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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: 101

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  1. Professor Emma Jane Goldsmith stood infront of the Vivienne Westwood exhibit at The Bowes Museum, wearing a large tartan tie.

    Add Front Row: Making Westwood - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Front Row: Making Westwood - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Workshop

    Barnard Castle

    Join designer and Northumbria University Fashion Professor Emma Jane Goldsmith for insights into the cut and construction methods of Vivienne Westwood.

    Dates

    From:
    30 Aug 2026Open 14:30 - 15:30
    More info for Front Row: Making Westwood - The Bowes Museum
  2. A person is cooking over a fire outdoors, outside Beamish Museum's 1950s Farm

    Add Atchin-tan and Celebration of Gypsy Roma Traveller History at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Atchin-tan and Celebration of Gypsy Roma Traveller History at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Beamish

    Visit Beamish Museum for this special celebration of Gypsy Roma Traveller history.

    Dates

    From:
    12 Sept 2026to13 Sept 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Atchin-tan and Celebration of Gypsy Roma Traveller History at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  3. Close up of the Grinch looing quizzical at the camera wearing a Santa hat in the snowy night

    Add Grand Cinema: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (PG) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Grand Cinema: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (PG) - 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:
    12 Dec 2026Open 13:45 -
    More info for Grand Cinema: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (PG) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  4. Muppets wearing Victorian Clothing gathered around in the snow in the Muppets Christmas Carol Poster

    Add Grand Cinema: The Muppet Christmas Carol (U) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Grand Cinema: The Muppet Christmas Carol (U) - 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:
    28 Nov 2026Open 14:15 -
    From:
    19 Dec 2026Open 14:15 -
    More info for Grand Cinema: The Muppet Christmas Carol (U) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  5. Doc (left) and Marty McFly (right) looking bewildered into the night holding a scientific remote

    Add Back To The Future: Special Screening - Gala Durham to your Itinerary

    Back To The Future: Special Screening - Gala Durham

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Durham

    Great Scott!

    In the summer of 1985, Robert Zemeckis’s Back To The Future sent audiences hurtling through time in a DeLorean.
    Just over forty years later, Marty, Doc, Biff, and that unmistakable score are coming back to the big screen, fully…

    Dates

    From:
    5 Sept 2026Open 19:00 -
    More info for Back To The Future: Special Screening - Gala Durham
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. Buddy from the film Elf (2003) wearing a green festive outfit, smiling with his hands on his hips, on a white background

    Add Grand Cinema: Elf (PG) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Grand Cinema: Elf (PG) - 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:
    5 Dec 2026Open 14:00 -
    More info for Grand Cinema: Elf (PG) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  9. A beautiful view of the Aurora Borealis in the dark night sky

    Add Aurora Night - Grassholme Observatory to your Itinerary

    Aurora Night - Grassholme Observatory

    Type

    Type:

    Stargazing Events

    Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle

    The event will begin with a personal welcome from our astronomer, Gary Fildes. Gary is a very experienced science communicator and astronomer, and founder of the Kielder Observatory, where he was Director and CEO for over 11 years.

    Dates

    From:
    27 Sept 2026Open 20:00 - 23:00
    More info for Aurora Night - Grassholme Observatory
  10. A group of people sat on garden chairs in the sunset

    Add Open Air Theatre - Illyria - The Pirates of Penzance - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Open Air Theatre - Illyria - The Pirates of Penzance - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Summer Event

    Darlington

    Set against the stunning backdrop of Raby Castle, join Illyria Theatre for a lively open-air performance of the much-loved comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance. This family-friendly event is perfect for children of all ages, offering an afternoon of…

    Dates

    From:
    21 Aug 2026Open 18:30 -
    More info for Open Air Theatre - Illyria - The Pirates of Penzance - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. Creative workshops for children of all ages at The Bowes Museum this summer.

    Add Summer Holidays at The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Summer Holidays at The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Barnard Castle

    School's out! This summer, discover a packed programme of family-friendly activities inspired by the The Bowes Museum's collection, exhibitions and beautiful parkland.

    Dates

    From:
    18 July 2026to30 Aug 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Summer Holidays at The Bowes Museum
  15. Adults and children enjoying the pop-up beach at Locomotion by Richard Salkeld, with colourful buckets and spades, a giant deckchair and seaside photo

    Add Summer Festival - Locomotion to your Itinerary

    Summer Festival - Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    Summer Event

    Shildon

    Join us for an action-packed summer of fun! Enjoy our sandy beach, take a train ride and get stuck into hands-on family activities as we celebrate the exciting world of engineering. Legendary locomotive Flying Scotsman will be visiting from 2…

    Dates

    From:
    18 July 2026to31 Aug 2026
    More info for Summer Festival - Locomotion
  16. 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
  17. A child sitting on the ground toasting marshmallows, supervised by an adult - Forest School activities at St Johns Hall Meadowfield.

    Add Noo Noo Forest School - St Johns Hall Meadowfield to your Itinerary

    Noo Noo Forest School - St Johns Hall Meadowfield

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Meadowfield

    Forest school for primary age.

    Dates

    From:
    19 Sept 2026Open 10:00 - 11:30
    More info for Noo Noo Forest School - St Johns Hall Meadowfield
  18. 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
  19. Photograph of a young child with red hair wearing a mustard yellow shirt and beige shorts, smiling while crawling on a large white cushioned surface.

    Add Bowes Babies - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Bowes Babies - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Barnard Castle

    A sensory museum session for little ones and their grown-ups.

    Venue

    The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

    Dates

    From:
    29 Oct 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    From:
    26 Nov 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    From:
    30 Dec 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    More info for Bowes Babies - The Bowes Museum
  20. Santa stroking a small brown dog on his lap, a person sit in an arm chair on the right

    Add Paws & Claus 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Paws & Claus 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Stanley

    A ‘Paw’fect photo opportunity. Join Father Christmas in the Coffee Pot Café at the Entrance Building for a cosy breakfast experience designed especially for visitors and their four‑legged friends.

    Dates

    From:
    4 Dec 2026Open 09:00 - 10:00
    From:
    18 Dec 2026Open 09:00 - 10:00
    More info for Paws & Claus 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
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