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You are here > Home > What's On > Family Events

Family Events

For guaranteed fun for all the family check out our list of events taking place across the county.

Whether you are looking for things on this weekend, or looking for what's on today, we have all the amazing events for a great days out with the kids.

Create lasting memories with your loved ones at Durham's family-friendly events. Explore a diverse array of kid-friendly activities, family festivals, and interactive outings that cater to all ages. From educational workshops to entertaining performances, Durham offers a vibrant calendar of events designed to bring families together. Stay informed about the latest family-friendly happenings, and plan your weekends with the exciting array of cultural and recreational activities that Durham has to offer.

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Number of results: 103

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  1. Two women and three children walking around the lake at Hardwick Park

    Add Passport to Nature: Moth Trapping to your Itinerary

    Passport to Nature: Moth Trapping

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Sedgefield

    Join us for a fascinating moth trapping experience as we explore the park, unveiling the incredible diversity of moth species that call Hardwick Park home. Whether you're a budding entomologist, a nature enthusiast, or simply curious about the…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Sept 2025Open 10:00 - 12:00
    More info for Passport to Nature: Moth Trapping
  2. Illustration of Toad from The Wind in the Willows

    Add The Wind in the Willows by Illyria - Durham Cathedral to your Itinerary

    The Wind in the Willows by Illyria - Durham Cathedral

    Type

    Type:

    Outdoor Cinema and Theatre

    Durham

    Enjoy Kenneth Grahame's timeless tale of friendship, laughter and the lure of adventure! Enjoy the story where it is set: in the great British outdoors, and told by award-winning performers, Illyria Outdoors Theatre.

    Dates

    From:
    13 Sept 2025Open 19:00 - 20:45
    More info for The Wind in the Willows by Illyria - Durham Cathedral
  3. Two people sawing a log - Beamish Museum

    Add Home Front, Home Farm 2025 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Home Front, Home Farm 2025 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Beamish

    Visit our 1940s Farm to learn about life in the British countryside during the Second World War.

    Dates

    From:
    20 Sept 2025to21 Sept 2025Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Home Front, Home Farm 2025 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  4. Japanese Kimono

    Add Dress Up at The Oriental Museum to your Itinerary

    Dress Up at The Oriental Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    See a beautiful Japanese kimono and try dressing up your own mini doll.

    Venue

    Durham University Oriental Museum, Durham City

    Dates

    From:
    26 July 2025Open 13:00 - 15:00
    More info for Dress Up at The Oriental Museum
  5. Aerial view of Raby Castle and grounds

    Add S&DR200: Coal, Canals and Carriages: The Story of Raby and the Railways to your Itinerary

    S&DR200: Coal, Canals and Carriages: The Story of Raby and the Railways

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Staindrop

    Raby Castle will celebrate the year with stories associated with 19th-century inventions, including the reactions of landowners and farmers to trains, as well as how travel evolved into a privilege for the upper classes from their collections.

    Dates

    From:
    28 June 2025to31 Oct 2025Open 11:00 - 16:00
    From:
    3 July 2025to29 Oct 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for S&DR200: Coal, Canals and Carriages: The Story of Raby and the Railways
  6. Durham Book Festival Logo

    Durham Book Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Durham Book Festival

    Durham

    Durham Book Festival is one of the country’s oldest literary festivals, taking place in and around Durham City, returning this year on 10th to 12th October.

    Dates

    From:
    10 Oct 2025to12 Oct 2025
    More info for Durham Book Festival 2025
  7. Two princesses entertaining families at Tweddle Farm.

    Add Princesses & Superheroes - Tweddle Children's Animal Farm to your Itinerary

    Princesses & Superheroes - Tweddle Children's Animal Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Blackhall Colliery

    Join us for a magical day as Princesses and Heroes take over the farm! Dress up as your favourite character and join in with their exciting performances. Face painting will be available throughout the day free of charge!

    Dates

    From:
    2 Aug 2025to3 Aug 2025Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Princesses & Superheroes - Tweddle Children's Animal Farm
  8. Photography by Claire Collinson. Larger-than-life, soft recreations of an animal

    Add Pippa Hale: Pet Project - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Pippa Hale: Pet Project - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    See the museum’s renowned ceramic collection re-imagined into a vibrant and interactive experience for all ages.

    Dates

    From:
    26 July 2025to1 Mar 2026
    More info for Pippa Hale: Pet Project - The Bowes Museum
  9. Crowds of people watching a performance at the Hardwick Festival

    Add Hardwick Festival 2025 to your Itinerary

    Hardwick Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Sedgefield

    Hardwick Festival returns 15th to 17th August. The 2025 line-up will be revealed soon.

    Dates

    From:
    15 Aug 2025to17 Aug 2025
    More info for Hardwick Festival 2025
  10. Fringe Festival logo, colourful image of the Sanctuary Knocker

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Durham Fringe Family Showcase to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Durham Fringe Family Showcase

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    To celebrate the 5th year of the Fringe & our biggest family offering to date, we're hosting a FREE family showcase.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025Open 13:30 - 14:30
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Durham Fringe Family Showcase
  11. Spooky family with bats - Cliffecon Halloween Edition

    Add Cliffecon - Halloween Edition at Oak Leaf Sports Complex to your Itinerary

    Cliffecon - Halloween Edition at Oak Leaf Sports Complex

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Newton Aycliffe

    Cliffecon Halloween Edition will be taking place on Saturday 25th October 2025 at Oakleaf Sports Complex.
    You can expect all the delicious geekiness of Cliffecon but with a spooky twist!

    Dates

    From:
    25 Oct 2025Open 10:30 - 16:00
    More info for Cliffecon - Halloween Edition at Oak Leaf Sports Complex
  12. Artist Dinah Kelly in her studio

    Add Enchanted Objects: Adornment and Personal Protection from Amulets to the Mobile Phone to your Itinerary

    Enchanted Objects: Adornment and Personal Protection from Amulets to the Mobile Phone

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Durham City

    Contemporary artist Dinah Kelly shines a light on the protective powers and symbolism of charms, talismans and amulets.

    Venue

    Durham University Oriental Museum, Durham City

    Dates

    From:
    13 June 2025to9 Nov 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Enchanted Objects: Adornment and Personal Protection from Amulets to the Mobile Phone
  13. A castle guide and a visitor at Durham Castle

    Add Durham Castle Self-Guided Day to your Itinerary

    Durham Castle Self-Guided Day

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    Join us at Durham Castle for a special visit at your own pace this summer.

    Dates

    From:
    25 July 2025Open 11:00 - 15:15
    More info for Durham Castle Self-Guided Day
  14. Little girl with fairy wings and a unicorn painted on her forehead

    Add Summer of Magic at The Hole in Wand - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors to your Itinerary

    Summer of Magic at The Hole in Wand - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Murton

    Join us for a spellbinding adventure this July and August as The Hole in Wand brings a touch of enchantment to Dalton Park with their Summer of Magic. Across selected dates, enjoy magical live magician performances and face painting for little…

    Dates

    From:
    22 July 2025to26 Aug 2025Various Opening Times
    From:
    16 Aug 2025to30 Aug 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Summer of Magic at The Hole in Wand - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors
  15. People enjoy looking at a fantastic array of intricate LEGO®️ creations at Durham Brick Show.

    Add Durham Brick Show Weekend - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Durham Brick Show Weekend - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Show / Display

    Durham

    On the weekend of Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September 2025, feast your eyes on a fantastic array of intricate LEGO®️ creations at Durham Brick Show.

    Dates

    From:
    13 Sept 2025to14 Sept 2025
    More info for Durham Brick Show Weekend - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens
  16. Crowds enjoying food at Chester-le-EATS. Image credit: Gareth Williams Photo & Film

    Add Chester-le-EATS 2025 to your Itinerary

    Chester-le-EATS 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Food & Drink Festival

    Chester le Street

    Chester-le-EATS Festival Returns to Durham Cricket With An Exciting New Line-Up

    Dates

    From:
    27 Sept 2025to28 Sept 2025Open 11:00 - 17:00
    More info for Chester-le-EATS 2025
  17. Four steam engines at Tanfield

    Add Railway 200: Diesel Pioneers Gala at Tanfield Railway to your Itinerary

    Railway 200: Diesel Pioneers Gala at Tanfield Railway

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Marley Hill, Tanfield

    Join us this September for the Diesel Pioneers Gala, a standout event in our Tanfield300 celebrations! Taking place on the 20th and 21st of September 2025, this gala is a tribute to the industrial diesel locomotives that played a vital role in…

    Dates

    From:
    20 Sept 2025to21 Sept 2025
    More info for Railway 200: Diesel Pioneers Gala at Tanfield Railway
  18. S&DR200 logo

    S&DR200 - Invention Challenge

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    S&DR200 and Little Inventors are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway with the S&DR Invention Challenge, inviting Year 5–8 students from Stockton, Darlington, and Durham to reimagine the 4,000 miles of disused…

    Dates

    From:
    10 Feb 2025to31 July 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - Invention Challenge
  19. An archery target with two children holding bow and arrows with the instructor

    Add Medieval Mayhem at Auckland Palace to your Itinerary

    Medieval Mayhem at Auckland Palace

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Bishop Auckland

    A Medieval Mayhem event will take over Auckland Palace grounds on Saturday 26th July, offering a packed programme of performances, crafts and activities.

    Venue

    The Auckland Project, Bishop Auckland

    Dates

    From:
    26 July 2025Open 10:30 - 15:30
    More info for Medieval Mayhem at Auckland Palace
  20. A woman sitting on a bench with a golden retriever in matching yellow coats

    Add Bark in the Park - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Bark in the Park - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Dog-Friendly

    Staindrop

    Get ready for a tail-wagging good time at Bark in the Park this September!

    Dates

    From:
    28 Sept 2025Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Bark in the Park - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens
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