An award-winning 10-day festival will open in Lowestoft today.

The prominent Lowestoft Heritage Open Days Festival returns on  September 8 with 10 days of free to enjoy activities celebrating the town's rich history and culture.

Talks, walks, exhibitions, recitals and rare opportunities to view behind the scenes at some of the area's most iconic buildings will take centre stage as the town hosts the largest county festival largest - with more events than any other in Suffolk.

Here are some of the highlights.

Special Events

  • Free Heritage Bus Service - Saturday, September 9, every 30 minutes, between 11am and 5pm. Circular service connecting East Anglia Transport Museum with Oulton Broad (for Nicholas Everett Park), Artillery Way (for The Grit, Lowestoft Arts Centre, 1880s event, High Street, Triangle), Whapload Road (for Sparrows Nest and Maritime Museum), Gordon Road (for Bus Station, Town Centre, Catholic Church and Tower), Tramway Hotel (for Pakefield Church), London Road South (for Kirkley and Cleveland Road), Railway Station (for Festival Information Hub, connecting trains, Parcels Office, Exhibitions and History Panels).
  • East Anglia Transport Museum - Free admission day on Saturday, September 9 noon to 4.30pm, Carlton Colville.
  • Lowestoft Seafest 2023 - Saturday, September 9, 9.30am to 3pm, Sam’s Cold Store, South Lowestoft Industrial Estate.
  • 1880s Weekend - Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10, 10am to 3pm daily, High Street/Triangle Market in Lowestoft.
  • Kensington Gardens open event - Sunday, September 17 1pm to 4pm.
  • History in the Street - Saturday, September 9, Cleveland Road, 10am to 2pm.
  • Launch and opening of Lowestoft & District Independent Archive at The Grit, Old Nelson Street, Lowestoft on Friday, September 8. Public openings Saturday, September 9, September 13, September 14, September 15 and Saturday, September 16 with tours bookable between 10.30pm and 2.30pm.

Churches

  • Pakefield Church, Pakefield Street, September 9 to September 17 – open daily.
  • Our Lady Star Of The Sea, Gordon Road, September 8 to September 17, 2pm to 4pm daily.
  • Christ Church, Whapload Road, September 8 9am to 4pm, September 13 10am to noon, September 14/15 10am to 4pm.
  • St Margarets Church, Hollingsworth Road, September 8 and September 15, 12.30pm to 4pm.
  • North Lowestoft United Reform Church, London Road North, September 8 and September 15, 10am to 4pm, September 9, 9am to 5pm and September 16, 10am to 1pm.
  • St Nicholas Church, Morton Road, September 9, 9am to 4pm.

Theatre Activities/Tours

  • Marina Theatre, The Marina in Lowestoft, September 17 (various activities bookable).
  • Players Theatre, The Bethel, Battery Green Road, September 16 10am to 4pm.

Recitals

  • The Tootie Flooties, Friday, September 8 at 1.15pm, St Margarets Church.
  • The Arcarni Ensemble, Saturday, September 9 at 2pm, Our Lady Star of the Sea Church.
  • Marie Long (Piano), Monday, September 11 at 2.30pm, Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church.
  • Linda Purdy (Horn) and Chris Orland (Organ), Friday, September 15 at 1.15pm, St Margarets Church.
  • The Aurora Consort, Sunday, September 17 at 2.15pm, Our Lady Star of the Sea Church.

Activities, Talks, Tours and Walks

  • Corton, Mustard and Art, Community Room, Mills Drive, Corton, September 16 and September 17, 10am to 4pm daily.
  • Climb the Church Tower, Our Lady Star Of The Sea, Gordon Road, September 8 to September 17, 2pm to 4pm daily.
  • Near This Place – Talk, Parcels Office, Lowestoft Railway Station, September 17 at 11am.
  • Near This Place – Guided Walk, Departs Lowestoft Railway Station, September 17 at 2pm.
  • Port Of Lowestoft Tour, Departs Lowestoft Railway Station, September 15 at 11am - Bookable.
  • "What this place needs is some decent toilets and the bloomin roof put back!", Walk and Talk with the Lowestoft Central Project, Lowestoft Railway Station, September 16 at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
  • Corton Walk and Talk with David Butcher, starts from playing field car park, Mills Drive, Corton, September 17, 2.30pm.
  • Discover Your Family History Talk, Lowestoft Library, September 16 at 11am – booking required.
  • Somerleyton Railway Swing Bridge Tours, September 9, September 15 and September 16 (all tours now full).
  • Lowestoft Arts Centre, St Peters Street, September 8, September 9, September 14, September 15, September 16, various times.
  • St John Ambulance Heritage Centre, Oxford Road, September 9 10am – 1pm.
  • Lowestoft Hanging Gardens, Walk and Talk, 36 High Street, September 9 and September 10, noon (booking required).
  • North Lowestoft Men’s Shed – A Work In Progress, Former Railway Cattle Dock, Denmark Road, Wednesday, September 13 between 11am and 1pm.
  • Are You Feeling Creative? Lowestoft Museum, Nicholas Everett Park, September 8 to September 17, 11am to 4pm daily.
  • The 3 B’s, Learn more about three of Lowestoft’s composers, artists and authors, Lowestoft Museum, Nicholas Everett Park, September 8 to September 17, 11am to 4pm daily.
  • What Can You Do With A 16th Century Craft? – Puff making workshop, Lowestoft Museum, Nicholas Everett Park, September 11, September 12, September 14 and September 15, 1pm to 3pm daily.

Exhibitions

  • All Our Yesterday’s Old Lowestoft Photos, Lowestoft Museum, Nicholas Everett Park, September 8 to September 17, 11am to 4pm daily.
  • Lowestoft – Yarmouth Railway Exhibition, Parcels Office, Lowestoft Railway Station, September 8, September 9, September 11 and September 12, 10am to 3pm daily.
  • Next Train Gone – Railway Photography Exhibition, Parcels Office, Lowestoft Railway Station, September 14 to September, 10am to 3pm daily.
  • East Anglia Gansey Group, The Grit, Old Nelson Street, September 9 and September 12, 10am to 4pm.
  • Mark Burrell Open Studio, Melbourne Road, September 9, September 10 and September 16, 11am to 5pm.
  • Lowestoft Studio Ceramics, High Street, September 9 10am to 4pm and September 10, 10am to 3pm.
  • Kindertransport Panel, Lowestoft Railway Station, September 8 to September 17, anytime.
  • 175 Years of the Railway Timeline, Lowestoft Railway Station, September 8 to September 17, anytime.
  • Lowestoft Wartime Schools Evacuation Panels, Lowestoft Railway Station, September 8 to September 17, anytime.
  • Missing Banksy, Easterly Artists Pop-Up Exhibition, 165 London Road North, September 8 to September 17, 10am to 5pm daily.

Museums

  • Maritime Museum, Sparrow’s Nest Gardens, September 8 to September 17, 10am to 4pm daily.
  • Lowestoft Museum, Nicholas Everitt Park, September 8 to September 17, 11am to 4pm daily.
  • East Anglia Transport Museum, Carlton Colville, September 9 noon to 4.30pm.

Lowestoft Heritage Open Days 2023 Festival Information Hub at the Station Shop and Tourist Information Office, Lowestoft Railway Station, Denmark Rd, Lowestoft is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm daily and is also open on Sunday, September 17 10.30am to 3pm.

All activities are available to view online - search Lowestoft.

For those unable to view online information, a free printed listing guide detailing all activities in the Lowestoft area has been produced and is available to collect from the Festival Information Hub at the Railway Station.