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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. Two women dressed as characters from Wicked, two children dressed in Halloween costume with the wording Spellbinding Half Term Fun.

    Add Halloween Half Term Events - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors to your Itinerary

    Halloween Half Term Events - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Murton

    Get ready for a frightfully fun Half Term at Dalton Park! There’s spooky happenings throughout half term and all of our Halloween events are completely free.

    Dates

    From:
    27 Oct 2025to28 Oct 2025
    From:
    31 Oct 2025
    More info for Halloween Half Term Events - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors
  2. Cartoon images of children dressed in Halloween costume with the wording Halloween Kid's Disco

    Add Halloween Kids’ Disco to your Itinerary

    Halloween Kids’ Disco

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Beamish

    Calling all little monsters! Join us this Halloween for a spook-tacular afternoon of dancing, games and lots of prizes! – perfect for children under 12 years old. 

    Dates

    From:
    31 Oct 2025Open 15:00 - 17:00
    More info for Halloween Kids’ Disco
  3. 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
  4. Alpacas at Kinley Hill Pumpkin Patch.

    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:
    4 Oct 2025to26 Oct 2025Various Opening Times
    From:
    27 Oct 2025to31 Oct 2025Open 09:00 - 17:00
    More info for Kinley Hill Pumpkin Patch
  5. Santa Claus wearing glasses and holding popcorn

    Add Magic at the Movies to your Itinerary

    Magic at the Movies

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Durham City

    Get ready to sprinkle some festive magic this December. Prepare for an enchanting evening featuring a fabulous festive movie that will warm your heart.

    Dates

    From:
    7 Dec 2025Open 16:30 -
    From:
    21 Dec 2025Open 16:30 -
    More info for Magic at the Movies
  6. Wicked Tea Party. Wicked Witch of the West reaching out to Glinda the Good.

    Add Wicked Tea Party - Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa to your Itinerary

    Wicked Tea Party - Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Durham

    Step into a world of magic and mischief this Halloween. ​​​​​​Join us for a spooktacular afternoon tea, enchanting entertainment, and memorable moments for the whole family.

    Dates

    From:
    31 Oct 2025Open 14:00 - 17:00
    More info for Wicked Tea Party - Ramside Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa
  7. Two elves laughing and playing with a snowball.

    Add Little Elves Christmas Hunt - Lumley Castle Hotel to your Itinerary

    Little Elves Christmas Hunt - Lumley Castle Hotel

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Chester le Street

    Arrive at the castle and be greeted by our very own team of elves, then receive a castle map and clues. Head around the grounds solving riddles, collecting clues and finding all of Santa’s favourite festive friends. Make your way to the finishing…

    Dates

    From:
    21 Dec 2025to22 Dec 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Little Elves Christmas Hunt - Lumley Castle Hotel
  8. A spooky staircase in Raby Castle

    Add Hauntings and Happenings Family Evening Tour at Raby Castle Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Hauntings and Happenings Family Evening Tour at Raby Castle Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Staindrop

    Join us for a special spooky family tour of Raby Castle …with a difference! Bring your own torch and our knowledgeable guides will escort you through some of our favourite rooms in the castle at twilight.

    Dates

    From:
    25 Oct 2025to1 Nov 2025Open 16:00 - 17:00
    More info for Hauntings and Happenings Family Evening Tour at Raby Castle Park and Gardens
  9. Two children dressed in Halloween costumes at Hall Hill Farm

    Add Spooky Half Term at Hall Hill Farm to your Itinerary

    Spooky Half Term at Hall Hill Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Lanchester

    Are you brave enough to come to Hall Hill Farm for a ghoulishly-good time?

    Dates

    From:
    25 Oct 2025to2 Nov 2025
    More info for Spooky Half Term at Hall Hill Farm
  10. Silhouette of a person photographing The Milky Way from the hillside

    Add Family Astronomy - Grassholme Observatory to your Itinerary

    Family Astronomy - Grassholme Observatory

    Type

    Type:

    Stargazing Events

    nr Mickleton

    Due to popular demand, we have laid on this exclusive event to educate the little ones on all things spacey!

    Dates

    From:
    1 Nov 2025Open 18:00 - 19:30
    From:
    15 Nov 2025Open 18:00 - 19:30
    From:
    29 Nov 2025Open 18:00 - 19:30
    From:
    13 Dec 2025Open 18:00 - 19:30
    From:
    10 Jan 2026Open 18:00 - 19:30
    From:
    24 Jan 2026Open 18:00 - 19:30
    From:
    7 Feb 2026Open 18:00 - 19:30
    From:
    21 Feb 2026Open 10:00 - 11:30
    More info for Family Astronomy - Grassholme Observatory
  11. The Story at Mount Oswald

    Add S&DR200 - All Change to your Itinerary

    S&DR200 - All Change

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    South Road, Durham City

    Through authentic voices from letters, diaries, court papers, and other day-to-day records from their collections, The Story will uncover the impact of the Stockton & Darlington Railway on the socio-economic fabric of the region.  

    Dates

    From:
    25 May 2025to26 Jan 2026
    More info for S&DR200 - All Change
  12. 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
  13. Image of The Snowman © Snowman Enterprises

    Add The Snowman – Film with Live Orchestra to your Itinerary

    The Snowman – Film with Live Orchestra

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    The College, Durham City

    Make this Christmas truly unforgettable with a special screening of the beloved festive classic The Snowman, brought to life by a live performance from a professional orchestra.

    Dates

    From:
    6 Dec 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for The Snowman – Film with Live Orchestra
  14. The decorated Throne Room at Auckland Palace

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

    Christmas at Auckland 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 Auckland Palace - The Auckland Project
  15. Spooky image of one of the Raby Castle towers

    Add Ghost Stories with Dr Emma Liggins and Adam Z. Robinson at Raby Castle Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Ghost Stories with Dr Emma Liggins and Adam Z. Robinson at Raby Castle Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Halloween

    Staindrop

    This spine-chilling Halloween event brings together ghost story expert Dr Emma Liggins with theatrical performer and writer Adam Z. Robinson. It promises spooky stories, haunted histories and the terror of the unknown.

    Dates

    From:
    29 Oct 2025Open 18:00 -
    More info for Ghost Stories with Dr Emma Liggins and Adam Z. Robinson at Raby Castle Park and Gardens
  16. Two people looking at autumn leaves. Forestry England

    Add October Half-Term Activities at Hamsterley Forest to your Itinerary

    October Half-Term Activities at Hamsterley Forest

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Hamsterley, Bishop Auckland

    Looking for unforgettable days out that won’t break the bank this October half-term? Forestry England invites families to explore the magic of the nation’s forests, where a wide range of affordable and free activities are waiting to be discovered.

    Dates

    From:
    24 Oct 2025to2 Nov 2025
    More info for October Half-Term Activities at Hamsterley Forest
  17. Josef's restaurant at the Radisson Blu Durham

    Add Family Santa Sunday Lunch to your Itinerary

    Family Santa Sunday Lunch

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Durham City

    A relaxed family-friendly atmosphere, delicious food and a visit from the main man himself – Santa Claus will be delivering a selection box for the kids!

    Dates

    From:
    7 Dec 2025Open 12:30 - 15:30
    From:
    14 Dec 2025Open 12:30 - 15:30
    From:
    21 Dec 2025Open 12:30 - 15:30
    More info for Family Santa Sunday Lunch
  18. 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
  19. outer space galaxy

    North Pennines Stargazing Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Stargazing Events

    The North Pennines Stargazing Festival is returning for 2025 – running for a week between Friday 24 October and Sunday 2 November.

    Dates

    From:
    22 Oct 2025to2 Nov 2025
    More info for North Pennines Stargazing Festival 2025
  20. Close up of Santa's legs sitting in a chair beside a table with a gold bell

    Add Santa's Enchanted Garden Grotto to your Itinerary

    Santa's Enchanted Garden Grotto

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Lanchester

    Join us, Father Christmas and Mrs. Claus this Christmas in our Enchanted Garden Grotto.

    Dates

    From:
    29 Nov 2025to30 Nov 2025Open 09:00 - 16:30
    From:
    5 Dec 2025Open 16:00 - 20:00
    From:
    6 Dec 2025Open 11:00 - 16:30
    From:
    12 Dec 2025Open 16:00 - 20:00
    From:
    13 Dec 2025to14 Dec 2025Open 11:00 - 16:30
    From:
    20 Dec 2025to23 Dec 2025Open 11:00 - 16:30
    More info for Santa's Enchanted Garden Grotto
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