Roman Leicester comes to life in city-wide family festival

Be transported back in time by nearly 2000 years as Roman Around Leicester transforms the city’s city centre this summer.

Taking place on Saturday 11 July (12pm – 4pm), the free family festival offers a programme of hands-on activities, creative workshops and archaeological experiences that bring children face to face with Leicester's Roman past.

University of Leicester Heritage Hub will be based at LCB Depot, where families will be able to build (and destroy!) a Roman city, make Roman art and crafts, and play Roman games. 

They will also be able to handle real Roman remains, explore Roman fashion and engineer an aqueduct. At Jewry Wall Museum they can design a museum with Hayley Sharpe Design.  

Families can drop in to participating venues throughout the afternoon and take part in a wide range of free activities, many inspired by University of Leicester research on Roman Leicester.

Roman Around Leicester is part of the CQ Earlies, the monthly programme of free family activities across Leicester’s Cultural Quarter.

University of Leicester Heritage Hub student ambassadors and University of Leicester Event interns are helping to plan and deliver activities at LCB Depot. They will be working alongside organisations such as Roman Trader and the Leather Conservation Centre. Activities will include writing on wax tablets, decorating scrolls and shoe making.

Roman Around Leicester builds on previous collaborations with LCB Depot, the Jewry Wall Museum and the Friends of the Jewry Wall Museum for the Festival of Archaeology.

Activities will take place across Leicester's Cultural Quarter and beyond, including Curve, Phoenix, Two Queens, Leicester Print Workshop, Central Library and Jewry Wall Museum. The Jewry Wall Museum is offering a reduced ticket price for the day.

Free Ride Leicester Roman chariot rickshaw rides will help transport people between venues. 

Professor Sarah Scott, Director of the University of Leicester Heritage Hub said: “Roman Around Leicester is a fantastic example of sustained partnership working. Collaboration with LCB Depot and Cultural Quarter organisations has grown into a brilliant city-wide programme. Many of the activities are inspired by University of Leicester research on Roman Leicester.

“This event also offers exciting opportunities for our students. Through the Heritage Hub Ambassador scheme and Events internships through the Careers Service, they are not just supporting delivery but actively learning how to design, plan and run high-quality public events. 

“This kind of experience is invaluable in preparing them for careers in the heritage and creative industries, while also ensuring that our research connects meaningfully with diverse audiences.”

Chris Slowe, Programme Co-ordinator at LCB Depot said: “Kicking off the summer with our Roman themed family day is one of the highlights of the year. This year the addition of Jewry Wall Museum give us a direct link back to Leicester's Roman past via the museum designers, one of LCB Depot's tenants, Hayley Sharpe Design's free workshop.”

Roman Around Leicester is part of the Council for British Archaeology’s Festival of Archaeology. 

More information about Roman Around Leicester and ticket information can be found here. 

Heritage Hub is grateful for core funding from University of Leicester and to the Careers and Employability Service for the opportunity to involve students through the Part-Time Work Experience Programme.