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You are here > Home > What's On > Festivals

Festivals

Experience the vibrant spirit of Durham with our curated guide to festivals.

From cultural celebrations and music extravaganzas to arts and crafts showcases, Durham's festival scene offers a diverse array of events for every interest. Immerse yourself in the joy of community gatherings, indulge in culinary delights at food festivals, and enjoy the lively atmosphere of local celebrations. Stay updated on the latest festival happenings, and discover the rich tapestry of events that make Durham a festival destination like no other.

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Number of results: 84

, currently showing 1 to 20.

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  1. People attending Durham Brass Festival's Party in the Park at Wharton Park in Durham City

    Add Durham Brass Festival: Party in the Park to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: Party in the Park

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    Get on your dancing shoes as our street bands bring the party to the park from 5pm to 9pm.

    Dates

    From:
    19 July 2025Open 17:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: Party in the Park
  2. 'Two Foolish' - woman in high heeled boots and a corset, and man in a purple suit.

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Love Hurts to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Love Hurts

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Durham City

    Death has had a rebranding – the cape and scythe has had to go and he's here with his purple suit and his customer satisfaction survey to give death a more user-friendly vibe.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025to24 July 2025Open 16:00 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Love Hurts
  3. S&DR Fringe logo

    S&DR200 - Festival Fringe

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    The Fringe Festival will include events created by community organisations, local businesses and heritage partners.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2025to30 Nov 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - Festival Fringe
  4. Amity sitting at a piano

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Amity – Back From The Brink to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Amity – Back From The Brink

    Type

    Type:

    Music Event

    Owengate, Durham City

    An exhilarating show for all lovers of music and poetry.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025Open 17:30 - 18:30
    From:
    27 July 2025Open 17:30 - 18:30
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Amity – Back From The Brink
  5. The Prince Bishop River Cruiser sailing on the River Wear in Durham City with the Cathedral in the background

    Add Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises New York Brass Band to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises New York Brass Band

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    This year, Brass Festival will take over the streets…and the water too! Cruise along the River Wear on the Prince Bishop, with our fantastic street bands onboard.

    Dates

    From:
    20 July 2025Open 13:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises New York Brass Band
  6. Locomotive outside of Locomotion's Collection Building

    Add S&DR200 - Summer Celebration Festival at Locomotion to your Itinerary

    S&DR200 - Summer Celebration Festival at Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Shildon

    Head down to Locomotion for a summer of fun. Locomotion’s Summer Celebration returns to Shildon from 19 July – 31 August and the programme includes steam rides, a pop-up beach, Flying Scotsman and a rolling programme of activities

    Dates

    From:
    19 July 2025to31 Aug 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - Summer Celebration Festival at Locomotion
  7. Two trains parked up in a station

    Add S&DR200 - Young Railway Photographer of the Year exhibition at Locomotion to your Itinerary

    S&DR200 - Young Railway Photographer of the Year exhibition at Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Shildon

    The exhibition will feature the winning entries from a competition to find the UK’s most promising young railway photographers.

    Dates

    From:
    1 June 2025to31 Dec 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - Young Railway Photographer of the Year exhibition at Locomotion
  8. Painting of a young man in a waistcoat and Dickie Bow Tie posing in front of gold magic equipment and a red balloon.

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: The Wonder Years to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: The Wonder Years

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Durham

    Magician, Tim Lichfield, was first bitten by the magic bug at the tender age of 7.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025Open 15:45 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: The Wonder Years
  9. The Tyne Valley Big Band

    Add Durham Brass Festival: BATH Tea Dance featuring Tyne Valley Big Band to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: BATH Tea Dance featuring Tyne Valley Big Band

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Bishop Auckland

    Dance the afternoon away at this traditional social gathering with live music from the fantastic Tyne Valley Big Band, led by musical director Dave Hignett and accompanied by the fabulous vocals of Barbara Hignett. 

    Dates

    From:
    13 July 2025Open 14:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: BATH Tea Dance featuring Tyne Valley Big Band
  10. The Fairey Band

    Add Durham Brass Festival: The Fairey Band performing Pictures at an Exhibition and Traditional Brass Concert to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: The Fairey Band performing Pictures at an Exhibition and Traditional Brass Concert

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    Experience one of the world’s finest brass bands like never before as The Fairey Band presents a breath taking performance of Pictures at an Exhibition.

    Dates

    From:
    20 July 2025Open 13:30 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: The Fairey Band performing Pictures at an Exhibition and Traditional Brass Concert
  11. Sepia image of No. 1 Locomotive Darlington

    S&DR200 - The Whistle Stop

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    This bespoke touring library exhibition will travel round the region and showcases the Stockton and Darlington Railway's history using high-quality reproductions of important artefacts and documents found and brought together from archives across…

    Dates

    From:
    25 Mar 2025to25 Nov 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - The Whistle Stop
  12. Durham Book Festival Logo

    Durham Book Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Durham Book Festival

    Durham

    Durham Book Festival is one of the country’s oldest literary festivals, taking place in and around Durham City, returning this year on 10th to 12th October.

    Dates

    From:
    10 Oct 2025to12 Oct 2025
    More info for Durham Book Festival 2025
  13. Preston Park Museum and Grounds

    Add S&DR200: Tracks of Change to your Itinerary

    S&DR200: Tracks of Change

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Stockton on Tees

    Following a major redevelopment, Preston Park will open its new exhibition space with Tracks of Change, a series of exhibitions exploring the impact and legacy of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. 

    Dates

    From:
    1 June 2025to30 Sept 2025
    More info for S&DR200: Tracks of Change
  14. Headshot of Cobin Millage eating a snack

    Add Durham Fringe Festival - Cobin Millage: A Losing Battle With Grass That Just Won’t Stop Growing to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival - Cobin Millage: A Losing Battle With Grass That Just Won’t Stop Growing

    Type

    Type:

    Comedy

    Durham

    After his debut show was listed as one of the British Comedy Guide's recommended shows, and he was subsequently nominated for Best Newcomer at the Comedian's Choice Awards, he comes back to address his bizarre name, being forgotten in time, and the…

    Dates

    From:
    26 July 2025Open 20:45 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival - Cobin Millage: A Losing Battle With Grass That Just Won’t Stop Growing
  15. Liz Corney

    Add Durham Brass Festival: Brassed On to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: Brassed On

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    This unique programme pairs Northeast artists with talented brass ensembles to create new music and take part in a unique and unforgettable performance.

    Dates

    From:
    19 July 2025Open 19:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: Brassed On
  16. Emma Crossland & Sam Wilkinson drinking from mugs with swirly straws, standing against a swirly background.

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Crossland & Wilkinson: Mean Business to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Crossland & Wilkinson: Mean Business

    Type

    Type:

    Comedy

    Durham

    Emma Crossland & Sam Wilkinson welcome you to Crossland & Wilkinson, the funniest megacorporation on the FTSE100. This induction covers vital topics like company history, your place in our grand plan (sorry, "strategy") and all the usual corporate…

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025Open 19:30 -
    From:
    25 July 2025Open 19:30 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Crossland & Wilkinson: Mean Business
  17. Poster showing an illustrated starry sky reads, 'Finding poetry with Molly Knox and Freya Cook'

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Finding Poetry to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Finding Poetry

    Type

    Type:

    Performance

    Owengate, Durham City

    Molly Knox and Freya Cook present: 'Finding Poetry' is a intriguing hour of spoken word exploring the different ways poetry unexpectedly weaves itself into people’s lives.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025Open 18:45 -
    From:
    25 July 2025Open 18:45 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Finding Poetry
  18. S&DR200 logo

    S&DR200 - Invention Challenge

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    S&DR200 and Little Inventors are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway with the S&DR Invention Challenge, inviting Year 5–8 students from Stockton, Darlington, and Durham to reimagine the 4,000 miles of disused…

    Dates

    From:
    10 Feb 2025to31 July 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - Invention Challenge
  19. Durham Fringe Festival 2025 - a group of singers performing on stage.

    Add Durham Fringe Festival 2025 to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham City

    Between 23rd and 27th July 2025, Durham Fringe Festival will host a spectacular array of performing arts across nine Durham City Centre venues. Audiences will be invited to explore over 110 unique acts across a programme of 270+ performances. Genres…

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025to27 July 2025
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival 2025
  20. Simon Armitage and LYR

    Add Durham Brass Festival: Simon Armitage & LYR with Easington Colliery Brass Band present “Firm As A Rock We Stand” to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: Simon Armitage & LYR with Easington Colliery Brass Band present “Firm As A Rock We Stand”

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    Durham Brass Festival hosts BBC Radio 4 The Verb.  Simon Armitage & LYR performing “Firm As A Rock We Stand” with Easington Colliery Brass Band.  Plus poetry presented by Ian McMillan.

    Dates

    From:
    18 July 2025Open 19:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: Simon Armitage & LYR with Easington Colliery Brass Band present “Firm As A Rock We Stand”
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