Complete Guide to Goole's 2026 Bicentenary Programme: Everything You Need to Know About the Bumper Year of Events, Activities and Celebrations Planned to Mark Goole's Bicentenary

When most towns turn 200, they might put up a few banners and call it a day. But Goole isn't doing anything by halves for its bicentenary in 2026. The Yorkshire port town is planning a proper year-long bash that'll make every other milestone celebration look a bit, well, ordinary.

Think about it - how many places can genuinely say they're celebrating two centuries of existence? And Goole's not just marking the occasion with a few cake sales and heritage walks (though there's nothing wrong with those). The programme of events and activities planned for 2026 reads like something you'd expect from a major cultural festival.

What's actually happening then?

The celebrations kick off properly on 10 January with an exhibition called 'Goole-Built: The Story of Goole Shipyard' at Goole Museum. It's the first in a series of exhibitions planned throughout the year, and honestly, it makes sense to start with shipbuilding - that's pretty much how Goole got its start as a proper town back in 1826.

But January's not stopping there. There are community art sessions happening where local artist Janet Porter's helping folks create a massive wall hanging inspired by Goole's coat of arms. Plus, if you're into a bit of nostalgia, the Goole Civic Society's putting on 'Goole On Film' - basically a collection of movies featuring the town from the 1920s through to the 1980s. Imagine seeing your street as it was decades ago!

The real showstopper weekend is planned for 18 and 19 July - that's when Goole officially hits the big 2-0-0. Multiple organisations are planning what they're calling an "action-packed weekend" though they're keeping the exact details under wraps for now. Classic move, really - build the suspense.

The sun's coming to town

Here's where things get proper impressive. In September, Helios is visiting Goole. Never heard of it? It's a seven-metre-wide art installation by Luke Jerram that's basically a scale model of the sun. And when they say scale, they mean it - each centimetre represents 2,000 kilometres of the sun's surface.

The whole thing's internally lit and comes with surround sound, so visitors can get up close to sunspots and all those solar features you'd never normally see without, you know, burning your eyeballs out. It's like having a safe solar encounter right there in Yorkshire.

More than just one weekend

The programme keeps rolling with a colourful Lantern Parade timed for Bonfire Night (because why have ordinary fireworks when you can have a parade too?). Then there's 'Goole 200: A History of Goole in 200 Objects' opening at Goole Museum in May - think of it as the town's autobiography told through actual stuff rather than just words.

Plus there's Sync or Swim, which sounds like exactly the sort of inter-generational dance theatre piece that could either be brilliant or wonderfully bonkers. Probably both.

All the regular favourites are getting a bicentenary twist too. The museum's Open Art Exhibition, the RSPCA's Dog Show, and the Friends of West Park's Vintage In The Park and Music In The Park events are all happening with added 200-year sparkle.

Behind the scenes

Ryan Madin, Programme Co-ordinator for Goole 2026, explains how it's all coming together: "The Arts Development team at East Riding of Yorkshire Council submitted a successful funding bid to Arts Council England called 'Our Town, Our Time', which has been match-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund."

The funding's supporting what's called the Goole 200 project, which is creating online platforms to showcase everything happening. "Known as the Goole 200 project, this strand of work is led by East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Arts Development team and just one element of the wider Goole 2026 programme," Madin adds.

The council's working with the Goole 2026 Bicentennial Group - a voluntary organisation focused on commemorating the town's heritage and achievements. It's one of those community partnerships that actually seems to be working, rather than just existing on paper.

Staying connected

The Goole 200 website (goole200.org.uk) is where all the details live, though they're adding more information as plans get confirmed. There are also Facebook and Instagram pages for the Goole 200 celebrations if you prefer your updates via social media.

Actually, if you're involved with any group planning bicentenary events or activities, they want to hear from you. The arts development team at the council is collecting details of community-led celebrations to feature on the Goole 200 website.

Meanwhile, the bicentennial group has its own site (goole2026.org.uk) where people can find out how to get involved in the wider commemorative efforts.

Why it matters

"With the £25 million Goole Town Deal regeneration programme now in its final stages and so many community partners coming together to mark the bicentenary, 2026 promises to be a very exciting year for the town," Madin says.

And that's probably the key point here. This isn't just about looking backwards at 200 years of history (though there's plenty of that). It's about what happens when a whole community decides to properly celebrate its story while building something new. The regeneration programme, the new cultural programme, the partnerships between different groups - it's all happening at once.

Whether you're into art installations, community art sessions, historical exhibitions, or just fancy seeing what a proper bicentenary looks like, Goole's 2026 programme seems to have something for everyone. And honestly, how often do you get to say you were there when a town turned 200?

Goole's been quietly doing its thing by the Humber for two centuries. Next year, it's decided to make a bit more noise about it. And from the looks of this programme, it's going to be worth listening to.