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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: 118

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  1. Nightmare Before Christmas imagery on lanterns.

    Add Nightmare Before Christmas Lantern Craft Workshop to your Itinerary

    Nightmare Before Christmas Lantern Craft Workshop

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Lanchester

    During this workshop you will be guided through the process to create your very own Nightmare Before Christmas Lantern.

    Dates

    From:
    9 Nov 2025Open 11:45 - 12:15
    More info for Nightmare Before Christmas Lantern Craft Workshop
  2. A small child looking at a skeleton on the Plotters' Forest Halloween trail

    Add Halloween Tiny Terrors Trail at The Plotters' Forest - Raby Castle Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Halloween Tiny Terrors Trail at The Plotters' Forest - Raby Castle Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Staindrop

    Join us for a spooktacular Halloween adventure at The Plotters’ Forest!

    Venue

    Raby Castle, Park and Gardens, Staindrop

    Dates

    From:
    4 Oct 2025to2 Nov 2025Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Halloween Tiny Terrors Trail at The Plotters' Forest - Raby Castle Park and Gardens
  3. Rosettes from the Durham County Show

    Add The Durham County Show to your Itinerary

    The Durham County Show

    Type

    Type:

    Agricultural Show

    nr Thornley

    The Annual Durham County Show is a vibrant event featuring a variety of activities and attractions for all ages.

    Dates

    From:
    4 July 2026to5 July 2026Open 09:00 - 17:00
    More info for The Durham County Show
  4. Two women and three children walking around the lake at Hardwick Park

    Add Halloween Forest Club - Hardwick Park to your Itinerary

    Halloween Forest Club - Hardwick Park

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Sedgefield

    Halloween Forest Club is a hands-on experience designed to engage children about the natural world around them, aimed at children between 2 and 6 years of age. This session will include having a go at toasting a marshmallow on a fire. Outdoor…

    Dates

    From:
    28 Oct 2025Open 13:00 - 15:00
    More info for Halloween Forest Club - Hardwick Park
  5. The decorated Throne Room at Auckland Palace

    Add Christmas at the Palace - The Auckland Project to your Itinerary

    Christmas at the Palace - The Auckland Project

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Market Place, Bishop Auckland

    Immerse yourself in unrivalled festive splendour when you visit Auckland Palace's very special Christmas event.

    Venue

    The Auckland Project, Bishop Auckland

    Dates

    From:
    21 Nov 2025to31 Dec 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Christmas at the Palace - The Auckland Project
  6. Artwork relating to beasts and legends on display at Palace Green Library. Silhouette of knights and dragons.

    Add Beasts and Legends: Adventures Through North East Folklore to your Itinerary

    Beasts and Legends: Adventures Through North East Folklore

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Durham

    This family friendly exhibition features a selection of artefacts from across the Durham University collections to help tell the stories of local folktales. 

    Dates

    From:
    14 June 2025to2 Nov 2025Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Beasts and Legends: Adventures Through North East Folklore
  7. Santa reading three children a story.

    Add Story Time with Santa - Lumley Castle Hotel to your Itinerary

    Story Time with Santa - Lumley Castle Hotel

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Chester le Street

    Are you ready for Storytime? Get those PJ's on, bring your most cuddly teddy and join us for an afternoon of spreading Christmas spirit with Mr and Mrs Claus. With milk & cookies on arrival, this event is guaranteed to get your little ones excited…

    Dates

    From:
    23 Dec 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Story Time with Santa - Lumley Castle Hotel
  8. St Peter's Chapel at Auckland Palace

    Add Christmas Carol Service - The Auckland Palace to your Itinerary

    Christmas Carol Service - The Auckland Palace

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Market Place, Bishop Auckland

    Join us for a magical evening of festive cheer at the historic St Peter’s Chapel, as Revd Dr Chris Knights, Chaplain to the Bishop of Durham, leads a heartwarming carol service filled with seasonal favourites.

    Venue

    The Auckland Project, Bishop Auckland

    Dates

    From:
    21 Dec 2025Open 15:00 - 15:50
    More info for Christmas Carol Service - The Auckland Palace
  9. A teddy bear dressed as a wizard

    Add Build A Wizard Bear Workshop to your Itinerary

    Build A Wizard Bear Workshop

    Type

    Type:

    Workshop

    Lanchester

    Join us for our very first Build A Wizard Bear Workshop and create your very own keepsake magical bear.

    Dates

    From:
    27 Oct 2025Open 14:30 - 16:30
    More info for Build A Wizard Bear Workshop
  10. Ruins at Binchester Roman Fort

    Add Life of a Roman Soldier - Binchester Roman Fort to your Itinerary

    Life of a Roman Soldier - Binchester Roman Fort

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Bishop Auckland

    Join Julius as he takes you on a tour of the Roman fort and explains what life was like for the 2,000 soldiers who lived here. After the tour you can talk to a soldier who will show you his marching pack and tell you everything a beginner soldier…

    Dates

    From:
    29 Oct 2025Open 10:30 -
    More info for Life of a Roman Soldier - Binchester Roman Fort
  11. Robin Hood - The Pantomime. Background shows stage curtain.

    Add Robin Hood Pantomime - Lumley Castle Hotel to your Itinerary

    Robin Hood Pantomime - Lumley Castle Hotel

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Chester le Street

    The Sheriff of Nottingham and Bad Prince John are up to their usual nasty tricks, and only Robin Hood and the Merry  Men and Women of Sherwood Forest can put a stop to their  wicked behaviour.  

    Dates

    From:
    20 Dec 2025to23 Dec 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Robin Hood Pantomime - Lumley Castle Hotel
  12. An illustration of a mixture of different board games

    Add Games at the Hearth - The Auckland Project to your Itinerary

    Games at the Hearth - The Auckland Project

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Bishop Auckland

    A relaxed afternoon of board and card games for all ages. Whether you're a seasoned player or just in it for the laughs, there's something for everyone. Second Sunday of every month 1.30pm – 4.30pm

    Venue

    The Auckland Project, Bishop Auckland

    Dates

    From:
    12 Oct 2025to14 Dec 2025
    More info for Games at the Hearth - The Auckland Project
  13. Cliffecon 2026 advertising poster with event date and location

    Add Cliffecon 2026 to your Itinerary

    Cliffecon 2026

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Newton Aycliffe

    Cliffecon 2026 is a comic con and pop culture event in County Durham.

    Dates

    From:
    9 May 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Cliffecon 2026
  14. Snowman cuddly toy.

    Add Do You Want to Build a Snowman? Lanchester Garden Centre to your Itinerary

    Do You Want to Build a Snowman? Lanchester Garden Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Lanchester

    Join us for our very first Build A Snowman Christmas Workshop and create your very own keepsake magical snowman.

    Dates

    From:
    15 Nov 2025Open 14:00 - 16:00
    More info for Do You Want to Build a Snowman? Lanchester Garden Centre
  15. Spooky image of one of the Raby Castle towers

    Add Haunted Raby: Tour by Torchlight at Raby Castle Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Haunted Raby: Tour by Torchlight at Raby Castle Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Staindrop

    Join us at dusk for a special torchlit tour of Raby Castle. Find out from our guides about the unexplained phenomenon and reported hauntings witnessed over centuries at the castle.

    Dates

    From:
    25 Oct 2025to1 Nov 2025Open 17:30 - 19:00
    More info for Haunted Raby: Tour by Torchlight at Raby Castle Park and Gardens
  16. A steam train with the dates 1825 - 2025 as a header

    Add West Side Story Exhibition at Locomotion to your Itinerary

    West Side Story Exhibition at Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Shildon

    Discover the untold story of Stockton & Darlington’s far-reaching rail legacy through rare photos and maps.

    Dates

    From:
    6 Oct 2025to24 Oct 2025
    More info for West Side Story Exhibition at Locomotion
  17. A firework display

    Add Festival of Fireworks at Durham Cricket to your Itinerary

    Festival of Fireworks at Durham Cricket

    Type

    Type:

    Bonfire Night

    Chester le Street

    The Festival of Fireworks is back and set to light up the skies over Banks Homes Riverside on Saturday 1st November 2025 in collaboration with Chester-le-Street CC.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Nov 2025Open 19:30 -
    More info for Festival of Fireworks at Durham Cricket
  18. Silhouettes of bats and pumpkins and text which reads, 'Big Science, Happy Halloween.'

    Add Big "Spooky" Science - Spooky Sherbet, Dancing Mini Brains & Flying Ghosts to your Itinerary

    Big "Spooky" Science - Spooky Sherbet, Dancing Mini Brains & Flying Ghosts

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Lanchester

    Spooky Sherbet, Dancing Mini Brains & Flying Ghosts. Join us for a session of  Big 'Spooky' Science where every child will take part in some hands on creepy science experiments.

    Dates

    From:
    31 Oct 2025Open 10:00 - 11:00
    More info for Big "Spooky" Science - Spooky Sherbet, Dancing Mini Brains & Flying Ghosts
  19. 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
  20. Two women and three children walking around the lake at Hardwick Park

    Add Passport to Nature: Wildfowl Identification to your Itinerary

    Passport to Nature: Wildfowl Identification

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Sedgefield

    As autumn fades and winter takes hold, there's no better time to discover the fascinating world of wildfowl at Hardwick Park.

    Dates

    From:
    31 Oct 2025Open 07:00 - 09:00
    More info for Passport to Nature: Wildfowl Identification
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