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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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  1. Three glowing Christmas trees in an elegant room at Raby Castle

    Add Raby Castle at Christmas - Raby Castle, Park & Gardens to your Itinerary

    Raby Castle at Christmas - Raby Castle, Park & Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Darlington

    Raby Castle is opening it’s doors for Christmas for the second time in five decades to showcase the castle decorated for Christmas, designed by custodian and creative director, Lady Barnard.

    Dates

    From:
    14 Nov 2026to3 Jan 2027Open 11:00 - 16:00
    More info for Raby Castle at Christmas - Raby Castle, Park & Gardens
  2. Landscape view of Raby Castle with the open starry sky

    Add Stargazing at Raby Castle - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Stargazing at Raby Castle - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Stargazing Events

    Darlington

    History Meets The Heavens. Step Into the Past… and Look to the Stars. Experience the magic of the night sky in one of the North East’s most iconic settings. Set within the historic grounds of Raby Castle, this unique stargazing event pairs centuries…

    Dates

    From:
    14 Nov 2026
    From:
    12 Dec 2026
    From:
    9 Jan 2027
    From:
    13 Feb 2027
    More info for Stargazing at Raby Castle - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens
  3. Close up of a Lego railway under construction

    Add Shildon Brick Show - Locomotion to your Itinerary

    Shildon Brick Show - Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    Show / Display

    Shildon

    Feast your eyes on a fantastic array of intricate LEGO® creations at this year's Shildon Brick Show. Hosted in conjunction with Brick Alley Recognised LEGO Fan Community, this exhibition features a wide range of displays and trade stands to…

    Dates

    From:
    14 Nov 2026to15 Nov 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Shildon Brick Show - Locomotion
  4. Seaham Stories: A Coastal Walking Tour - Seaham Hall Hotel

    Add Seaham Stories: A Coastal Walking Tour - Seaham Hall Hotel to your Itinerary

    Seaham Stories: A Coastal Walking Tour - Seaham Hall Hotel

    Type

    Type:

    Walking Event

    Seaham

    Step beyond the gates of Seaham Hall and discover the stories, heritage, and coastal beauty that have shaped Seaham through the years, guided by those who know it best.

    Dates

    From:
    19 Sept 2026Open 13:00 -
    More info for Seaham Stories: A Coastal Walking Tour - Seaham Hall Hotel
  5. 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
  6. Santa Claus sitting near a Christmas tree, reading a book with toys.

    Add Father Christmas at Ushaw - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Father Christmas at Ushaw - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Bearpark, Durham

    Make magical Christmas memories at Ushaw this festive season with a visit to meet Father Christmas. Children can share their festive wishes, receive a cuddly gift, and take a keepsake photo in our beautifully decorated Parlour.

    Dates

    From:
    12 Dec 2026to13 Dec 2026
    From:
    15 Dec 2026
    More info for Father Christmas at Ushaw - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens
  7. Scene from The Polar Express (2004) Small child looking up a towering steam train in the snow

    Add Grand Cinema: Polar Express - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Grand Cinema: Polar Express - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Stanley

    Transport yourself to the golden age of cinema with a nostalgic afternoon in our beautifully restored 1950s Grand cinema. The Grand cinema, from Ryhope, in Sunderland, has been recreated and brought to life in our 1950s Town.

    Dates

    From:
    21 Nov 2026Open 14:00 -
    More info for Grand Cinema: Polar Express - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  8. The illustrated Snowman flying with a child.

    Add The Snowman with Live Orchestra - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens to your Itinerary

    The Snowman with Live Orchestra - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Bearpark, Durham

    Step into the wonder of the season with a heartwarming performance of The Snowman — perfect for all ages. Enjoy a live orchestral accompaniment by the Durham Music Youth Orchestra as they bring the beloved animated film to life, complete with the…

    Dates

    From:
    12 Dec 2026
    More info for The Snowman with Live Orchestra - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens
  9. Father Christmas sitting in an armchair greeting a young family in the cafe

    Add Breakfast with Father Christmas - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Breakfast with Father Christmas - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Stanley

    Kick off your day with something magical! Join Father Christmas for breakfast in the Coffee Pot Café at the Entrance Building, before he heads off on his Christmas duties.

    Dates

    From:
    5 Dec 2026to6 Dec 2026Open 09:00 - 10:00
    From:
    12 Dec 2026to13 Dec 2026Open 09:00 - 10:00
    From:
    19 Dec 2026to20 Dec 2026Open 09:00 - 10:00
    More info for Breakfast with Father Christmas - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  10. Halloween Fun at the Farm Poster, decorated with two pumpkins and a crow.

    Add Halloween Fun At The Farm - Down At The Farm to your Itinerary

    Halloween Fun At The Farm - Down At The Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Houghton le Spring

    Join us for some Spooky Halloween Fun! Choose from 17th/18th or 24th- 31st October. Visit our outdoor pumpkin patch and choose your pumpkin to carve or take home.(remember to bring your carving kits) Entry to the pumpkin patch is £3.50  on the day…

    Dates

    From:
    17 Oct 2026to18 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    From:
    24 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Halloween Fun At The Farm - Down At The Farm
  11. A spooky Halloween events poster for Aycliffe & District Bus Preservation Museum, decorated with ghosts, bats, spiders and a creepy bus under the full

    Add A Night At The Museum Horror Spooktackular - Aycliffe & District Bus Preservation Museum to your Itinerary

    A Night At The Museum Horror Spooktackular - Aycliffe & District Bus Preservation Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Aycliffe Business Park, Newton Aycliffe

    Get ready for a fun-filled Halloween evening for all the family as Aycliffe Bus Museum opens its doors for 'A Night at the Museum – Halloween Horror Spooktakular.' Local residents are invited to come along to the museum on Burtree Road, Newton…

    Dates

    From:
    31 Oct 2026Open 17:30 - 21:00
    More info for A Night At The Museum Horror Spooktackular - Aycliffe & District Bus Preservation Museum
  12. Holly Sterling with her book, Karate Kids, on a yellow background with cartoon books.

    Add Holly Sterling: Karate Kids Storytime - Durham Book Festival to your Itinerary

    Holly Sterling: Karate Kids Storytime - Durham Book Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Join Maya and her friends as they learn to spin, kick and block their way through their karate class, learning new moves and mastering their minds and bodies, with a little help from each other along the way in this fun and exciting story time as…

    Dates

    From:
    10 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 10:45
    More info for Holly Sterling: Karate Kids Storytime - Durham Book Festival
  13. Images of farm yard animals, tractors and flowers

    Add 150th Eggleston Agricultural Show! - Hayberries Farm to your Itinerary

    150th Eggleston Agricultural Show! - Hayberries Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Agricultural Show

    Barnard Castle

    We're celebrating the 150th Eggleston Agricultural Show. We've got a fun-packed day planned for everyone, so make sure you turn up nice and early.
    Gates open to the public at 9am. A country show with something for everyone of all ages, from the…

    Dates

    From:
    19 Sept 2026Open 09:00 - 18:00
    More info for 150th Eggleston Agricultural Show! - Hayberries Farm
  14. An adult holding a baby in festive clothes, looking at a light installation of a bear.

    Add AGLOW 2026 - Auckland Palace and Gardens to your Itinerary

    AGLOW 2026 - Auckland Palace and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Bishop Auckland

    Bishop Auckland’s AGLOW light trail is alive!  
    Walk in wonder through one and a half magical miles of light and sound. Imagine a place where an ancient palace overlooks 150 acres of Deer Park that, as the sun sets, comes alive with wonderful lights…

    Dates

    From:
    20 Nov 2026to3 Jan 2027Open 16:30 - 19:30
    More info for AGLOW 2026 - Auckland Palace and Gardens
  15. A Witch and a cat riding a broom.  Room on the Broom © 2001 Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Licensed by Magic Light Pictures Ltd.

    Add Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest to your Itinerary

    Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Redford, Hamsterley Forest

    This interactive family trail is packed with Room on the Broom themed activities, fascinating forest facts and plenty of hands-on fun. 

    Dates

    From:
    28 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest
  16. Participants in warm clothing gather around a moth trap during a nighttime wildlife survey, illuminated by a bright light.

    Add Discover the Creatures of the Night - North Pennines Stargazing Festival to your Itinerary

    Discover the Creatures of the Night - North Pennines Stargazing Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Newbiggin

    Discover the hidden creatures of the night on a guided evening family walk from the Bowlees Visitor Centre in Upper Teesdale. Join the North Pennines National Landscape team as we explore the fascinating lives of moths, bats, owls and other…

    Dates

    From:
    27 Oct 2026Open 19:00 - 21:00
    More info for Discover the Creatures of the Night - North Pennines Stargazing Festival
  17. Small child, wearing winter clothes, running through a festive woodland trail

    Add Christmas Family Explorer - Raby Castle, Park & Gardens to your Itinerary

    Christmas Family Explorer - Raby Castle, Park & Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Darlington

    Make magical memories this Christmas with one simple, all-inclusive ticket. Step into The Enchanted Forest, immerse yourself in Raby Castle at Christmas & enjoy the Deer Park & Walled Gardens.

    Dates

    From:
    14 Nov 2026to3 Jan 2027Open 10:00 - 14:00
    More info for Christmas Family Explorer - Raby Castle, Park & Gardens
  18. Large sculpture of a Velociraptor dinosaur in the lobby of Ushaw.

    Add Extinction - Ushaw, Historic Houses, Chapels and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Extinction - Ushaw, Historic Houses, Chapels and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Summer Event

    Bearpark, Durham

    Extinction affects us all and one in ten of our wildlife in the UK is critically endangered. Scientists have identified five periods of mass extinction over the geological record and the question is now being asked: are we in a sixth? The exhibition…

    Dates

    From:
    20 June 2026to8 Nov 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Extinction - Ushaw, Historic Houses, Chapels and Gardens
  19. Three singers in traditional clothing, next to a Christmas tree, performing festive live music during Beamish Museum's Christmas Evenings.

    Add Beamish, The Living Museum of the North’s Magical Christmas Evenings to your Itinerary

    Beamish, The Living Museum of the North’s Magical Christmas Evenings

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Beamish

    Beamish Museum Christmas Evening Tickets on Sale Soon!

    Dates

    From:
    3 Dec 2026to4 Dec 2026Open 17:00 - 21:30
    From:
    10 Dec 2026to11 Dec 2026Open 17:00 - 21:30
    From:
    17 Dec 2026to18 Dec 2026Open 17:00 - 21:30
    More info for Beamish, The Living Museum of the North’s Magical Christmas Evenings
  20. A young girl in a brown dress with hair in a ponytail, holding something made of paper, with craft materials on a yellow table in front

    Add October Half Term - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    October Half Term - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Barnard Castle

    This October Half Term, families can enjoy a lively mix of creative and nature-inspired activities across The Bowes Museum's galleries, creative spaces and parkland.

    Venue

    The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

    Dates

    From:
    24 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for October Half Term - The Bowes Museum
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