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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: 53

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  1. Snakes & Shakes - A snake crawling through a skull next to a photo of a milkshake.

    Add Snakes & Shakes - Lanchester Garden Centre to your Itinerary

    Snakes & Shakes - Lanchester Garden Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Lanchester

    Do you love snakes? Do you want to learn more about our slithery friends ? Do you also crave delicious milkshakes?
    If you answered yes to any (or all) of the above questions then this event is for you!

    Dates

    From:
    24 July 2026Open 10:00 - 11:00
    From:
    27 July 2026Open 14:00 - 15:00
    From:
    5 Aug 2026Open 10:00 - 11:00
    From:
    13 Aug 2026Open 14:00 - 15:00
    From:
    21 Aug 2026Open 10:00 - 11:00
    More info for Snakes & Shakes - Lanchester Garden Centre
  2. Child with sword and shield at Raby Castle.

    Add Summer Holidays: Knights and Dragons Family Explorer Tour - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Summer Holidays: Knights and Dragons Family Explorer Tour - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Staindrop

    Join one of our castle characters this school holiday for a free family tour on the castle terrace at 11am. Explore the castle defences and work out how to attack a formidable fortress like Raby! Will the castle be captured or survive an attack?

    Dates

    From:
    13 July 2026to31 Aug 2026Open 11:00 -
    More info for Summer Holidays: Knights and Dragons Family Explorer Tour - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens
  3. A text logo on a yellow background, with the Sanctuary knocker featured. Durham Folk Festival

    Add Durham Folk Festival - Redhills Durham Miners Hall to your Itinerary

    Durham Folk Festival - Redhills Durham Miners Hall

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Flass Street, Durham City

    Join us for our first Durham Folk Festival, 18 - 20 September 2026. The best folk artists in the country, plus pub music sessions, free family events, ceilidhs and more.

    Venue

    Redhills Durham Miners Hall, Durham City

    Dates

    From:
    18 Sept 2026to20 Sept 2026Open 10:00 - 00:00
    More info for Durham Folk Festival - Redhills Durham Miners Hall
  4. Aglow Auckland Palace & Gardens. A child in a wool hat looks upwards at the colourfully lit sky.

    Add AGLOW 2026 - Auckland Palace and Gardens to your Itinerary

    AGLOW 2026 - Auckland Palace and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Bishop Auckland

    The Auckland Project has announced that its much-loved illuminated trail will return to Auckland Palace from Friday 20 November to 3 January (excluding Christmas Day and New Year's Day), promising exciting new additions alongside the spectacular…

    Dates

    From:
    20 Nov 2026to3 Jan 2027
    More info for AGLOW 2026 - Auckland Palace and Gardens
  5. Child looking at fossils on a rock.

    Add Wild Wednesday - Fantastic Fossils to your Itinerary

    Wild Wednesday - Fantastic Fossils

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Newbiggin

    Discover fantastic fossils around Bowlees in this family friendly outdoor activity

    Venue

    Bowlees Visitor Centre, Newbiggin

    Dates

    From:
    12 Aug 2026Open 10:30 - 12:30
    More info for Wild Wednesday - Fantastic Fossils
  6. Child looking at a flower using a microscope.

    Add Wild Wednesday - Near and Far to your Itinerary

    Wild Wednesday - Near and Far

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Newbiggin

    Near and far - a fun outdoor activity for children aged 5 and over. All children need to be accompanied by an adult. (Younger siblings are welcome but do not need to book).

    Venue

    Bowlees Visitor Centre, Newbiggin

    Dates

    From:
    5 Aug 2026Open 10:30 - 12:30
    More info for Wild Wednesday - Near and Far
  7. Heritage Open Days Logo

    Heritage Open Days 2026

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage Open Days

    Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over 2,000 local people and organisations, and thousands of volunteers.

    Dates

    From:
    11 Sept 2026to20 Sept 2026
    More info for Heritage Open Days 2026
  8. child with seeds in their hand

    Add Wild Wednesday - Seeds of the Summer to your Itinerary

    Wild Wednesday - Seeds of the Summer

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Newbiggin

    Collect seeds from local wildflowers and sow in the tree and wildflower nursery at Bowlees

    Venue

    Bowlees Visitor Centre, Newbiggin

    Dates

    From:
    26 Aug 2026Open 10:30 - 12:30
    More info for Wild Wednesday - Seeds of the Summer
  9. Cartoon image of the performance area with a stage, trees, hills and a yellow aeroplane with a banner with wording Derwent Fest!

    Add Derwent Fest 2026 to your Itinerary

    Derwent Fest 2026

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Edmundbyers

    A weekend festival of live tribute music, food and drink, and children’s activities and entertainment, set in a stunning location, not far from you. Bring all the family, including the dog, and enjoy some fun, quality time together.

    Venue

    Derwent Waterside Park, Shotley Bridge

    Dates

    From:
    14 Aug 2026to15 Aug 2026
    More info for Derwent Fest 2026
  10. Image of a group of people at a Durham Book Festival event who are seated and clapping.

    Durham Book Festival 2026

    Type

    Type:

    Durham Book Festival

    Durham

    The Durham Book Festival takes place from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October, celebrating the power of the written word.

    Dates

    From:
    9 Oct 2026to11 Oct 2026
    More info for Durham Book Festival 2026
  11. Crowds enjoy show jumping at Weardale Show.

    Add 156th Weardale Agricultural Show 2026 to your Itinerary

    156th Weardale Agricultural Show 2026

    Type

    Type:

    Agricultural Show

    St. Johns Chapel

    The Weardale Show returns on Saturday 29th August 2026.

    Dates

    From:
    29 Aug 2026
    More info for 156th Weardale Agricultural Show 2026
  12. Three people in Georgian costume stand in front of Pockerley Old Hall at Beamish Museum.

    Add Georgian Gathering at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Georgian Gathering at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Beamish

    Step back to the hustle and bustle of the early 1800s.

    Dates

    From:
    19 Sept 2026to20 Sept 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Georgian Gathering at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  13. Text 'Hopetown Comic Con' with Dr. Who's Tardis in the background.

    Add Hopetown Comic Con - Hopetown Darlington to your Itinerary

    Hopetown Comic Con - Hopetown Darlington

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Darlington

    Hopetown Comic Con – Doctor Who Themed Event. 

    Dates

    From:
    3 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Hopetown Comic Con - Hopetown Darlington
  14. Free Family Fun Day Friday 31st July. Poster shows palm trees, beach balls, sunglasses and fair ground rides.

    Add Peterlee Free Summer Fun Day - Peterlee & Horden Rugby Club Pitch to your Itinerary

    Peterlee Free Summer Fun Day - Peterlee & Horden Rugby Club Pitch

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Helford Road, Peterlee

    Free family fun day.

    Dates

    From:
    31 July 2026Open 11:00 - 16:00
    More info for Peterlee Free Summer Fun Day - Peterlee & Horden Rugby Club Pitch
  15. Little boy in green jacket, peering into binoculars - Nature Spotters at The Bowes Museum

    Add Nature Spotters - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Nature Spotters - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Barnard Castle

    Gather around an indoor campsite to explore the plants and animals that thrive in the museum's surrounding parkland.

    Dates

    From:
    21 July 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    From:
    4 Aug 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    From:
    18 Aug 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    More info for Nature Spotters - The Bowes Museum
  16. A scientist conducting an experiment with fire - Big Science.

    Add Big Sweetie Science - Lanchester Garden Centre to your Itinerary

    Big Sweetie Science - Lanchester Garden Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Workshop

    Lanchester

    Join us this Summer for the return of our Big "Sweetie" Science Workshop.

    The children will explore different science areas using sweets. Every child will make their own pot of sherbet and a chemistry mocktail, making fizzy reactions.

    Dates

    From:
    24 Aug 2026Open 11:30 - 12:30
    More info for Big Sweetie Science - Lanchester Garden Centre
  17. Rowley Station - a rebuilt train station in Beamish Museum.

    Add 50 Years of Rowley Station at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    50 Years of Rowley Station at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage

    Beamish

    Celebrate 50 years of Rowley Station at Beamish with this special event.

    Dates

    From:
    25 July 2026to26 July 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for 50 Years of Rowley Station at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  18. Grand Finale all cast of Kynren view from the tribune

    Add Kynren - An Epic Tale of England - 2026 to your Itinerary

    Kynren - An Epic Tale of England - 2026

    Type

    Type:

    Performance

    Bishop Auckland

    Step into Kynren, a live action outdoor theatre spectacular that immerses you in 2000 years of history on an epic scale.

    Dates

    From:
    18 July 2026to12 Sept 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Kynren - An Epic Tale of England - 2026
  19. Two people working on a large fabric with colourful abstract patterns in blue, orange, and black lines. Focus is on fabric surface.

    Add Pattern and Protest - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Pattern and Protest - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Barnard Castle

    Inspired by Vivienne Westwood's iconic designs, Pattern and Protest invites participants to experiment with fabric by adding marks and messages to create their own bold response. Suitable for families with children aged 5+, the session encourages…

    Venue

    The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

    Dates

    From:
    26 Aug 2026Open 10:30 - 12:30
    More info for Pattern and Protest - The Bowes Museum
  20. Little girl and boy participating in 'Little Dragons' at Durham University Oriental Museum.

    Add Little Dragons - Durham University Oriental Museum to your Itinerary

    Little Dragons - Durham University Oriental Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Durham City

    Join us at the Oriental Museum on Wednesday mornings for Little Dragons, our FREE session for children under 5 and their families/carers. Each session will be packed full of exploring the museum galleries, fun craft activities, singing, games and…

    Dates

    From:
    7 Jan 2026to30 Sept 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Little Dragons - Durham University Oriental Museum
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