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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: 87

, currently showing 1 to 20.

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  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. Crowds of people watching a performance at the Hardwick Festival

    Add Hardwick Festival 2025 to your Itinerary

    Hardwick Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Sedgefield

    Hardwick Festival returns 15th to 17th August. The 2025 line-up will be revealed soon.

    Dates

    From:
    15 Aug 2025to17 Aug 2025
    More info for Hardwick Festival 2025
  3. 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 Das Brass to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises Das Brass

    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 15:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises Das Brass
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Hopetown Darlington © Scott Akoz Photography

    Add S&DR200: Railway Pioneers to your Itinerary

    S&DR200: Railway Pioneers

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Station Road, Darlington

    An exhibition looking at the engineering innovation that inspired Stephenson, the father of the railways, leading to the opening of Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825.

    Dates

    From:
    4 Apr 2025to22 June 2025Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for S&DR200: Railway Pioneers
  7. Sherlock Holmes reading a newspaper through a magnifying glass

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Sherlock Holmes the Last Act to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Sherlock Holmes the Last Act

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Durham

    The year is 1916. Drawn from two years of Sussex retirement for the funeral of his friend, Dr Watson, Holmes returns to Baker Street to resolve ‘the last act’ of his epic career.

    Dates

    From:
    24 July 2025to26 July 2025Open 18:15 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Sherlock Holmes the Last Act
  8. Jeddy Bear and Gary wearing eye masks

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Jeddy Bear & Gary Save The World to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Jeddy Bear & Gary Save The World

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    Expect an action-packed adventure with funny skits, games, world record attempts and the usual pie facing madness.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025to24 July 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Jeddy Bear & Gary Save The World
  9. Stuart Maconie

    Add Durham Brass Festival: Durham Brass hosts BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends! to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: Durham Brass hosts BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends!

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    Writer and broadcaster, Stuart Maconie, will host Loose Ends from Redhills on Wednesday 16th July.

    Dates

    From:
    16 July 2025Open 18:30 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: Durham Brass hosts BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends!
  10. Close up shot of Andy Gilbert's face in black and white.

    Add Durham Fringe Festival - Freud, Erikson & me to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival - Freud, Erikson & me

    Type

    Type:

    Performance

    Owengate, Durham City

    The 'UK’s # 1 Poetry Teacher' explores the theories of Sigmund Freud and Erik Erikson to find out why he writes the kind of poetry that he does. Will you find answers too? A hilarious and moving journey through the stages of life. Strong language…

    Dates

    From:
    26 July 2025to27 July 2025Open 20:00 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival - Freud, Erikson & me
  11. Train and carriage made from colourful wooden blocks with a painted peg doll

    S&DR200 - Memory of a Journey

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Various locations throughout March to August 2025 S&DR200 Presents: Trains have been part of our lives for 200 years. This project is a participation project that encourages visitors to reminisce about a journey that they remember.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2025to31 Aug 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - Memory of a Journey
  12. 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 Diddy Sweg to your Itinerary

    Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises Diddy Sweg

    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 14:00 -
    More info for Durham Brass Festival: BRASS Boat Cruises Diddy Sweg
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. Castle lit up at night and a skull on the lawn in front of it

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Who Killed t’Duke to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Who Killed t’Duke

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Durham City

    Who killed t’Duke is a classic whodunnit set in Medieval England where the Marx Brothers meets Murder Mystery! All that’s left of William Longbotham, Duke of Snetterdale is his ghost, which still roams this Earth today waiting for his killers to be…

    Dates

    From:
    26 July 2025to27 July 2025Open 14:00 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Who Killed t’Duke
  16. runners set off rom the start line of Durham City Run

    Durham City Run Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Sporting Event

    Durham City

    The Durham City 5K and 10K races returns to Durham on Thursday 17th July 2025.

    Dates

    From:
    17 July 2025to19 July 2025
    More info for Durham City Run Festival 2025
  17. 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
  18. Illustration of a cardboard box, with text above that says, 'occupy'.

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Occupy to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Occupy

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Durham

    Where did we come from? Where are we going? When is Mother’s Day 2025? We would very much like to know. And where can we find answers? The Internet. And who could possibly show us the entirety of the Internet within the limits a tight 50-minute…

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025Open 10:00 -
    From:
    26 July 2025to27 July 2025Open 10:00 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Occupy
  19. a woman dancing

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Dance City Boundless Company to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Dance City Boundless Company

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Durham City

    Choreographed by North East Artist Kristin Kelly Abbott, 'Changing Reflections' explores the transformation we all experience through life and getting older.

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025to24 July 2025Open 14:00 - 15:00
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Dance City Boundless Company
  20. Painting of Old Locomotive Engine Wylam Coll from the Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University

    Add S&DR200 - Fuelling the Railway Revolution to your Itinerary

    S&DR200 - Fuelling the Railway Revolution

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Bishop Auckland

    This special exhibition explores the inextricable link between coal mining and the railways.

    Venue

    The Auckland Project, Bishop Auckland

    Dates

    From:
    27 June 2025to21 Dec 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for S&DR200 - Fuelling the Railway Revolution
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