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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. 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
  2. Durham Fringe Festival 2025 - a group of singers performing on stage.

    Add Durham Fringe Festival 2025 to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham City

    Between 23rd and 27th July 2025, Durham Fringe Festival will host a spectacular array of performing arts across nine Durham City Centre venues. Audiences will be invited to explore over 110 unique acts across a programme of 270+ performances. Genres…

    Dates

    From:
    23 July 2025to27 July 2025
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival 2025
  3. The Three Inch Fools performing at Raby Castle

    Add A Midsummer Night’s Dream -Three Inch Fools - Open Air Theatre at Raby Castle to your Itinerary

    A Midsummer Night’s Dream -Three Inch Fools - Open Air Theatre at Raby Castle

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Staindrop

    Join us for a magical evening as we welcome back the brilliant Three Inch Fools to perform Shakespeare’s most iconic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in the atmospheric setting of Raby Castle’s open-air theatre.

    Dates

    From:
    2 Aug 2025Open 19:00 -
    More info for A Midsummer Night’s Dream -Three Inch Fools - Open Air Theatre at Raby Castle
  4. Heart-Shaped Autumn Wax Melts

    Add Luxury Autumn Wax Melts Workshop & Cream Tea - Lanchester Garden Centre to your Itinerary

    Luxury Autumn Wax Melts Workshop & Cream Tea - Lanchester Garden Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Workshop

    Bargate Bank, Lanchester

    Autumn workshop. Make a beautiful set of seaside scented wax melt decorations with Bobella Co!

    Dates

    From:
    7 Sept 2025Open 14:00 - 16:00
    More info for Luxury Autumn Wax Melts Workshop & Cream Tea - Lanchester Garden Centre
  5. Turkey and Tinsel written in gold

    Add Turkey & Tinsel - Party Night to your Itinerary

    Turkey & Tinsel - Party Night

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    West Auckland

    Join us in The Knights Hall for our Retro Christmas Celebration.

    Dates

    From:
    5 Dec 2025Open 19:00 - 23:45
    From:
    12 Dec 2025Open 19:00 - 23:45
    More info for Turkey & Tinsel - Party Night
  6. Characters from the Murder Mystery Dinner at Lumley Castle

    Add Murder Mystery Dinner - Murder in Wonderland at Lumley Castle Hotel to your Itinerary

    Murder Mystery Dinner - Murder in Wonderland at Lumley Castle Hotel

    Type

    Type:

    Murder Mystery

    Chester le Street

    Step into the story… where the ending is deadly.

    Dates

    From:
    8 Aug 2025Open 19:00 -
    More info for Murder Mystery Dinner - Murder in Wonderland at Lumley Castle Hotel
  7. Grand Finale all cast of Kynren view from the tribune

    Add Kynren - An Epic Tale of England - 2025 to your Itinerary

    Kynren - An Epic Tale of England - 2025

    Type

    Type:

    Performance

    Bishop Auckland

    Travel through 2,000 years of history in a single unforgettable evening! Watch as legends come to life – Vikings storm ashore, battles rage, and heroes rise beneath a sky ablaze with magic and fire.
    In 2025, celebrate the 200th anniversary of the…

    Awards

    • Regional and Miscellaneous Weardale Visitor Network Member 2025Weardale Visitor Network Member

    Dates

    From:
    26 July 2025Open 21:15 -
    From:
    2 Aug 2025Open 21:15 -
    From:
    9 Aug 2025Open 21:00 -
    From:
    16 Aug 2025Open 20:45 -
    From:
    23 Aug 2025Open 20:30 -
    From:
    30 Aug 2025Open 20:15 -
    From:
    6 Sept 2025Open 20:00 -
    From:
    13 Sept 2025Open 19:45 -
    More info for Kynren - An Epic Tale of England - 2025
  8. Entrance to Dalton Park Outlet and Outdoors

    Add Mini Pride - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors to your Itinerary

    Mini Pride - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Murton

    As part of its exciting summer programme, Dalton Park is proud to partner with Curious Arts to present Mini Pride – a vibrant, family-friendly celebration of creativity, self-expression and inclusivity.

    Dates

    From:
    8 Aug 2025Open 10:30 - 16:00
    More info for Mini Pride - Dalton Park Outlet & Outdoors
  9. Photography by Claire Collinson. Larger-than-life, soft recreations of an animal

    Add Pippa Hale: Pet Project - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Pippa Hale: Pet Project - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    See the museum’s renowned ceramic collection re-imagined into a vibrant and interactive experience for all ages.

    Dates

    From:
    26 July 2025to1 Mar 2026
    More info for Pippa Hale: Pet Project - The Bowes Museum
  10. Locomotive outside of Locomotion's Collection Building

    Add S&DR200 - Rail Futures at Locomotion to your Itinerary

    S&DR200 - Rail Futures at Locomotion

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Shildon

    A chance to visit a mobile exhibition train that looks at the railway and freight industry, showcasing how rail transport can help address future challenges.

    Dates

    From:
    18 Sept 2025to1 Oct 2025
    More info for S&DR200 - Rail Futures at Locomotion
  11. A child holding some corn in the maze

    Add Gigantic Maize Maze at Adventure Valley to your Itinerary

    Gigantic Maize Maze at Adventure Valley

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Brasside

    A gigantic Maize Maze has opened at Adventure Valley, the environmentally friendly attraction has opened for a sixth consecutive year.

    Dates

    From:
    25 July 2025to1 Sept 2025
    More info for Gigantic Maize Maze at Adventure Valley
  12. S&DR 200 logo

    S&DR200 Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    The 27 September 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR), which gave birth to the modern railway. To celebrate this landmark anniversary, the nine-month S&DR200 Festival will take place across…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Mar 2025to30 Nov 2025
    More info for S&DR200 Festival
  13. Literary illuminations on Durham Cathedral’s centuries-old architecture

    Add The Storytellers by Luxmuralis - Durham Cathedral to your Itinerary

    The Storytellers by Luxmuralis - Durham Cathedral

    Type

    Type:

    Show / Display

    Durham

    Escape into a world of light and sound projections that bring storytelling to life. Gaze up at literary illuminations on Durham Cathedral’s centuries-old architecture at The Storytellers by Luxmuralis.

    Dates

    From:
    8 Oct 2025to12 Oct 2025Open 18:45 -
    More info for The Storytellers by Luxmuralis - Durham Cathedral
  14. Group of people enjoying New Year's Eve at the Radisson Blu

    Add New Year’s Eve Celebrations at Józef’s Riverside Restaurant to your Itinerary

    New Year’s Eve Celebrations at Józef’s Riverside Restaurant

    Type

    Type:

    New Years Eve

    Durham City

    Say goodbye to the old and toast in the new with an evening of sensational food, entertainment and great company in our Józef’s Riverside restaurant.

    Dates

    From:
    31 Dec 2025
    More info for New Year’s Eve Celebrations at Józef’s Riverside Restaurant
  15. Joe Metcalfe playing guitar and singing on stage

    Add Tapas Night with Live Music from Joe Metcalfe - High Farm Holiday Park to your Itinerary

    Tapas Night with Live Music from Joe Metcalfe - High Farm Holiday Park

    Type

    Type:

    Food Events

    Bishop Auckland

    Join us for an evening filled with acoustic sing-along anthems performed by the talented Joe Metcalfe.

    Dates

    From:
    22 Aug 2025Open 18:00 - 22:30
    More info for Tapas Night with Live Music from Joe Metcalfe - High Farm Holiday Park
  16. Tim Lichfield and Andy Larmouth, Magic Duo on stage holding eggs.

    Add Durham Fringe Festival: Lichfield & Larmouth Present: “Wonderstorm” to your Itinerary

    Durham Fringe Festival: Lichfield & Larmouth Present: “Wonderstorm”

    Type

    Type:

    Performance

    Durham

    Get ready for the return of "Wonderstorm". Tim Lichfield and Andy Larmouth are back at the Durham Fringe with a new show for 2025!

    Dates

    From:
    27 July 2025Open 18:15 -
    More info for Durham Fringe Festival: Lichfield & Larmouth Present: “Wonderstorm”
  17. A portrait  of Joséphine Bowes

    Add Joséphine, A Woman of Taste and Fashion - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Joséphine, A Woman of Taste and Fashion - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    Discover the timeless elegance, craftsmanship and innovation of Joséphine Bowes’ textile collection.

    Dates

    From:
    22 Mar 2025to31 Mar 2026
    More info for Joséphine, A Woman of Taste and Fashion - The Bowes Museum
  18. 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!
  19. Table staged for a wedding at South Causey Inn

    Add Wedding Fayres & Open Evenings at South Causey Inn to your Itinerary

    Wedding Fayres & Open Evenings at South Causey Inn

    Type

    Type:

    Wedding Fairs and Events

    Stanley

    South Causey Inn in County Durham offers a unique and picturesque setting, with four distinct venues to choose from. Whether you prefer a small, intimate ceremony or a grand celebration, South Causey Inn can tailor your wedding to your specific…

    Dates

    From:
    1 Oct 2025Open 16:00 - 20:00
    More info for Wedding Fayres & Open Evenings at South Causey Inn
  20. EDAN logo

    Add Twenty Years of EDAN - The EDAN Gallery to your Itinerary

    Twenty Years of EDAN - The EDAN Gallery

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Seaham

    2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of EDAN. We would like to mark this with an exhibition that shows both the range of work that we are currently undertaking and also something of our history.

    Dates

    From:
    15 July 2025to23 Aug 2025Various Opening Times
    More info for Twenty Years of EDAN - The EDAN Gallery
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