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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. Little boy in green jacket, peering into binoculars - Nature Spotters at The Bowes Museum

    Add Nature Spotters - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Nature Spotters - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Barnard Castle

    Gather around an indoor campsite to explore the plants and animals that thrive in the museum's surrounding parkland.

    Dates

    From:
    21 July 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    From:
    4 Aug 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    From:
    18 Aug 2026Open 11:00 - 12:00
    More info for Nature Spotters - The Bowes Museum
  2. People dancing on a dark stage with low lit lighting.

    Add Dance City Presents - Durham Fringe Festival to your Itinerary

    Dance City Presents - Durham Fringe Festival

    Type

    Type:

    Festival

    Durham

    Boundless is the name of Dance City’s 55+ company which provides a unique opportunity for mature dancers in the region to develop their contemporary dance and performance skills as well as technical ability.

    Dates

    From:
    29 July 2026to30 July 2026Open 14:45 -
    More info for Dance City Presents - Durham Fringe Festival
  3. Sepia photograph showing members of The Durham Light Infantry leaning from the windows of a train.

    Add We Are The Durhams: The Durham Light Infantry to your Itinerary

    We Are The Durhams: The Durham Light Infantry

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Durham

    ​​​​​​​Discover the history of the Durham Light Infantry and the remarkable life stories of "The Durhams" from 1758 to today in this bold new permanent exhibition at The Light.

    Dates

    From:
    22 Aug 2026to31 Dec 2026
    More info for We Are The Durhams: The Durham Light Infantry
  4. A horse, carriage and two drivers compete in the Attelage event in front of the Fairground at Beamish Museum.

    Add Attelage Horse Weekend - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Attelage Horse Weekend - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Beamish

    See a remarkable carriage driving competition by the Concours d'International d'Attelage de Tradition (CIAT) take place around the museum.

    Dates

    From:
    18 July 2026to19 July 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Attelage Horse Weekend - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  5. 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
  6. Polaroid from David Bowie's costume
fittings for Jareth in the 1986
film, Labyrinth. One of the highlights from
David Bowie’s archive travelling to ve

    Add Bowie at The Bowes Museum as part of the national David Bowie: On Tour from the Victoria & Albert Museum to your Itinerary

    Bowie at The Bowes Museum as part of the national David Bowie: On Tour from the Victoria & Albert Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    Bowie at The Bowes Museum
    The Bowes museum are delighted to announce that we are bringing Bowie at The Bowes Museum as part of the national David Bowie: On Tour from the Victoria & Albert Museum.

    Dates

    From:
    1 Oct 2027to1 Jan 2028
    More info for Bowie at The Bowes Museum as part of the national David Bowie: On Tour from the Victoria & Albert Museum
  7. 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
  8. Three singers in traditional clothing, next to a Christmas tree, performing festive live music during Beamish Museum's Christmas Evenings.

    Add Beamish, The Living Museum of the North’s Magical Christmas Evenings to your Itinerary

    Beamish, The Living Museum of the North’s Magical Christmas Evenings

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Beamish

    Beamish Museum Christmas Evening Tickets on Sale Soon!

    Dates

    From:
    3 Dec 2026to4 Dec 2026Open 17:00 - 21:30
    From:
    10 Dec 2026to11 Dec 2026Open 17:00 - 21:30
    From:
    17 Dec 2026to18 Dec 2026Open 17:00 - 21:30
    More info for Beamish, The Living Museum of the North’s Magical Christmas Evenings
  9. Heritage Open Days Logo

    Heritage Open Days 2026

    Type

    Type:

    Heritage Open Days

    Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over 2,000 local people and organisations, and thousands of volunteers.

    Dates

    From:
    11 Sept 2026to20 Sept 2026
    More info for Heritage Open Days 2026
  10. Painting depicting a street scene in an industrial town with terraced houses, a horse-drawn cart, and several figures including children and adults.

    Add Norman Cornish: A Life in Sketchbooks - The Bowes Museum to your Itinerary

    Norman Cornish: A Life in Sketchbooks - The Bowes Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Barnard Castle

    Step inside the working imagination of Norman Cornish in this intimate exhibition, bringing together finished drawings, paintings and watercolours alongside the preparatory sketches that shaped them.

    Dates

    From:
    27 June 2026to3 Jan 2027
    More info for Norman Cornish: A Life in Sketchbooks - The Bowes Museum
  11. A scientist conducting an experiment with fire - Big Science.

    Add Big Sweetie Science - Lanchester Garden Centre to your Itinerary

    Big Sweetie Science - Lanchester Garden Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Workshop

    Lanchester

    Join us this Summer for the return of our Big "Sweetie" Science Workshop.

    The children will explore different science areas using sweets. Every child will make their own pot of sherbet and a chemistry mocktail, making fizzy reactions.

    Dates

    From:
    24 Aug 2026Open 11:30 - 12:30
    More info for Big Sweetie Science - Lanchester Garden Centre
  12. The Female of the Species by Joanne Murray-Smith. 12th - 15th August 2026. Illustration of a woman's hands in cuffs.

    Add The Female of the Species - Comedy by Joanna Murray-Smith - The City Theatre to your Itinerary

    The Female of the Species - Comedy by Joanna Murray-Smith - The City Theatre

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Back Silver Street, Durham

    Margaret Mason is a best selling women's lib author with writer block. Will a visit from a fan help or hinder? And why the handcuffs?

    Dates

    From:
    12 Aug 2026to15 Aug 2026Open 19:30 -
    More info for The Female of the Species - Comedy by Joanna Murray-Smith - The City Theatre
  13. Text 'Hopetown Comic Con' with Dr. Who's Tardis in the background.

    Add Hopetown Comic Con - Hopetown Darlington to your Itinerary

    Hopetown Comic Con - Hopetown Darlington

    Type

    Type:

    Children/Family events

    Darlington

    Hopetown Comic Con – Doctor Who Themed Event. 

    Dates

    From:
    3 Oct 2026Open 10:00 - 16:00
    More info for Hopetown Comic Con - Hopetown Darlington
  14. Actors, 'The Handlebards', lined up with their arms crossed at Raby Castle, Park and Gardens.

    Add Open Air Theatre | Handlebards | As You Like It - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens to your Itinerary

    Open Air Theatre | Handlebards | As You Like It - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Outdoor Cinema and Theatre

    Staindrop

    Open Air Theatre at Raby Castle. Pedalling from venue to venue with all of their set, props and costumes on the back of their bikes, the HandleBards are a four-strong troupe of actors who are spending the summer bringing environmentally sustainable…

    Dates

    From:
    14 Aug 2026Open 18:30 - 22:00
    More info for Open Air Theatre | Handlebards | As You Like It - Raby Castle, Park and Gardens
  15. Time by Luxmuralis. Washington National Cathedral

    Add Time by Luxmuralis at Durham Cathedral to your Itinerary

    Time by Luxmuralis at Durham Cathedral

    Type

    Type:

    Exhibition

    Durham

    This October, Luxmuralis returns to Durham Cathedral, inviting visitors to step into Time, an immersive light and sound experience exploring humanity, history and imagination.

    Dates

    From:
    7 Oct 2026to11 Oct 2026Various Opening Times
    More info for Time by Luxmuralis at Durham Cathedral
  16. Jean Martyn at the Theatre Organ

    Add Britain's Got Talent finalist Jean Martyn at the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ to your Itinerary

    Britain's Got Talent finalist Jean Martyn at the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ

    Type

    Type:

    Music Event

    Howden le Wear, Crook

    Britain's Got Talent finalist JEAN MARTYN play a concert of light classical and popular music at the mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ.

    Dates

    From:
    25 Oct 2026Open 14:30 - 17:00
    More info for Britain's Got Talent finalist Jean Martyn at the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ
  17. Family speaking to staff on a locomotive at Beamish.

    Add Summer of Fun 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North to your Itinerary

    Summer of Fun 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North

    Type

    Type:

    Family Fun

    Beamish

    Throughout the summer holidays, experience a variety of engaging activities across the museum’s different time periods.

    Dates

    From:
    18 July 2026to31 Aug 2026Open 10:00 - 17:00
    More info for Summer of Fun 2026 - Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
  18. 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
  19. Exterior view of Crook Hall Gardens during summertime.

    Add Live Music at Crook Hall Gardens - Crook Hall Gardens to your Itinerary

    Live Music at Crook Hall Gardens - Crook Hall Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Music Event

    Durham

    Local musicians make a visit extra special.

    Dates

    From:
    20 July 2026Open 11:00 - 15:00
    From:
    17 Aug 2026Open 11:00 - 15:00
    From:
    21 Sept 2026Open 11:00 - 15:00
    From:
    19 Oct 2026Open 11:00 - 15:00
    More info for Live Music at Crook Hall Gardens - Crook Hall Gardens
  20. Text reads, 'The Christmas Gameshow Spectacular', illustration of a Game Show title board bordered with lights and stars.

    Add The Christmas Gameshow Spectacular - Durham Cricket to your Itinerary

    The Christmas Gameshow Spectacular - Durham Cricket

    Type

    Type:

    Christmas and New Year

    Riverside, Chester-le-Street

    Buzzers at the ready! Join Durham Cricket's Christmas Game Show Spectacular for an interactive festive night packed with live games, audience participation, prizes, a two-course meal, DJ and dancing. The ultimate Christmas party for competitive…

    Dates

    From:
    12 Dec 2026Open 18:30 - 00:00
    More info for The Christmas Gameshow Spectacular - Durham Cricket
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