In 2020 Welwyn Garden City is 100 years old
We are delighted that we have already managed to deliver many highly successful events to celebrate our wonderful town in its centenary year
Our 20.20km Centenary Walk through villages and beautiful countryside is proving to be very popular, already enjoyed by many hundreds of people. You can download our leaflet from our Centenary Walk page.
Enjoy our four City of Trees trails which celebrate the c. 19,000 trees which can be found across the town. The trail leaflets can be downloaded from our City Of Trees Page.
A life sized bronze sculpture of Sir Ebenezer Howard has been cast – a celebration of his vision for Welwyn Garden City – ‘a true marriage of town and country’. The statue will be unveiled in the town centre later this year.
Our much anticipated Carnival is now being planned to take place on 19 June 2021 as a grand finale to the Centenary celebrations.
Explore our website to find out more about our signature projects and see photos of some of our events which have which have already taken place.
We all look forward to celebrating with you as soon as we are able. In the meantime, follow us on social media, sign up for our newsletter and check back here for updates.
We would like to extend sincere thanks to all our sponsors, partners and volunteers, without whom our fantastic year of celebrations would not have been possible.
COMMUNITY
NATURE
HERITAGE
Events to look forward to...
Orienteering for all
Scout & Guide Centre, Canonsfield Road, Woolmer Green, AL6 0QA
Ebenezer Howard Ride
SG6 3AN
Orienteering for all
Sandridge, St Albans AL4 9DQ
Cycling
The Campus, WGC, AL8 6BX
Orienteering for all
Stanborough Road, WGC, AL8 6DF
Cycling
The Campus, WGC, AL8 6BX
Orienteering – Centenary Map Challenge
Parkway, WGC
Cycling – Centenary Orbital
The Campus, WGC, AL8 6BX
Le Petit Tour Cycle Race
Parkway, WGC
We have taken great care to ensure the accuracy of every event listed here, but suggest you check details of events nearer the time just in case there have been changes.
Explore our Signature Events by clicking on the icons below
News
Ebenezer Howard memorial makes way for new sculpture of our town’s founder
Eagle eyed residents may have noticed that the Ebenezer Howard memorial roundel has been lifted from its home on Howardsgate – a herculean task which took three hours!
Goodbye 2020, hello 2021
What a year 2000 was. Welwyn Harmony started the year on a high having just won the “Most Improved Chorus” award at a national ladies’ singing competition.
EBENEZER HOWARD: A Birthday Tribute.
Sir Ebenezer Howard OBE was born 171 years ago on 29 January 1850. This tribute outlines his life and how he founded Welwyn Garden City.
Commemorating Our Centenary
The last year has been exceptionally challenging for us all, for our work, our family and our friends. Our much anticipated year of celebrations for Welwyn Garden City’s cententary could not take place as planned, which has been incredibly disappointing for everyone involved.
Our enthusiastic team of volunteers have worked since 2014 on our Signature Projects. Now we have reached the end of 2020 we have plenty to be proud of having achieved in celebration of what makes our town and community so special.
The Story of a Barn and a Theatre
This is the story of a barn and how it became a theatre in Welwyn Garden City. The theatre at the centre of the story is the Barn Theatre situated in Handside Lane and is today a renowned and respected place for amateur drama providing some 10 shows a year as well as other aspects of drama, giving the community quality alternatives to the big professional theatres in London and surrounding district.
Schools’ Photographic Competition 2020
The WGC Centenary Schools Photographic Competition was the first event launched in 2017 to celebrate the centenary, organised by the WGC Photographic Club.
100 years of Welwyn Garden City…and what the next 100 years hold in store
Discover Hertfordshire magazine, published by Archant, has published a lovely four page article in this quarter’s edition. Read the introduction here and view the digital version online. Words by Ellie Fells.
Celebrating our City of Trees this autumn in our centenary year
One of the greatest pleasures of the town is the beauty and variety of the 19,000 trees in its streets and public places. Our City of Trees project is part of the centenary celebrations with four areas of the town chosen for their beauty and variety, some of which are seldom seen outside botanic gardens. What better time to explore and enjoy their beauty than autumn?
Golden Jubilee – was it really half a century ago?
Memories of 1970 recalled in 2020 by Dr Dennis Lewis MBE
The English Garden Cities – A World Heritage Site?
One of our signature projects is an international symposium now scheduled to take place on 22 and 23 April 2021.
Graeme Bell on the initiative to secure World Heritage Site status for the two English – and pioneering – Garden Cities
