Celebrate South Holland: Heritage Open Days
Visit us in Spalding Market Place on Saturday 12 and Saturday 19 September, 9am to 3pm, as part of Heritage Open Days 2026!
On both dates, artist Emily Cartwright will be leading creative making activities inspired by the local area. Work alongside Emily and Ruth Pigott to design and create your own paper headdress celebrating the waterways of South Holland.
Additionally on Saturday 19 September only, puppet maker Robbie Bellekom will also be bringing along their much-loved Lincolnshire Longwool sheep and lamb puppets for a series of informal meet-and-greet appearances around the town. Originally created for the Hanse Day Parade, these woolly characters will be roaming the Market Place, delighting visitors of all ages.
The sheep may look familiar. They echo the MARK-IT Trail sheep statues developed with the Spalding and District Civic Society, which can be found throughout Spalding town centre.
On both days, Transported's Iain will be leading a frottage art activity. Meet us at the Transported gazebo in the Market Place and enjoy a guided walk to the riverside, where you'll be encouraged to capture textures that inspire you. Iain will then show you how to create crayon rubbings of the Spalding Riverside Trail's engraved Stone Way Markers.
Artist Emily Cartwright, in collaboration with Jamie Hawker of JRH Services, created the nature-inspired designs, drawing on the symmetrical folk art of Wycinanki to celebrate the flora and fauna of the River Welland.
Have your say! Throughout the day, the Transported team will be inviting residents and visitors to share their ideas about the cultural activities, festivals and events they'd like to see take place across South Holland in the future.
The days are a part of Heritage Open Days - England’s largest festival of history and culture!
Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It's your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore:
https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/
Suitable for all ages. Drop in anytime.
