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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. Mark Simmons dressed in a dinner jacket with Jester's trousers and shoes

    Add Mark Simmons "Jest to Impress" to your Itinerary

    Mark Simmons "Jest to Impress"

    Type

    Type:

    Comedy

    Barnard Castle

    More expertly crafted one-liners, alongside his trademark off-the-cuff jokes based on random audience suggestions.

    Dates

    From:
    11 Mar 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Mark Simmons "Jest to Impress"
  2. Matt Forde

    Add Funny Way To Be Comedy: Matt Forde - Defying Calamity to your Itinerary

    Funny Way To Be Comedy: Matt Forde - Defying Calamity

    Type

    Type:

    Comedy

    Barnard Castle

    In his biggest live tour to date leading political comedian Matt Forde (The Royal Variety Performance, Spitting Image, HIGNFY, British Scandal) finds positivity in life despite all the evidence to the contrary in politics and his own health.

    Dates

    From:
    27 Mar 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Funny Way To Be Comedy: Matt Forde - Defying Calamity
  3. 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
  4. Close up of vegetables at market stall. Person standing next to veg.

    Add Consett Market to your Itinerary

    Consett Market

    Type

    Type:

    Markets

    Consett

    Stroll through the stalls, savour delicious local treats, and soak up the friendly atmosphere. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday 8:00-16:00

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Consett Market
  5. Painting of trees and a house.

    Add Jo Pickering Students - The Witham to your Itinerary

    Jo Pickering Students - The Witham

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    Professional artist and tutor Jo Pickering has been teaching art classes at The Witham for the past 5 years. Her classes are very popular and students have enjoyed working in a variety of media from drawing, watercolour and oil painting. These are…

    Dates

    From:
    3 Feb 2026to28 Feb 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Jo Pickering Students - The Witham
  6. Beakers and a frothing container - science experiments.

    Add Big Science - St Johns Hall Meadowfield to your Itinerary

    Big Science - St Johns Hall Meadowfield

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Meadowfield

    Science experiments for over 5's.

    Dates

    From:
    12 Apr 2026Open 11:00 - 12:15
    More info for Big Science - St Johns Hall Meadowfield
  7. Gavin Webster

    Add Funny Way To Be Comedy: Gavin Webster - The Gathering Of The Gav to your Itinerary

    Funny Way To Be Comedy: Gavin Webster - The Gathering Of The Gav

    Type

    Type:

    Comedy

    Barnard Castle

    Gavin Webster is back on tour again, this time with his acclaimed Edinburgh show 'The Gathering Of The Gav' with brand new routines added to it to make it an unforgettable theatre experience.

    Dates

    From:
    6 Feb 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Funny Way To Be Comedy: Gavin Webster - The Gathering Of The Gav
  8. An audience watching a performance of WOW part of the S&DR200 festival

    Add S&DR200 - WOW North East : Wow Show to your Itinerary

    S&DR200 - WOW North East : Wow Show

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Middlesbrough

    WOW North East returns following autumn’s hit festival to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026 with an afternoon of local stories, inspiring interviews and (many) reasons to be hopeful.

    Dates

    From:
    8 Mar 2026Open 14:15 -
    More info for S&DR200 - WOW North East : Wow Show
  9. My Deadly Valentine. Illustration of a woman holding a rose and a book titled '101 Shades of Love'.

    Add My Deadly Valentine - Lumley Castle Hotel to your Itinerary

    My Deadly Valentine - Lumley Castle Hotel

    Type

    Type:

    Valentines Day

    Chester le Street

    Nora Chance is ready to debut her newest book, 101 Shades of Love. But with three dead fiancés in her past, Nora’s own love story seems destined to stay between the covers of her novels.

    Dates

    From:
    14 Feb 2026Open 18:30 - 00:00
    More info for My Deadly Valentine - Lumley Castle Hotel
  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 children in The Plotters' Forest pointing to a dragon hatching from an egg at Raby Castle.

    Add The Plotters' Forest Dragon Quest - Raby Castle to your Itinerary

    The Plotters' Forest Dragon Quest - Raby Castle

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Staindrop

    February Half Term Fun at The Plotters’ Forest Adventure Playground.

    Step into a world of wonder on our brand-new Dragon Quest, weaved amongst the winding paths of our Christmas tree plantation. This family-friendly adventure invites little…

    Dates

    From:
    14 Feb 2026to29 Mar 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for The Plotters' Forest Dragon Quest - Raby Castle
  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. High Force Waterfall

    Add The High Force Space Adventure Trail to your Itinerary

    The High Force Space Adventure Trail

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Forest-in-Teesdale

    Spark your little one's curiosity on all things astronomy and space, whilst reaping the benefits of the outdoors in the beautiful setting of High Force Hotel & Waterfall. It is the perfect way to explore the wonders of the night sky, during the day!

    Dates

    From:
    14 Feb 2026to29 Mar 2026
    More info for The High Force Space Adventure Trail
  14. A blank cat and dog bisque figurine on a white shelf with a pink background

    Add Bisque Pottery Workshops to your Itinerary

    Bisque Pottery Workshops

    Type

    Type:

    Workshop

    Barnard Castle

    Join Mud & More Pottery to paint your own bisque cat or dog figurine, cast from 18th and 19th objects in The Bowes Museum's collection.

    Dates

    From:
    20 Sept 2025to28 Feb 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Bisque Pottery Workshops
  15. Bottles and glasses of wine.

    Add Wine Tasting Experience at Ushaw to your Itinerary

    Wine Tasting Experience at Ushaw

    Type

    Type:

    Food & Drink

    Durham

    Join us for an informal evening of wine tasting, on Thursday 12 February from 7pm, where our host Chloe from Field & Fodder will guide you through an introduction to wine tasting, a relaxed and friendly way to build confidence in understanding what…

    Dates

    From:
    12 Feb 2026Open 19:00 -
    More info for Wine Tasting Experience at Ushaw
  16. Poster advertising the event with an image a book by Liz Million.

    Add Liz Million at Barnard Castle Library to your Itinerary

    Liz Million at Barnard Castle Library

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    2 Hall Street, Barnard Castle

    Love Art, Love to draw ? pop along to Barnard Castle on Friday 27th February 2.30-4pm for a interactive drawing session with our favourite illustrator Liz Million.

    Dates

    From:
    27 Feb 2026Open 14:30 - 16:00
    More info for Liz Million at Barnard Castle Library
  17. A woman leans over a table helping two young children with an arts-and-crafts activity. The children sit at a bright yellow table covered with paper,

    Add Family Open Day - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Family Open Day - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Barnard Castle

    Join us for a free day of family-friendly activities. Inspired by the museum's Pippa Hale: Pet Project exhibition, enjoy a variety of activities as we celebrate all things pets at the museum.

    Dates

    From:
    21 Feb 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Family Open Day - The Bowes Museum
  18. Mrs Smith advertising poster.

    Add Funny Way To Be Comedy: Mrs Smith - 123, Eyes on Me! to your Itinerary

    Funny Way To Be Comedy: Mrs Smith - 123, Eyes on Me!

    Type

    Type:

    Comedy

    Barnard Castle

    Mrs Smith was an ordinary teacher until she went viral on Facebook and accidentally became a comedian.

    Dates

    From:
    28 May 2026Open 19:30 - 21:30
    More info for Funny Way To Be Comedy: Mrs Smith - 123, Eyes on Me!
  19. Crowds of people enjoying a cricket match at Durham Cricket's Banks Homes Riverside Stadium

    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
  20. Trader at Barnard Castle Farmer's Market at stall taking money from customer

    Add Barnard Castle Farmers' Market to your Itinerary

    Barnard Castle Farmers' Market

    Type

    Type:

    Markets

    Barnard Castle

    Barnard Castle Farmers’ Market is one of the North East’s most popular markets featuring a wide range of artisan food and crafts from the region. Open 9:00 to 14:00 on the first Saturday of each month.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for Barnard Castle Farmers' Market
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