The Lincoln Festival of History looks set to be expanded in 2026 after this year’s festival – held this weekend – was a massive success, organisers say.
The three-day festival brought the past back to life and transported visitors and residents to significant moments in Lincoln’s history.
Ben Webb, director of Place Immersive which helped organise the event, said: “Lincoln has a rich history so I think it will really help draw in tourism as the festival gets bigger and bigger. The council has big plans for the Festival of History.”
He also said: “Lincoln is a perfect backdrop for an event like this, especially in the Uphill Bailgate area where the heritage buildings are.”
The multi-period event was a 2024 nominee of the Event/Festival of the Year in the Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland Tourism and Excellence Awards.
The city-wide event was delivered by the City of Lincoln Council alongside other organisations in the city and had something for all ages such as children activities, living history reenactments, educational lectures and tours.
The Colloseum Quarter and Castle square was transformed into the 1st century ‘Vicus’ where the public met the tradespeople and artisans that would have lived and worked in Lindum Colonia. This Roman market had a bakery, a blacksmith, a tile-maker and many more.
Kirsten Griffith, from the City of Lincoln events team, said the event was a “celebration of Lincolns history, exploring different time periods. We’ve had combat displays in the area and living history displays in encampment. There’s also coin minting and a shield workshop for little Vikings. It’s been a really great weekend.”
She continued: “It seems just as busy as last year. We’ve had positive feedback, and lots of families have been walking around with guides.”
The Knight School is a brand new interactive feature for 2025 where children had the opportunity to dress in costume, purchase their own knightly weapons and learned the skills to become a perfect knight.
In the Cornhill Square there were also Viking performances that dated from 800 to 1050 AD. They displayed tactics such as the ‘shield wall’ and psychological warfare against their enemies. Viking coin (Pewter) workshops also took place here which imitated the real history of Lincolns own coin mint.
Cody Nichols, 28, who moved to Lincoln in 2019, came with his partner, Grace Kidman, 28, he said: “It’s interesting to know the lives of people who have been around, what they were doing, what they achieved and how similar they are to us as human beings.”
