Skip To Main Content

  • Accommodation
    • Don't Miss
      • City Breaks
      • Spa Breaks
      • Dog Friendly
      • Stunning Stays
    • Hotels
    • B&B and Guest Houses
    • Inns & Pubs
    • Self Catering & Holiday Cottages
      • Self Catering Agencies
    • Caravan, Camping & Glamping
    • Hostels
    • Accessible Accommodation
  • Things to Do
    • Don't Miss
      • Beamish Museum
      • Bowlees Visitor Centre
      • Crook Hall Gardens
      • Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Centre
      • Durham Castle Tours
      • Durham Cathedral
      • Durham University Botanic Garden
      • Durham University Oriental Museum
      • Hamsterley Forest
      • Hardwick Park
      • High Force
      • Kynren- An epic Tale of England
      • Locomotion
      • Palace Green Library
      • Raby Castle
      • The Auckland Project
      • The Bowes Museum
      • Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels and Gardens
      • Wharton Park
    • Attractions
      • Castles & Historic Houses
      • Cathedral & Churches
      • Hands on History
      • Gardens & Parks
      • Family Fun
      • Museums & Galleries
      • Waterfalls & Reservoirs
    • Activities
      • Adventure Activities
      • Cycling
      • Family Fun Activities
      • Festival & Events Organisers
      • Fishing
      • Golf
      • Horse Riding
      • Spas
      • Walking
    • Entertainment
      • Cinema
      • Theatre
    • Shopping
      • Antiques
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Farm Shops & Markets
      • Garden Centres
      • Only in Durham
      • Independent Shops & Boutiques
      • Shopping Centres
    • Sightseeing, Tours & Guides
      • Attraction Tours
      • Tour Guides
      • Scenic Tours
      • Cycling Tours
      • Walking Tours
      • Durham City Guide - Churches, Chapels and Cafes
    • Weddings
      • Historic Wedding Venues
      • Hotel Wedding Venues
      • Wedding Fairs & Events
      • Stag & Hen Party Ideas
      • Wedding Packages
  • What's On
    • What's on this Week
    • Family Events
      • Summer Holidays
      • Free Events
    • 2025 Unmissable Events
    • Cinema, Theatre & Music Events
      • Cinema Venues
      • Theatre Venues
    • Sports
    • Dark Skies Events
    • Food & Drink
    • Exhibitions
  • Food & Drink
    • Don't Miss
      • Cafe Bowes at The Bowes Museum
      • Collage Restaurant and Grill
      • Eating Out at Ushaw
      • Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill
      • Ozone at Seaham Hall
      • The Dining Room
      • Undercroft Restaurant
    • Restaurants
    • Tearooms & Coffee Shops
    • Pubs & Bars
    • Get a Taste of Durham
    • Afternoon Tea in Durham
  • Inspire Me
    • Don't Miss
      • Auckland Palace
      • Beamish Museum
      • Dalton Park
      • Durham Cathedral
      • Hamsterley Forest
      • High Force
      • Killhope
      • Kynren – an epic tale of England
      • North Pennines National Landscape
    • Short Break Ideas
      • Dark Skies
      • Dog Friendly Durham
      • Romantic Getaways
      • Spa Breaks
      • Golf Breaks
      • Weddings
      • City Break
    • Seasonal
      • Spring Breaks
      • Summer Breaks
      • Autumn Breaks
      • Winter Breaks
    • Budget-Friendly Days Out in Durham
    • Explore From Your Door
    • Discover Durham's Great Outdoors
    • Discover Wellness in Durham
    • Only in Durham
    • Delve Into Our Heritage
    • Durham's Unmissable Highlights
    • Itineraries
    • Durham Videos
  • Explore Durham
    • Durham City
    • Durham Dales
    • Vale of Durham
    • Durham Coast
    • Durham Towns
      • Barnard Castle
      • Bishop Auckland
      • Chester-le-Street
      • Seaham
      • Stanhope
    • North Pennines National Landscape
    • North East England
  • Visitor Information
    • Information Points
    • Maps of Durham
    • Getting to Durham
    • Getting Around Durham
      • Car Hire
      • Taxis
      • Electric Car Charging Points
    • Accessible Durham
    • Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in Durham
    • Publications
    • Durham Apps
    • Discover Durham Digitally

Don't Miss

  • A family getting on a tram at Beamish

    Family Fun

  • A couple walking in the Durham Dales

    Walking in Durham

  • Seaham summer beach holiday fun

    Summer Breaks

  • Fireworks at Kynren

    Summer Holidays

A German Flag
This is Durham logo
Menu
  • Durham the Culture County logo
  • Print Logo
Close Navigation

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.

Loading..

Number of results:

Number of results: 88

, currently showing 1 to 20.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Next Next
Sort By: A-Z Lowest A-Z Highest
  1. People partying at Greek Fest

    Add The Big Fat Greek Fest! to your Itinerary

    The Big Fat Greek Fest!

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Sedgefield

    BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Get ready for an unforgettable experience at The Big Fat Greek Fest!

    Dates

    From:
    20 Sept 2025Open 12:00 - 18:00
    More info for The Big Fat Greek Fest!
  2. Bishop Auckland Pride advertising poster

    Add Bishop Auckland Pride to your Itinerary

    Bishop Auckland Pride

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Bishop Auckland

    Bishop Auckland Pride returns on Saturday 14th June 2025, and it’s set to be our biggest and brightest yet! 

    Dates

    From:
    14 June 2025Open 11:00 - 21:00
    More info for Bishop Auckland Pride
  3. '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
  4. 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:
    24 Oct 2025to2 Nov 2025
    More info for North Pennines Stargazing Festival 2025
  5. WOW Women of the World Festival Three women wearing colourful cloaks with WOW logo on the back

    Add S&DR200 Presents WOW North East (Women of the World) International Festival to your Itinerary

    S&DR200 Presents WOW North East (Women of the World) International Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Performance

    Durham City

    The first ever WOW Festival in the north-east of England will be packed with unmissable talks and performances, celebrating achievements and stories from women, girls, and non-binary people from the region and beyond.

    Dates

    From:
    17 Oct 2025to18 Oct 2025
    More info for S&DR200 Presents WOW North East (Women of the World) International Festival
  6. Spanish Poet, Playwright and Artist Federico Garcia Lorca

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: LORCA & Margot to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: LORCA & Margot

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Owengate, Durham City

    Lorca and Margot collide in a double bill. Forget about Brexit and join your European cousins for a night of clown, mime and absurdity.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025to25 July 2025Open 20:00 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: LORCA & Margot
  7. Wurlitzer theatre organ

    Add Durham Brass Festival: NETOA Wurlitzer & Stanhope Silver Band present Brass & Pipes to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: NETOA Wurlitzer & Stanhope Silver Band present Brass & Pipes

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    High Street, Howden-Le-Wear

    Durham Brass Festival proudly partners with the North East Theatre Organ Association and Stanhope Silver Band to present a one-off, commissioned show entitled Brass and Pipes.

    Dates

    From:
    19 July 2025Open 19:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: NETOA Wurlitzer & Stanhope Silver Band present Brass & Pipes
  8. 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”
  9. Period dress displayed at The Bowes Museum

    Add S&DR200 - Dressed for Departure: Fashion in the Age of Rail to your Itinerary

    S&DR200 - Dressed for Departure: Fashion in the Age of Rail

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    An exhibition showcasing historic fashion, toys and artworks that reflect on how the railway reshaped lives and culture.

    Dates

    From:
    25 Sept 2025to26 Jan 2026
    More info for S&DR200 - Dressed for Departure: Fashion in the Age of Rail
  10. Durham Cathedral Liquid Geometry Javier Riera. Lumiere 2023 produced by Artichoke. Photo by Matthew Andrews

    Add Lumiere Durham to your Itinerary

    Lumiere Durham

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    The UK’s light art biennial. The hugely popular event will take place over three evenings this autumn, from Thursday to Saturday, 13th -15th November.

    Dates

    From:
    13 Nov 2025to15 Nov 2025
    More info for Lumiere Durham
  11. Bill Ryder Jones with some Alpacas

    Add Durham Brass Festival: Bill Ryder-Jones & NASUWT Riverside Band presents "Iechyd Da" to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: Bill Ryder-Jones & NASUWT Riverside Band presents "Iechyd Da"

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    Following Bill’s recent collaborations with the BBC Concert Orchestra, this show will bring a bold new reimagining of Iechyd Da to this year’s Durham Brass Festival.

    Dates

    From:
    15 July 2025Open 19:30 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: Bill Ryder-Jones & NASUWT Riverside Band presents "Iechyd Da"
  12. S&DR 200 logo

    S&DR200 Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    The 27 September 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR), which gave birth to the modern railway. To celebrate this landmark anniversary, the nine-month S&DR200 Festival will take place across…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2025to30 Nov 2025
    More info for S&DR200 Festival
  13. Karen Hall playing cello

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Delusions and Grandeur to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Delusions and Grandeur

    Type

    Type:

    Music Event

    Durham City

    Featuring Suite Number One in G Major by JS Bach and personal comedic pieces crafted in Idiot classes.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025to27 July 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Delusions and Grandeur
  14. 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 – Brazen Brass Band to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises – Brazen 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:
    19 July 2025Open 16:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises – Brazen Brass Band
  15. Locomotive outside of Locomotion's Collection Building

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

    S&DR200 - Summer Festival at Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Shildon

    Head down to Locomotion for a summer of fun.

    Dates

    From:
    19 July 2025to31 Aug 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - Summer Festival at Locomotion
  16. Durham Brass 2025 Festival logo

    Durham Brass Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    BRASS is back in 2025 with a fantastic programme of brass-inspired events coming to Durham from 13 - 20 July, with a headline performance by Bill Ryder-Jones.

    Dates

    From:
    13 July 2025to20 July 2025
    More info for Durham Brass Festival 2025
  17. Collage of images showing actors dressed as prison officers and prisoners

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Alone I-N-S-I-D-E to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Alone I-N-S-I-D-E

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Durham City

    On her first day prison officer Casey will be placed into The Isolation wing with the hardened officer Stafford to show her the ropes. Whilst there, Casey will encounter The Mad, The Bad and The Sad of the prison world.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025to24 July 2025Open 20:30 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Alone I-N-S-I-D-E
  18. Grassy area at Dalton Moor Farm, School of Sustainable Living and Wellbeing.  Illustration of an owl in the foreground.

    Add Summer Solstice Vegan Retreat & Eco-Festival Celebration Weekend- Dalton Moor Farm to your Itinerary

    Summer Solstice Vegan Retreat & Eco-Festival Celebration Weekend- Dalton Moor Farm

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Seaham

    Join us for a very special weekend celebration, with a Wellbeing Retreat on Saturday, Live Music in the evening, and Family Festival Fun on Sunday. Following on from our first vegan mini-eco-festival in April 2024 we will be celebrating the Summer…

    Dates

    From:
    20 June 2025to22 June 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Summer Solstice Vegan Retreat & Eco-Festival Celebration Weekend- Dalton Moor Farm
  19. 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
  20. 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
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Next Next
Loading..Loading..
  • Enewsletter Sign Up

  • Contact Us

  • Print Page
  • Email Page
Home Accommodation
  • Hotels,
  • B&B and Guest Houses,
  • Inns & Pubs,
  • Self Catering & Holiday Cottages,
  • Caravan, Camping & Glamping,
  • Dog Friendly,
  • Hostels,
Things to Do
  • Attractions,
  • Activities,
  • Shopping,
  • Sightseeing, Tours & Guides,
What's On
  • Family Events,
  • 2025 Unmissable Events,
  • What's on this Week,
  • Cinema, Theatre & Music Events,
  • Dark Skies Events,
Food & Drink
  • Restaurants,
  • Tearooms & Coffee Shops,
  • Pubs & Bars,
  • Get a Taste of Durham,
  • Tasty Places to Stay,
  • Foodie Events,
Inspire Me
  • Short Break Ideas,
  • Discover Durham's Great Outdoors,
  • Delve Into Our Heritage,
  • Durham's Unmissable Highlights,
  • Itineraries,
Explore Durham
  • Durham City,
  • Durham Dales,
  • Vale of Durham,
  • Durham Coast,
  • Durham Towns,
  • North East England,
Visitor Information
  • Information Points,
  • Maps of Durham,
  • Getting to Durham,
  • Getting Around Durham,
  • Accessible Durham,
  • Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in Durham,
  • Publications,
Submit Event
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Submit Event
  • Terms & Conditions

© Copyright Visit County Durham. All Rights Reserved

Registered Office: Visit County Durham, East Wing, 1st Floor, Corten House, Aykley Heads, Durham, DH1 5TS

  • North East England logo

Ratings & Reviews

Powered By

tripadvisor

  • Durham County Council