this year’s collage workshops
And at 12:40pm, the streets will burst into life with the Hanse Parade – a riot of colour, movement and sound winding through the town centre and ending at the Stump.
Transported is proud to be working with local residents in the months leading up to the festival to create new banners, costumes and parade pieces through hands‑on workshops with professional artists.
We’re thrilled to have on a offer a series of free workshops for the community to help create the artwork that will appear in the festival and parade.
check our events page for more info on the related workshops
