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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. Old photo of Peter Reid and Kevin Phillips looking off to the right and celebrating with their arms up

    Add Sunderland Legends: Peter Reid & Kevin Phillips - Gala Durham to your Itinerary

    Sunderland Legends: Peter Reid & Kevin Phillips - Gala Durham

    Type

    Type:

    Talks

    Durham

    Join us for an audience with Sunderland Legends Peter Reid and Kevin Phillips.

    Dates

    From:
    25 Sept 2026Open 19:30 -
    More info for Sunderland Legends: Peter Reid & Kevin Phillips - Gala Durham
  2. Durham folk festival logo with a purple sanctuary knocker as the letter 'o', with a light yellow background.

    Add Late Sing With The Wilsons - Saturday - Durham Folk Festival to your Itinerary

    Late Sing With The Wilsons - Saturday - Durham Folk Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    With the Wilsons. Last orders midnight; last buses 1am.

    Dates

    From:
    19 Sept 2026Open 21:00 - 23:59
    More info for Late Sing With The Wilsons - Saturday - Durham Folk Festival
  3. Three people in Georgian costume stand in front of Pockerley Old Hall at Beamish Museum.

    Add Georgian Gathering at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Georgian Gathering at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Beamish

    Step back to the hustle and bustle of the early 1800s.

    Dates

    From:
    19 Sept 2026to20 Sept 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Georgian Gathering at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  4. Woman and man smiling next to vegetable stall of market. Woman holding vegetables.

    Add Bishop Auckland Market to your Itinerary

    Bishop Auckland Market

    Type

    Type:

    Markets

    Bishop Auckland

    Stroll through the stalls, savour delicious local treats, and soak up the friendly atmosphere. Every Thursday and Saturday 8:00-17:00

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Bishop Auckland Market
  5. Floral decorations surround an opulent staircase in Raby Castle.

    Add Castle in Bloom - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Castle in Bloom - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Nature

    Staindrop

    A summer of celebrating the beauty of nature through experiences and events.

    Dates

    From:
    2 May 2026to31 Aug 2026Open 11:00 - 16:00
    More info for Castle in Bloom - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens
  6. Two people looking up to a starry sky with a telescope

    Add Family Astronomy - Grassholme Observatory to your Itinerary

    Family Astronomy - Grassholme Observatory

    Type

    Type:

    Stargazing Events

    Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle

    Due to popular demand, we have laid on this exclusive event to educate the little ones on all things spacey! What better way to get the kids into astronomy and science than a visit to the UK’s newest public observatory. Your little ones will enjoy…

    Dates

    From:
    12 Sept 2026Open 18:00 - 19:30
    More info for Family Astronomy - Grassholme Observatory
  7. Black and white photograph of a man with tousled hair and a beard, looking directly at the camera.

    Add Fyfe Dangerfield In Concert at The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Fyfe Dangerfield In Concert at The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Concert

    Barnard Castle

    Following a stunning performance at The Bowes Museum last year, enjoy another unforgettable evening with Brit-nominated singer-songwriter Fyfe Dangerfield, best known as the frontman of the critically acclaimed band Guillemots.

    Dates

    From:
    9 Oct 2026Open 18:30 - 21:30
    More info for Fyfe Dangerfield In Concert at The Bowes Museum
  8. Durham folk festival logo with a purple sanctuary knocker as the 'o', on a light yellow background.

    Add Don't Mourn: Organise - Durham Folk Festival to your Itinerary

    Don't Mourn: Organise - Durham Folk Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Flass Street, Durham

    A live tribute to one of America's most prolific and influential musical troubadours. Joe Hill was an activist, musician and a seminal figure of the Labor Movement. His remarkable life and death have provided inspiration for songs and stories for…

    Dates

    From:
    18 Sept 2026Open 13:00 - 15:00
    More info for Don't Mourn: Organise - Durham Folk Festival
  9. Two men playing cricket

    Add Durham Cricket - England Men v Sri Lanka Men ODI to your Itinerary

    Durham Cricket - England Men v Sri Lanka Men ODI

    Type

    Type:

    Sporting Event

    Chester le Street

    England Men take on Sri Lanka Men in a thrilling one day international on Tuesday 22 September 2026.

    Dates

    From:
    22 Sept 2026
    More info for Durham Cricket - England Men v Sri Lanka Men ODI
  10. Heritage open days logo of a pink letter 'H' in the shape of a castle.

    Add Mickleton Village Hall and the Community Over the Years - Heritage Open Days to your Itinerary

    Mickleton Village Hall and the Community Over the Years - Heritage Open Days

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage Open Days

    Barnard Castle

    Come and see on the cinema screen how the village hall was built and what actually goes on in the hall. Displays and presentations by user groups and see how people use the site from family get togethers to country weddings. Tea and cake by…

    Dates

    From:
    20 Sept 2026Open 11:00 - 16:00
    More info for Mickleton Village Hall and the Community Over the Years - Heritage Open Days
  11. An ornate marble statue of a hooded figure connected to a church

    Add Heritage Open Days - Church of Our Lady of Mercy and St. Godric to your Itinerary

    Heritage Open Days - Church of Our Lady of Mercy and St. Godric

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage Open Days

    Durham

    Between the train and the bus stations, a landmark in the Durham City Conservation Area, St. Godric's Grade II listed church was designed by Edward Pugin. Opened in 1864 it has beautiful examples of Victorian stained glass and a fine high altar.

    Dates

    From:
    11 Sept 2026to12 Sept 2026Open 11:00 - 17:00
    From:
    18 Sept 2026to19 Sept 2026Open 11:00 - 17:00
    More info for Heritage Open Days - Church of Our Lady of Mercy and St. Godric
  12. A still life painting of a floral arrangement in a blue and white porcelain vase placed on a wooden surface. The composition features various flowers

    Add An Audience with Dr Margaret Bradshaw - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    An Audience with Dr Margaret Bradshaw - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Talks

    Barnard Castle

    Celebrate the remarkable Upper Teesdale landscape and the rare flora found across the valley at this special evening with local botanist and ecologist Dr Margaret Bradshaw MBE.

    Venue

    The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

    Dates

    From:
    16 Oct 2026Open 19:00 -
    More info for An Audience with Dr Margaret Bradshaw - The Bowes Museum
  13. People tending to a small rowing boat on a rocky landscape.

    Add Folkies on Film - Durham Folk Festival to your Itinerary

    Folkies on Film - Durham Folk Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Join Festival co-Director Jonny Mohun for another rummage through the underwear drawer of TV and film, foraging for furtive folkies lurking in the dusty corners. What treasures has he unearthed this year? Which folk legends will be popping up in…

    Dates

    From:
    20 Sept 2026Open 10:30 - 11:30
    More info for Folkies on Film - Durham Folk Festival
  14. 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
  15. Deer Park Safari - Michael Hinchcliffe. Deer in the grounds of Raby Castle.

    Add Deer Park Safari - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Deer Park Safari - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Outdoor Adventure Activities

    Staindrop

    Enjoy a scenic tour of Raby Castle's extensive Deer Park, guided by a knowledgeable ranger who will share fascinating insights about the deer and the park's history.

    Dates

    From:
    23 Sept 2026Open 10:30 - 11:30
    More info for Deer Park Safari - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens
  16. A person wearing a shirt and tie, holding a guitar. The text  underneath reads 'Petunia.'

    Add Petunia - Durham Folk Festival to your Itinerary

    Petunia - Durham Folk Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Joining us from Canada, Petunia is more than just an entertainer; he’s a modern musical enigma. Imagine David Lynch and Nick Cave had a hillbilly baby that yodeled…or Tom Waits met Elvis at Woody Guthrie’s hobo junction. He’s been referred to as…

    Dates

    From:
    19 Sept 2026Open 14:00 - 15:00
    More info for Petunia - Durham Folk Festival
  17. Four men singing on stage, with text underneath The Wilson Family.

    Add Welcome to Durham: an hour with The Wilsons - Durham Folk Festival to your Itinerary

    Welcome to Durham: an hour with The Wilsons - Durham Folk Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Flass Street, Durham

    Our Patrons set the tone for a fantastic weekend with an a capella hour of song at the Pitmen's Parliament.

    Dates

    From:
    18 Sept 2026Open 13:00 - 14:00
    More info for Welcome to Durham: an hour with The Wilsons - Durham Folk Festival
  18. A young boy looking through binoculars out of a window, with a blurred figure of a woman in the foreground.

    Add Gallery Takeover: Map Makers - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Gallery Takeover: Map Makers - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    October Half Term

    Barnard Castle

    Take a closer look at the art around you, then create something inspired by what you find.

    Venue

    The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

    Dates

    From:
    27 Oct 2026Open 14:30 - 15:30
    From:
    28 Oct 2026Open 14:30 - 15:30
    More info for Gallery Takeover: Map Makers - The Bowes Museum
  19. A man playing a classical guitar, seated against a plain, warm-toned background. The man wears a dark suit, focusing on his fingers.

    Add Juan Martín Masterclass - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Juan Martín Masterclass - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Master Class

    Barnard Castle

    Aspiring flamenco players can take advantage of an opportunity to spend time with one of the world's guitar greats.

    Dates

    From:
    25 Oct 2026Open 10:30 - 12:30
    More info for Juan Martín Masterclass - The Bowes Museum
  20. Star trails in a dark sky above the Grassholme Observatory.

    Add Astronomy and Stargazing - Grassholme Observatory to your Itinerary

    Astronomy and Stargazing - Grassholme Observatory

    Type

    Type:

    Stargazing Events

    Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle

    The event at Grassholme Observatory, will begin with a welcome from the lead astronomer, Gary Fildes. Gary is a very experienced science communicator and astronomer, and founder of the Kielder Observatory, where he was Director and CEO for over 11…

    Venue

    Grassholme Observatory, Teesdale

    Dates

    From:
    21 Oct 2026to22 Oct 2026Open 20:00 - 23:00
    From:
    24 Oct 2026Open 20:00 - 23:00
    From:
    29 Oct 2026to30 Oct 2026Open 20:00 - 23:00
    More info for Astronomy and Stargazing - Grassholme Observatory
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