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
      • Binchester Roman Fort
      • Beamish Museum
      • Bishop Auckland Town Hall
      • Bowlees Visitor Centre
      • Crook Hall Gardens
      • Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Centre
      • Durham Castle Tours
      • Durham Cathedral
      • Durham Cricket
      • Durham Town Hall
      • Durham University Botanic Garden
      • Durham University Oriental Museum
      • Hamsterley Forest
      • Hardwick Park
      • High Force
      • Killhope
      • Kynren- An epic Tale of England
      • Locomotion
      • Palace Green Library
      • Raby Castle
      • Redhills Durham Miners Hall
      • Seaham Harbour Marina
      • The Auckland Project
      • Spennymoor Town Hall Bob Abley Art Gallery
      • 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
      • Farm Shops & Markets
      • Garden Centres
      • Only in Durham
      • Independent Shops & Boutiques
      • Shopping Centres
    • Sightseeing, Tours & Guides
      • Attraction Tours
      • Tour Guides
      • Scenic Tours
      • Cycling Tours
      • Durham on Screen
      • 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
      • October Half Term Events
      • Free Events
      • Halloween
      • Bonfire Night
      • Festive Fun
    • 2026 Unmissable Events
    • Cinema, Theatre & Music Events
      • Cinema Venues
      • Theatre Venues
    • Sports
    • Dark Skies Events
    • Food & Drink
    • Exhibitions
  • Food & Drink
    • Don't Miss
      • Bishop’s Kitchen at Auckland Palace
      • Botanic Garden Café
      • Cafe Bowes at The Bowes Museum
      • Durham Dales Centre Tea Room
      • El Castillo
      • Gala Lounge
      • High Force Hotel and Waterfall
      • Hotel Indigo Rotunda Bar
      • Jozef’s Riverside Bar & Restaurant
      • Killhope Lead Mining Museum Cafe and Shop
      • Lumley Castle - Knight's Restaurant
      • Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill
      • Geko at Seaham Hall
      • The Dining Room
      • The Dunes Café
      • The Falls Café at Bowlees Visitor Centre
      • The Garden Gate Café at Crook Hall Gardens
      • The Hamsterley Cafe and Ice Cream Kiosk
      • The Neighbourhood @ Hotel Indigo Durham
      • The Oak Room Restaurant
      • The Tower Cafe
      • The Vinery at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens
      • Undercroft Restaurant
      • Ushaw Café
    • Restaurants
    • Tearooms & Coffee Shops
    • Pubs & Bars
    • Get a Taste of Durham
    • Afternoon Tea in Durham
  • Inspire Me
    • Short Break Ideas
      • Classic Christmas
      • 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
    • Go Car Free in Durham
    • Only in Durham
    • Delve Into Our Heritage
    • Durham's Unmissable Highlights
    • Itineraries
  • 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
    • Maps of Durham
    • Getting to Durham
    • Getting Around Durham
      • Car Hire
      • Taxis
      • Electric Car Charging Points
    • Accessible Durham
    • Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in Durham
    • Visitor Guides
    • Durham Apps
    • Discover Durham Digitally

Don't Miss

  • Stars at Hardwick Park

    Dark Skies

  • A family stood at Low Force

    Autumn Breaks

  • Halloween Durham

    Halloween

  • A couple looking at High Force Waterfall

    Next Stop, Durham

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: 70

, currently showing 61 to 70.

  • Previous Prev
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
Sort By: A-Z Lowest A-Z Highest
  1. Three authors on a yellow background surrounded by books.

    Add Bread Alone Anthology - Durham Book Festival to your Itinerary

    Bread Alone Anthology - Durham Book Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    In the acclaimed new anthology, Bread Alone, 33 writers respond to the question ‘What happens when we run out of working-class writers?’. 

    Dates

    From:
    10 Oct 2026Open 17:30 - 18:30
    More info for Bread Alone Anthology - Durham Book Festival
  2. Author with their book on a yellow background.

    Add James Marriott: Forged in the North - Durham Book Festival to your Itinerary

    James Marriott: Forged in the North - Durham Book Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Books are dying. Across the world, the number of people reading is in free fall. The golden chain of knowledge linking reader to reader through the centuries is breaking for the first time since the collapse of the Western Roman Empire ushered in…

    Dates

    From:
    10 Oct 2026Open 13:00 - 14:00
    More info for James Marriott: Forged in the North - Durham Book Festival
  3. Person looking off to the left with a blurred red affect

    Add Eleonora Kouneni - Durham Jazz Festival to your Itinerary

    Eleonora Kouneni - Durham Jazz Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Eleonora Kouneni is a London-based jazz vocalist and songwriter whose emotive style blends original music with fresh interpretations of timeless jazz standards.

    Dates

    From:
    24 Oct 2026Open 19:00 -
    More info for Eleonora Kouneni - Durham Jazz Festival
  4. Author Jill Dawson, accompanied with the cover of her book Pixie, in the shape of a tarot card, on a yellow background surrounded by illustrated books

    Add Jill Dawson: Pixie: Tarot Evening - Durham Book Festival to your Itinerary

    Jill Dawson: Pixie: Tarot Evening - Durham Book Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Writer and Tarot reader Kym Deyn will use her deck to interview Jill Dawson about the life of twentieth-century artist Pamela ‘Pixie’ Colman Smith – the forgotten third designer of the iconic Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck. 

    Dates

    From:
    9 Oct 2026Open 18:30 - 19:30
    More info for Jill Dawson: Pixie: Tarot Evening - Durham Book Festival
  5. Two authors with their books on a blue background.

    Add Clare McGlynn and Natasha Walter in Conversation - Durham Book Festival to your Itinerary

    Clare McGlynn and Natasha Walter in Conversation - Durham Book Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    At a time when women’s rights are being rolled back, Clare McGlynn and Natasha Walter join us to discuss how we can turn the tide on the violent sexual content that is reshaping modern society and build supportive and hopeful communities for women. 

    Dates

    From:
    11 Oct 2026Open 15:00 - 16:00
    More info for Clare McGlynn and Natasha Walter in Conversation - Durham Book Festival
  6. Two people on stage playing the cello and piano.

    Add Maja Bugge and Dave Evans - Durham Jazz Festival to your Itinerary

    Maja Bugge and Dave Evans - Durham Jazz Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Maja Bugge blends jazz, improvisation and contemporary composition in atmospheric and deeply personal performances alongside acclaimed pianist Dave Evans.

    Dates

    From:
    23 Oct 2026Open 19:00 -
    More info for Maja Bugge and Dave Evans - Durham Jazz Festival
  7. Authors Naomi Booth and Kayo Chingonyi, with a blue background surrounded by cartoon books.

    Add Talking Books with Naomi Booth and Kayo Chingonyi - Durham Book Festival to your Itinerary

    Talking Books with Naomi Booth and Kayo Chingonyi - Durham Book Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Join Durham University writers, Professor Naomi Booth and Associate Professor Kayo Chingonyi, for a conversation and Q&A, perfect for aspiring authors who are interested in learning about the publication process. This is the first in a new series of…

    Dates

    From:
    9 Oct 2026Open 17:00 - 18:00
    More info for Talking Books with Naomi Booth and Kayo Chingonyi - Durham Book Festival
  8. Two people sat facing away from each other, wearing suits and holding a brass instrument.

    Add Vasilis Xenopoulos/Paul Edis Quartet – A Place Called Home - Durham Jazz Festival to your Itinerary

    Vasilis Xenopoulos/Paul Edis Quartet – A Place Called Home - Durham Jazz Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Vasilis Xenopoulos and Paul Edis reunite with a world-class quartet performance blending lyrical interplay, virtuoso musicianship and deep roots in the jazz tradition.

    Dates

    From:
    24 Oct 2026Open 16:00 -
    More info for Vasilis Xenopoulos/Paul Edis Quartet – A Place Called Home - Durham Jazz Festival
  9. 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
  10. Three authors on a yellow background with books.

    Add Developing Your Writing with Jerwood Fellows - Durham Book Festival to your Itinerary

    Developing Your Writing with Jerwood Fellows - Durham Book Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    For early career writers, making the jump from debut publication to the next project can be complex and full of uncertainty. In this event, writers Kym Deyn, Katherine Horrex and J.A. Mensah will speak about their experiences as New Writing North’s…

    Dates

    From:
    11 Oct 2026Open 14:30 - 15:30
    More info for Developing Your Writing with Jerwood Fellows - Durham Book Festival
  • Previous Prev
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
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,
  • 2026 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
  • Maps of Durham,
  • Getting to Durham,
  • Getting Around Durham,
  • Accessible Durham,
  • Sustainable and Responsible Tourism in Durham,
  • Visitor Guides,
Submit Event
  • Accessibility Statement
  • 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