Cocktail parties, festivals and tours lined up for key Richard III anniversaries in Leicestershire

A night of cocktails, a bit of living history and a new form of tourney will be part of upcoming celebrations marking key anniversaries of Richard III in Leicestershire. History buffs and the curious alike will have the opportunity to take part in a series of events celebrating the Lost King.

Key anniversaries linked to the king – known as a car park in Leicester in 2012 – will be marked from next month. The award-winning King Richard III Visitor Center has been an important part of the story since it opened in 2014. In honor of its 10th anniversary, the center will host a cocktail evening on Saturday 27 July with a series of presentations and guests. , including award-winning author Annie Garthwaite and historian Philippa Langley, who led the search that discovered Richard III, who will take part in a Q&A and meet and greet.

2024 also marks 50 years of the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, which hosts a number of events throughout the year. A series of Living History weekends are scheduled before the Bosworth Medieval Festival headlines the celebrations on Saturday 17th August and Sunday 18th August.

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The heritage center opened in 1974, educating visitors about the Battle of Bosworth and the story of Richard III. A look back at those 50 years will be on display before the center holds a Heritage Open Day event in September.

Leader of Leicestershire County Council, Nick Rushton, said: “Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Center has been a popular pilgrimage for anyone interested in the Wars of the Roses for 50 years, welcoming tens of thousands of people each year, including local schoolchildren and international visitors who they want to learn the history of two kings in one day. We look forward to hosting our upcoming events, headlined by the Bosworth Medieval Festival in August, to mark the centre’s half century.”

Meanwhile, the Richard III Society – formerly known as the Brotherhood of the White Boar – is also marking a big milestone in 2024 when it turns 100. Its Leicester branch played a key role in the search for the Lost King and was subsequently heavily involved in its work. reburied in Leicester Cathedral in 2015.

The cathedral has also been playing a part in events since it reopened last November following renovations. A new walking trail entitled ‘King Richard III – from the car park to the cathedral – a king’s journey that took 530 years’ can be followed by young and old who want to know more about the former resident of parking lot. More information on all events can be found on the Visit Leicester website.

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