Open House Festival 2026
Founders’ Hall welcomed a remarkable 912 visitors during this year's Open House Festival on 12 and 19 September. Across the two Saturdays visitors of all ages explored the Hall, learned about the history and future of the casting industry, and met members and volunteers who generously gave their time to share their knowledge and enthusiasm. We were particularly pleased to welcome a large number of children and families, many of whom spent considerable time taking part in the hands-on activities and displays throughout the building.
One of the most popular attractions was the wax-carving station, where visitors could try a simplified version of the process used in lost-wax casting. This provided a practical introduction to how ideas can be transformed from a carved model into a finished metal object. The PPE station also proved a great success, allowing visitors to handle and try on modern foundry personal protective equipment. We are especially grateful to EDC Protection for their generous donation of PPE, which helped bring the modern industry to life for our visitors.
To help explain contemporary casting and manufacturing processes, a continuous film reel showing how castings are produced ran throughout the event. We offered a greatly expanded range of displays and information panels meaning visitors encountered more information than ever before about the modern foundry and casting industry, helping to demonstrate the vital role cast products continue to play in everyday life.
The event was supported by the largest team of volunteers the Founders have ever assembled for Open House Festival. Members, staff, and Open House volunteers welcomed visitors, answered questions, guided groups and helped deliver activities across the Hall. Their energy, knowledge, and commitment were instrumental to the event's success and received many positive comments from visitors.
Open House Festival continues to be an invaluable opportunity to share the story of the Founders, promote the modern casting industry, and engage new audiences. The attendance figures and enthusiastic response from visitors demonstrate a growing public interest in both our historic Hall and the industry we represent and we very much hope to grow this in the coming years.