Heritage Crafts Weekend

Step back in time and discover the living traditions of Britain’s rich craft heritage at the Heritage Crafts Weekend, taking place on 25 and 26 July 2026 at Chiltern Open Air Museum.

Across the two-day event, visitors can enjoy an extensive programme of live demonstrations celebrating historic and endangered crafts. Traditional skills on display will include chair making on a pole lathe, woodturning, rope making, spinning, natural dyeing, spoon carving, pottery, lacemaking, thatching, basket making and prehistoric amber jewellery crafting.

Visitors will also be able to watch a wheelwright at work, see blacksmithing demonstrations in the Victorian forge, and discover the intricate art of chainmail making. Inside the museum’s historic buildings, craftspeople will showcase heritage cooking techniques and crochet, while a stonemason will spend the weekend hand-carving an English rose.

Adding further depth to the experience, the event will feature an exploration of 17th-century lighting and medicinal practices, offering fascinating insight into the ingenuity and resourcefulness of earlier generations.

Visitors are encouraged to explore the museum’s atmospheric historic buildings and outdoor spaces, each hosting unique displays and demonstrations. Highlights include the reconstructed High Wycombe furniture factory and the Bodgers Area, where the story of the Chilterns’ renowned woodworking heritage is brought to life.