Lincolnshire Local History Festival

Celebrate the rich local history of our county at the first Lincolnshire Libraries Local History Festival taking place from the 1st - 31st May.

This new history festival will travel across the county's vast rural landscapes, covering the Wolds and Coast, the Fens, the Kestevens and the Lincoln Cliff, seeing renowned east midlands historians present their discoveries in your local Lincolnshire libraries. With over 50 events running throughout May, including talks, guided walks, exhibitions and family activities, you'll explore wartime Lincolnshire, discover community memories, and step back into its trade past.

There are multiple events occurring across the Coast:

• The Skegness Lifeboats and Crews through the years - an exhibition of the history of Skegness Lifeboats and their crews, using resources from our extensive local history collection. 1st - 31st May, during library opening times, Skegness Library. No booking required.
• VE Day 80th Anniversary Commemoration Display - the library will be commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE day with a display of photographs and memorabilia from the library’s archive. 1st - 10th May, during library opening times, Mablethorpe Library. No booking required.
• Skegness on Sea presented by Judi Gaskill - Discover the fascinating history of the Skegness Coast, complete with a few sea shanties, learn more about the Saxons, Vikings and Romans who all landed on our coast. Wednesday 7th May, 3.30pm - 4.30pm, Skegness Library. No booking required.
• VE Day 80th Anniversary ‘Street’ Party - Mablethorpe Library will be recreating a 1940s style street party in the library with traditional food, a sing-song and fun activities for all to enjoy. Join us and dress up if you want to! Thursday 8th May, 3pm - 5pm, Mablethorpe Library. No booking required.
• Mablethorpe Family Quiz - How much do you know about Mablethorpe’s past? Do you want to know more about the 1953 East Coast Floods? Can you remember the railway? We will create a display of local photographs, books and newspaper articles which will guide you through Mablethorpe’s history and help you answer the quiz questions. There will be prizes!12th - 17th May, during library opening times, Mablethorpe Library. No booking required.
• Carnival and Funfair - To accompany the talk on Wednesday 28th May, there will be a display of photographs, brochures and newspaper articles featuring carnival celebrations and the development of Mablethorpe as a seaside resort. 19th - 31st May, during library opening times, Mablethorpe Library. No booking required.
• “All the fun of the fairground - it’s not fun and it’s not fair” Presented by: Gary and Lorraine Campbell - Gary and Lorraine Campbell are joining us to recount their proud history as showground people in and around Mablethorpe. Their family connections date back to the 1860s and we will hear about the history of Mablethorpe’s fairgrounds and what it meant to be a true show person. Their talk will be accompanied by family photos and artefacts and it promises to be a unique and historic insight into the experiences of Mablethorpe Showground People. There will be an opportunity for a Q&A session afterwards. Wednesday 28th May, 11am - 1pm, Mablethorpe Library. No booking required.