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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: 96

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  1. Grand historic door surrounded by beautiful bushes of flowers in Ushaw House.

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

    Ushaw Flower Festival - Ushaw, Historic Houses, Chapels and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Bearpark, Durham

    Experience the sound of the North East reimagined in flowers. Discover breathtaking floral displays inspired by our region’s rich musical heritage, filling the spectacular buildings of Ushaw with colour, creativity and charm.

    Dates

    From:
    10 Sept 2026to13 Sept 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Ushaw Flower Festival - Ushaw, Historic Houses, Chapels and Gardens
  2. A close up of a model railway

    Add Shildon Model Railway Club Exhibition 2026 - Locomotion to your Itinerary

    Shildon Model Railway Club Exhibition 2026 - Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Shildon

    Discover the charm of miniature railways at this exciting free event. Marvel at more than 20 model railway layouts in a range of gauges—presented by members of Shildon Model Railway Club and their guests.

    Dates

    From:
    3 Oct 2026to4 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Shildon Model Railway Club Exhibition 2026 - Locomotion
  3. Four people wearing red festive clothing, hugging and laughing in the snow with a horse drawn carriage behind.

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

    Grand Cinema: White Christmas (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:
    6 Dec 2026Open 13:45 -
    From:
    20 Dec 2026Open 13:45 -
    More info for Grand Cinema: White Christmas (U) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  4. 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
  5. A wooden easel holding a drawing pad with a charcoal sketch of a sphere against a dark shaded background. Natural light from a window behind.

    Add Make an Impression! The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Make an Impression! The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Barnard Castle

    Inspired by Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havre and The Bowes Museum, look out from the Create Space and make their own artwork based on what they can see.

    Venue

    The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

    Dates

    From:
    26 Oct 2026to30 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    From:
    27 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    From:
    28 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    From:
    29 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    From:
    30 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Make an Impression! The Bowes Museum
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. Poster from the 1951 'A Christmas Carol,' Scrooge wearing a long coat, top hat and yellow scarf, looking glumly on the left of the image

    Add Grand Cinema: A Christmas Carol (1951) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Grand Cinema: A Christmas Carol (1951) - 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:
    22 Nov 2026Open 14:15 -
    More info for Grand Cinema: A Christmas Carol (1951) - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  9. 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
  10. Festival of Fireworks - Graphic image of a silhouette of a fairground against an orange sky full of fireworks.

    Add Festival of Fireworks - Banks Homes Riverside to your Itinerary

    Festival of Fireworks - Banks Homes Riverside

    Type

    Type:

    Bonfire Night

    Chester-le-Street

    Experience the North East's ultimate Festival of Fireworks, featuring one of the region's largest fireworks, laser and pyrotechnic spectaculars, perfectly choreographed to music against the stunning backdrop of the River Wear at Banks Homes…

    Dates

    From:
    7 Nov 2026Open 19:30 -
    More info for Festival of Fireworks - Banks Homes Riverside
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. A large pumpkin patch, with a welcome sign in the shape of a pumpkin to the left.

    Add Kinley Hill Pumpkin Patch to your Itinerary

    Kinley Hill Pumpkin Patch

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Seaham

    Come and explore our family-run, home-grown pumpkin patch, set in the beautiful coastal town of Seaham, County Durham. We’re a local family farm that started our pumpkin patch in 2022, and each year we’re growing, improving, and welcoming more…

    Dates

    From:
    3 Oct 2026to31 Oct 2026Open 09:00 - 17:00
    More info for Kinley Hill Pumpkin Patch
  15. Children playing with a science experiment.

    Add Celebrate Science - Locomotion to your Itinerary

    Celebrate Science - Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Shildon

    Calling all young scientists! Locomotion is the next stop for the annual festival to celebrate science. Get inspired by science this autumn! Durham University is partnering with Locomotion to host an exciting three-day festival. Join us for live…

    Dates

    From:
    27 Oct 2026to29 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Celebrate Science - Locomotion
  16. 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
  17. A telescope silhouetted against a star-filled night sky, with the Milky Way visible in the background.

    Add Dark Sky Astronomy and Stargazing - North Pennines Star Gazing Festival to your Itinerary

    Dark Sky Astronomy and Stargazing - North Pennines Star Gazing Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle

    A welcome from the lead astronomer at Grassholme Observatory, 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. After the welcome…

    Venue

    Grassholme Observatory, Teesdale

    Dates

    From:
    17 Oct 2026Open 20:00 - 23:00
    More info for Dark Sky Astronomy and Stargazing - North Pennines Star Gazing Festival
  18. 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. 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
  20. Four folk musicians on the 'Magic Lantern' stage.

    Add The Grand Cavalcade - Durham Folk Festival to your Itinerary

    The Grand Cavalcade - Durham Folk Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    On Sunday, make way for the Grand Cavalcade! Master entertainers set up in Durham Marketplace with The Grand Exhibition of Contraptions & Curiosities, a charming yet chaotic show of myths, music, magic, mayhem, silliness, songs, sparkles, bangs and…

    Dates

    From:
    20 Sept 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for The Grand Cavalcade - Durham Folk Festival
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