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You are here > Home > What's On > Summer Highlights

Summer Highlights

From festivals and fetes to vintage vehicles and open air theatre, enjoy a packed summer of fun in Durham with events to enthral and excite the whole family.

Embrace the warmth and vibrancy of summer in Durham with our curated guide to seasonal highlights. Discover a plethora of events, from lively festivals and outdoor performances to family-friendly activities and cultural showcases. Immerse yourself in the richness of summer arts, enjoy open-air concerts, and savor culinary delights at seasonal workshops. Whether it's nature excursions or festive celebrations, Durham's summer highlights offer a diverse array of experiences for all. Stay connected with the latest happenings and make the most of your summer in Durham, where every moment becomes a highlight.

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  1. Pianist, Warren Mailley-Smith.

    Add Rachmaninov 2nd Piano Concerto by Candlelight - Durham Cathedral to your Itinerary

    Rachmaninov 2nd Piano Concerto by Candlelight - Durham Cathedral

    Type

    Type:

    Music Event

    Durham

    Step into the tranquil glow of candlelight and enjoy a spellbinding evening of classical music in the stunning surroundings of Durham Cathedral.

    Dates

    From:
    20 June 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Rachmaninov 2nd Piano Concerto by Candlelight - Durham Cathedral
  2. 8th - 14th February - The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. poster shows a ghostly unicorn.

    Add The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams - The City Theatre to your Itinerary

    The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams - The City Theatre

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Back Silver Street, Durham

    Amanda Wingfield lives in her glorious past while struggling to make ends meet. A Gentleman Caller is arranged for her daughter, but will it all go to plan?

    Dates

    From:
    8 Feb 2026Open 14:30 -
    From:
    9 Feb 2026to13 Feb 2026Open 19:30 -
    From:
    14 Feb 2026Open 14:30 -
    More info for The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams - The City Theatre
  3. Headshot of Laura Lexx smiling.

    Add Funny Way To Be Comedy: Laura Lexx - YO-YO to your Itinerary

    Funny Way To Be Comedy: Laura Lexx - YO-YO

    Type

    Type:

    Comedy

    Barnard Castle

    In a 10 year marriage eventually your partner sees it all. Every bad idea. Every silly decision. The real twist is that somewhere along the way, you have to believe them. And maybe, just maybe.. you learn to love yourself too.

    Dates

    From:
    16 Oct 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Funny Way To Be Comedy: Laura Lexx - YO-YO
  4. customers next to nick-nacks and jewellery market stall

    Add Stanley Market to your Itinerary

    Stanley Market

    Type

    Type:

    Markets

    Stanley

    Stroll through the stalls, savour delicious local treats, and soak up the friendly atmosphere. Every Thursday and Saturday 8.00-16:00

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Stanley Market
  5. Dragon Scale Slime, a wooden sword and shield and a handmade dragon eye.

    Add How to Train Your Dragon Craft School - Lanchester Garden Centre to your Itinerary

    How to Train Your Dragon Craft School - Lanchester Garden Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Lanchester

    Join us and Craftily Ever After for our very first How to Train a Dragon Crafting School.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2026Open 15:15 - 16:45
    More info for How to Train Your Dragon Craft School - Lanchester Garden Centre
  6. Dragon cupcakes.

    Add Train Your Dragon Cupcakes Class - Lanchester Garden Centre to your Itinerary

    Train Your Dragon Cupcakes Class - Lanchester Garden Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Lanchester

    Join us and Craftily Ever After for our very first Dragon Training inspired Cupcakes class where we will create 2 Dragon cupcakes along with container decoration to take your creations home.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2026Open 14:00 - 14:45
    More info for Train Your Dragon Cupcakes Class - Lanchester Garden Centre
  7. Poster advertising the event with an image of a book by Liz Million.

    Add Draw Along with Liz Million at Shotton Library to your Itinerary

    Draw Along with Liz Million at Shotton Library

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Shotton Colliery

    Love Art, Love to Draw ? why not come along to Shotton Library on Friday 27th of February 10.30am- 12noon for a interactive drawing session with our favourite illustrator Liz Million.

    Dates

    From:
    27 Feb 2026Open 10:30 - 12:00
    More info for Draw Along with Liz Million at Shotton Library
  8. A close up photograph of a Chinese astronomical clock face.

    Add Family Activities: Tick Tock - Durham University Oriental Museum to your Itinerary

    Family Activities: Tick Tock - Durham University Oriental Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Durham City

    Learn all about our special Chinese clock and make a super star decoration to take home.

    Dates

    From:
    14 Feb 2026Open 13:00 - 15:00
    More info for Family Activities: Tick Tock - Durham University Oriental Museum
  9. A wooden carving of a hornbill bird with a long, curved beak.

    Add Family Activities: Brilliant Birds - Durham University Oriental Museum to your Itinerary

    Family Activities: Brilliant Birds - Durham University Oriental Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Durham City

    Learn about birds from the beautiful forests of South Asia and make your own feathered friend to take home.

    Dates

    From:
    7 Feb 2026Open 13:00 - 15:00
    More info for Family Activities: Brilliant Birds - Durham University Oriental Museum
  10. Black and white image of a cave opening out to sea.

    Add Tarney - St Mark Passion - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Tarney - St Mark Passion - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Concert

    Ushaw Moor , Durham

    Welcome to listen Durham Singers performing new Easter time music. St Mark Passion is a composition for choir, orchestra and soloists by our favourite living composer Oliver Tarney.

    Dates

    From:
    28 Mar 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Tarney - St Mark Passion - Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens
  11. Two staff perched on Victorian steam locomotive ‘Sir Berkeley’.

    Add Festival of Transport 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Festival of Transport 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Beamish

    Join us for a Festival of Transport as part of May Half Term!

    Dates

    From:
    23 May 2026to31 May 2026
    More info for Festival of Transport 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  12. Impressionist seascape painting depicting a rocky shoreline with waves crashing against the coast.

    Add Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havre and The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havre and The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havre and The Bowes Museum is a major partnership between The Bowes Museum and the Musée d'Art Moderne André Malraux (MuMa), Le Havre.

    Dates

    From:
    26 Sept 2026to14 Mar 2027Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havre and The Bowes Museum
  13. A flower arrangement made up of white flowers.

    Add Cestrian Flower Club to your Itinerary

    Cestrian Flower Club

    Type

    Type:

    Demonstration

    Chester-Le-Street

    Flower arranging demonstration by Marion Hinchley titled "Summer Time".

    Dates

    From:
    7 May 2026Open 18:45 - 21:00
    More info for Cestrian Flower Club
  14. Exterior view of St. Brandon's Church.

    Add Echoes of Puebla: Choral Music from Mexico to your Itinerary

    Echoes of Puebla: Choral Music from Mexico

    Type

    Type:

    Concert

    Durham

    For their traditional summer concert, the Durham Singers are taking their audiences on a sunny trip to South America. The festive theme for the concert comes from Mexican rhythms and colours of traditional and contemporary choral music.

    Dates

    From:
    27 June 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Echoes of Puebla: Choral Music from Mexico
  15. 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:
    7 Feb 2026Open 18:00 - 19:30
    From:
    21 Feb 2026Open 10:00 - 11:30
    More info for Family Astronomy - Grassholme Observatory
  16. Gary Delaney

    Add Funny Way To Be Comedy: Gary Delaney - Work In Progress to your Itinerary

    Funny Way To Be Comedy: Gary Delaney - Work In Progress

    Type

    Type:

    Comedy

    Barnard Castle

    Gary tries out material just ahead of his UK tour.

    Dates

    From:
    2 Apr 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Funny Way To Be Comedy: Gary Delaney - Work In Progress
  17. Ignite festival

    Add IGNITE Winter Arts Festival to your Itinerary

    IGNITE Winter Arts Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    IGNITE 2026 is a brand-new winter festival for Bishop Auckland, County Durham  bringing light, creativity and joy to the darkest days of the yeae.  Expect illuminations, a community parade, live performances, hands-on workshops, music, art and…

    Dates

    From:
    20 Feb 2026to22 Feb 2026
    More info for IGNITE Winter Arts Festival
  18. A starry sky over a forest - Sunset to Starlight.

    Add Sunset to Starlight - Hamsterley Forest to your Itinerary

    Sunset to Starlight - Hamsterley Forest

    Type

    Type:

    Wellness Event

    Bishop Auckland

    A sunset to starlit event, in the heart of the forest. Connecting to nature, creating community and connection by firelight.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2026Open 17:00 -
    More info for Sunset to Starlight - Hamsterley Forest
  19. Jelly What Cupcakes - Lanchester Garden Centre

    Add Jelly What Cupcakes - Lanchester Garden Centre to your Itinerary

    Jelly What Cupcakes - Lanchester Garden Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Lanchester

    Join us and Craftily Ever After for our very first Jelly What Cupcakes class where we will create 2 Jelly What cupcakes along with container decoration to take your creations home.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2026Open 10:00 - 10:45
    More info for Jelly What Cupcakes - Lanchester Garden Centre
  20. Gordon Buchanan standing in front of a lake.

    Add Lions and Tigers and Bears with Gordon Buchanan - Gala Durham to your Itinerary

    Lions and Tigers and Bears with Gordon Buchanan - Gala Durham

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Durham

    Due to phenomenal demand, award winning wildlife photographer and filmmaker Gordon Buchanan will hit the road again in 2026, continuing the success of his biggest ever live tour - Lions and Tigers and Bears.

    Dates

    From:
    27 Feb 2026Open 19:30 -
    More info for Lions and Tigers and Bears with Gordon Buchanan - Gala Durham
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