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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. Bingo Night £25 Entry. Poster show bingo balls and cards.

    Add Bingo Night May - High Farm Holiday Park to your Itinerary

    Bingo Night May - High Farm Holiday Park

    Type

    Type:

    Participatory Event

    Toft Hill, Bishop Auckland

    Gather your squad for a night of bingo, laughs, and tasty treats!

    Dates

    From:
    8 May 2026Open 18:00 - 22:00
    More info for Bingo Night May - High Farm Holiday Park
  2. An ornate 19th-century lace parasol with an intricately patterned cream lace canopy. The handle is made of ivory or bone with a decorative metal finia

    Add Lace and Legacy: Fashion Treasures from The Blackborne Collection to your Itinerary

    Lace and Legacy: Fashion Treasures from The Blackborne Collection

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    Lace and Legacy: Fashion Treasures from The Blackborne Collection marks 20 years since the landmark exhibition Fine & Fashionable: Lace from the Blackborne Collection and commemorates the gift of the Blackborne lace collection to The Bowes Museum.

    Dates

    From:
    14 Nov 2026to11 Apr 2027Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Lace and Legacy: Fashion Treasures from The Blackborne Collection
  3. 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
  4. Lumley Castle, the author Glenda Young and the front cover of a book

    Add Glenda Young Author Talk with Cream Tea at Lumley Castle to your Itinerary

    Glenda Young Author Talk with Cream Tea at Lumley Castle

    Type

    Type:

    Talks

    Chester-le-Street

    Enjoy a special afternoon with cream tea at Lumley Castle with a book talk by bestselling author Glenda Young.

    Dates

    From:
    28 June 2026Open 14:00 - 16:00
    More info for Glenda Young Author Talk with Cream Tea at Lumley Castle
  5. Margaret Hedley, 'Peter Lee - The Man They Named a Town After' - Peterlee Library.

    Add Margaret Hedley, 'Peter Lee - The Man They Named a Town After' - Peterlee Library to your Itinerary

    Margaret Hedley, 'Peter Lee - The Man They Named a Town After' - Peterlee Library

    Type

    Type:

    Talks

    Peterlee

    May is Local & Community History Month. Margaret Hedley. 'Peter Lee - The Man They Named a Town After' at Peterlee Library on Tuesday 5th May, 11.00am. 

    Dates

    From:
    5 May 2026Open 11:00 -
    More info for Margaret Hedley, 'Peter Lee - The Man They Named a Town After' - Peterlee Library
  6. Illustration of three of the Tyrones gathering in the family home on the coast of New England.

    Add Long Day’s Journey into Night (10+) - The Witham to your Itinerary

    Long Day’s Journey into Night (10+) - The Witham

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Barnard Castle

    Elysium Theatre Company presents LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT by Eugene O’Neill.

    Dates

    From:
    26 May 2026Open 19:00 -
    More info for Long Day’s Journey into Night (10+) - The Witham
  7. Two women playing cricket

    Add Durham Cricket - England Women V New Zealand Women ODI to your Itinerary

    Durham Cricket - England Women V New Zealand Women ODI

    Type

    Type:

    Sporting Event

    Chester le Street

    England Women take on New Zealand Women in a thrilling one day international on Sunday 10 May 2026.

    Dates

    From:
    10 May 2026
    More info for Durham Cricket - England Women V New Zealand Women ODI
  8. Summer Craft Fayre. Colourful Illustration of patterned plates, jugs, and vases on a stall.

    Add Summer Craft Fayre - Chester le Street Methodist Church to your Itinerary

    Summer Craft Fayre - Chester le Street Methodist Church

    Type

    Type:

    Arts & Crafts

    Chester le Street

    Summer Craft Fayre on Saturday 20th June, 9.30am–1.30pm.

    Dates

    From:
    20 June 2026Open 09:30 - 13:30
    More info for Summer Craft Fayre - Chester le Street Methodist Church
  9. A bee on a purple flower in a wild flower meadow.

    North Pennines NatureFest

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    North Pennines NatureFest is packed with events that celebrate nature, heritage and the landscape in the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark.

    Dates

    From:
    23 May 2026to7 June 2026
    More info for North Pennines NatureFest
  10. L-R John Lyons, Richard Turner and Alan Patrickson.

    Durham Jazz Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Old Cinema Launderette in Gilesgate,

    The 2026 Durham Jazz Festival will run from Friday 23rd October through to Sunday 25th October.

    Dates

    From:
    23 Oct 2026to25 Oct 2026
    More info for Durham Jazz Festival
  11. Scouting for Girls concert poster with image of Durham Cathedral.

    Add Scouting For Girls Live in Durham Cathedral to your Itinerary

    Scouting For Girls Live in Durham Cathedral

    Type

    Type:

    Concert

    Durham City

    Scouting For Girls will be performing their greatest hits live in Durham Cathedral.

    Dates

    From:
    29 Oct 2026Open 19:45 - 22:00
    More info for Scouting For Girls Live in Durham Cathedral
  12. Old drawing of Durham Cathedral

    Add A Treasure and a Legacy: Conservation at Durham Cathedral to your Itinerary

    A Treasure and a Legacy: Conservation at Durham Cathedral

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Durham City

    As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Durham Cathedral being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, delve deeper into the architecture and how people have cared for the building over the centuries.

    Dates

    From:
    12 Mar 2026to28 June 2026Open 10:00 - 15:00
    More info for A Treasure and a Legacy: Conservation at Durham Cathedral
  13. Runners partaking in Park Run by the river, with Durham Cathedral in the background.

    Add Durham parkrun to your Itinerary

    Durham parkrun

    Type

    Type:

    Wellness Event

    Stockton Rd , Durham

    A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you! Nearby Sunday 2k junior parkrun events for 4 to 14 year olds and their families can be found here.

    Dates

    From:
    3 Jan 2026to26 Dec 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Durham parkrun
  14. A Witch and a cat riding a broom.  Room on the Broom © 2001 Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler. Licensed by Magic Light Pictures Ltd.

    Add Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest to your Itinerary

    Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Redford, Hamsterley Forest

    This interactive family trail is packed with Room on the Broom themed activities, fascinating forest facts and plenty of hands-on fun. 

    Dates

    From:
    28 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Room on the Broom Trail at Hamsterley Forest
  15. Solo Pianist Sherri Lun posing with head in her hands.

    Add Bishop Auckland Music Society 2026 Concert Series Continues in May with Solo Pianist Sherri Lun to your Itinerary

    Bishop Auckland Music Society 2026 Concert Series Continues in May with Solo Pianist Sherri Lun

    Type

    Type:

    Concert

    Bishop Auckland

    Born in 2003, in Hong Kong and currently based in London, Sherri Lun has swiftly established herself as a rising soloist on the international stage. She has performed extensively across Europe, Asia, and the United States.

    Dates

    From:
    22 May 2026Open 19:00 - 21:30
    More info for Bishop Auckland Music Society 2026 Concert Series Continues in May with Solo Pianist Sherri Lun
  16. outer space galaxy

    North Pennines Stargazing Festival 2026

    Type

    Type:

    Stargazing Events

    The North Pennines Stargazing Festival is returning for 2026 – running between Friday 16 October and Sunday 1 November.

    Dates

    From:
    16 Oct 2026to1 Nov 2026
    More info for North Pennines Stargazing Festival 2026
  17. Hector Gannet performing.

    Add HECTOR GANNET "Talking In The Mother Tongue" with Durham Miners' Association Brass Band to your Itinerary

    HECTOR GANNET "Talking In The Mother Tongue" with Durham Miners' Association Brass Band

    Type

    Type:

    Music Event

    Flass Street, Durham City

    Hector Gannet returns to Durham Brass Festival, ahead of their forthcoming third album, The Great Shakedown, due later in this year.

    Dates

    From:
    17 July 2026Open 19:30 -
    More info for HECTOR GANNET "Talking In The Mother Tongue" with Durham Miners' Association Brass Band
  18. Colourful surreal illustration of a man's head amongst a blue cloudy sky with animals, hills, a plane and a little girl sliding from a cloud around hi

    Add Hayao Miyazaki's Dreams by Mystery Ensemble - Durham Cathedral to your Itinerary

    Hayao Miyazaki's Dreams by Mystery Ensemble - Durham Cathedral

    Type

    Type:

    Concert

    Durham

    A unique concert will take place on the 1st of May at the magnificent Durham Cathedral.

    Dates

    From:
    1 May 2026Open 19:30 - 20:30
    More info for Hayao Miyazaki's Dreams by Mystery Ensemble - Durham Cathedral
  19. Cyclists riding on country roads through Consett.

    Add Consett Cycling Festival to your Itinerary

    Consett Cycling Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Cycling event

    Consett

    The Consett Cycle Festival 2026 returns on Sunday 7th June in Middle Street / Front Street and Albert Road car park, Consett.

    Dates

    From:
    7 June 2026Open 09:00 - 17:00
    More info for Consett Cycling Festival
  20. A group of parkrun volunteers in pink jackets outside Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens.

    Add Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens - parkrun to your Itinerary

    Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens - parkrun

    Type

    Type:

    Wellness Event

    Durham

    A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you! Nearby Sunday 2k junior parkrun events for 4 to 14 year olds and their families can be found here.

    Dates

    From:
    3 Jan 2026to26 Dec 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens - parkrun
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