#LoveSunderlandHeritage fortnight is back to start off the summer holidays

The two-week festival, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), offers residents and visitors rare opportunities to explore the city's fascinating past through open days, guided walks, talks, workshops and musical performances.

Organised by Sunderland Heritage - a partnership of local heritage and cultural organisations, venues, grassroots societies and clubs - this year's programme includes something for everyone. Highlights include:

• Washington F Pit Open Days (Saturday 19 July - Sunday 3 August): Step inside the historic pit museum and discover the city's proud mining legacy.
• Sunderland Maritime Heritage River Trip (Monday 21 July): Experience Sunderland's shipbuilding story on a boat trip up the River Wear.
• Heritage Social at Seventeen Nineteen Holy Trinity Church (Wednesday 23 July): A chance to meet new people and discuss Sunderland's heritage offer
• Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens open day (Wednesday 23 July): See artworks and project materials made by participants and volunteers, find out more about the groups, how to get involved yourself and have a go at some creative activities.
• Sunderland Heritage Partnership open day at Sunderland Museum and Winter Garden (Friday 25 July): A chance to meet some of the organisations, venues, community groups, societies and individuals, and find out how to get involved.
• Usworth Miner's Picnic in Usworth Park (Sunday 3 August): Enjoy a fun-filled family day out.

Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Tourism at Sunderland City Council said: "#LoveSunderlandHeritage fortnight brings people together to discover the rich stories that make our city special. Whether it's exploring historic buildings, learning about our industrial past, or joining creative workshops, there's so much to inspire residents and visitors of all ages this summer."

Stuart Miller, the vice chair of Sunderland Heritage Partnership said: "Our partnership is a unique collaboration that brings a wide range of events that cater for all age groups. We've done it once again with this event and I am delighted to be a part of its planning!

"We are working on options for Heritage Open Days in September and next year planning to bring the well-loved Sunderland History Fair back demonstrating once again the power of working together to celebrate our rich heritage. 

"With a varied programme stretching across the city, #LoveSunderlandHeritage fortnight offers everyone a chance to reconnect with Sunderland's past - and see how heritage continues to shape its future."

The Sunderland Heritage Partnership has run this annual festival of heritage events since 2020. This year is the first year that the events information and booking will be available through the Partnership's new website launched in 2025 and funded by the UKSPF.

The Sunderland Heritage Partnership brings together over 30 organisations, venues, community groups, societies and individuals. The partnership aims to increase the profile of Sunderland as a heritage destination, engage new and young audiences and protect buildings, collections and archives for future generations.

Of the new website, Cllr Beth Jones continues: "This new site has proven such a positive outcome of the UKSPF funding for the Sunderland Heritage Partnership, helping to strengthen the bonds between our wonderful collective of societies, heritage venues and organisations across Sunderland.

"To see the Partnership now able to easily promote this fantastic programme of events for the Summer holidays through this new platform gives a real sense of a collective of heritage organisations going from strength to strength. This will be a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to find out about heritage activities and events during this festival and into the future".

The Sunderland Heritage Partnership forms part of the Connecting and Catalysing Our Culture, Creativity & Engagement Project, which has received £318,324 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, overseen by Sunderland City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership.

For the full programme and event details, visit: Sunderland Summer Heritage 2025 Archives - Sunderland Heritage