10 reasons to take a trip to St Helens for its Heritage Festival 2026 this month

St Helens Heritage Festival is back this month to celebrate the stories, people and places that have shaped the borough.

There’ll be stalls, craft workshops, entertainment, tours, and more taking place in and around the Town Hall, making it a must for people from within – and outside of – the town.

As well as regular visitors to the festival like local heritage and community groups, there are some new and exciting events being held for 2026.

Tanya Wilcock, director of communities for St Helens Borough Council said:

“St Helens is steeped in rich history and heritage, being the birthplace of the railway, England’s first industrial canal, as well as world leaders in glass, pharmaceuticals, and sport.

“This day’s dedicated to celebrating our identity and what makes us proud,”

She added that if people go along, they can ‘maybe discover something new about our great borough which has more than played its part throughout British history’.

It’s all happening on Saturday, May 30, between 10am and 3pm, and here’s 10 reasons why you need to get it in your diary now …

It’s free!

St Helens Town Hall — Credit: Pete Stuart

There are tons of great things for everyone in the family to do and it’s not going to cost you a penny – it’s all for free.

Who’s going to be there?

Gathering in the Town Hall Assembly Rooms will be a whole host of people including the Friends of Taylor Park, Lucem Community Cinema Plus, Merseyside Archaeological Society, Military & Family Genealogy, Northwest Miners Heritage Association, Pilkington Choir, Rainford Heritage Society, Rainhill Civic Society, Rainhill Railway & Heritage Society, Cowley School History Group, Sankey Canal Restoration Society, St Helens Historical Society, St Helens Singers, The World of Glass, and more.

New this year

New to this year’s line-up is a talk celebrating the 150th anniversary of the opening of St Helens Town Hall by the St Helens Archive Service – and the chance to dust off your paints or pencils and join local artists from The Art Club of St Helens.

Get on board a vintage bus

Explore The North West Museum of Road Transport’s beautiful vintage bus and find out how people got from A to B and around the town back in the day.

The World of Glass Museum

World of Glass will have activities both at the Town Hall and at its canal side venue. At World of Glass itself there’s an exhibition by local, regional and international artists who’ve created their own contemporary pieces based on WOGM’s Pilkington Collection, along with a glass blowing demonstration and more; and they’ll have an interactive stall in the Assembly Rooms.

Mucky Mountain Morris Dancers

The St Helens-based Mucky Mountains Morris Dancers will be performing outside the Town Hall on Victoria Square, so you can go down to watch them or, if you’ve ever wanted to shake a leg, wave a hanky or brandish a stick, have a go with them.

Classic cars

St Helens Classic Car Association will be motoring into the town centre with a collection of vehicles to bring back memories of the past, and they’ll be parking up right outside the Town Hall.

Mobile Museum

National Museums Liverpool’s ‘House of Memories On The Road’ is a touring mobile museum that opens up into an immersive cinema and activity space, and it will be bringing a St Helens experience to the Heritage Festival. Using digital technology, House of Memories On The Road recreates the sights, sounds and smells of the past through a virtual front door.

Powered by Hip Hop

There’s more entertainment from Powered by Hip Hop – formerly UC Crew – who will be returning to St Helens Heritage Festival with a break dancing performance.

Fabulous food

Tasty treats and drinks will available throughout the day by Town Hall catering staff.