Looking for something to do at the start of March 2024 in the North East? I’ve got you covered with this list. As part of my feature on BBC Tees and Newcastle, I select my top picks of things happening across the North East, and here’s what I’ve chosen for Thursday 29th February to Thursday 7th March.
How We Sang a Song for You: The Cleveland Way – Stockton ARC – Thurs 29th Feb
We’re starting in Stockton at the ARC with the amazing Mike McGrother and his men’s choir, the Infant Hercules. They’re putting on a performance on Thursday 29th Feb called How We Sang a Song for You: The Cleveland Way, which will be a look at their recent efforts in encouraging men to talk more about cancer. Mike was joined by members of the Infant Hercules, fellow musicians, cancer surgeons and charity workers as he trekked and sang his way along the 110 miles of the beautiful Cleveland Way over the course of 10 days, so this event will be a reflection of that journey with lots of storytelling and of course, singing. It should be an emotional and evocative event, and it’s pay as you feel, so head to the ARC website to book your tickets.
Fastlove – Newcastle O2 City Hall – Sat 2nd March
If you’re a George Michael fan – and I mean who isn’t? – then you’re going to love this. We’ve got Fastlove on at Newcastle O2 City Hall on Saturday 2nd March, and this celebration of George is coming direct from the West End, so you can expect great things. This show has it all – the power, emotion, and as close to the star quality that George had as is possible, featuring hits such as Freedom, Faith, Careless Whisper and so many more. This sounds like it’s going to be brilliant and an excellent tribute to George, but the tickets are super limited, so you’ve got to be quick if you fancy it.
Window Wonders – Whitley Bay – Sat 2nd and Sun 3rd March
I stumbled on this event online and thought it was too unique not to bring to the table. So Window Wonders is an art trail organised by residents in Whitley Bay that features windows in people’s homes turned into little works of art. Each piece is made by the homeowners and lit up and displayed on the evening to turn a number of streets into art galleries to wander down. This event is now in its fourth year so it’s pretty popular and from what I’ve seen online, the window artwork is starting to look amazing. You can see the full list of streets getting involved on windowwonders.co.uk but they’re all within walking distance of Whitley Bay Metro, and that’s on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd, so it could be a fun and different thing to do with your evening.
Dino Rextacular – Holmside Park, Chester-Le-Street – Sat 2nd and Sun 3rd (and Sat 9th and Sun 10th)
If you’ve got little ones and you fancy taking them out for a run about this weekend, Holmside Park in Chester-Le-Street have got their Dino Rextacular on. This 50 acre adventure park is home to over 20 indoor and outdoor activities, like archery, laser tag, inflatables and more, but there’ll be some exclusive dinosaur themed things to do this Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd, and next Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th too. I’m talking about den building, fossil digging and a Jurassic to name just a few. There’s something for kids of all ages, so if you’re stuck for something to do this weekend or next weekend, this could be a really good shout.
UK Pink Floyd Experience – Darlington Hippodrome – Sun 3rd March
This is another stellar tribute act and this show is actually brand new for 2024. So the UK Pink Floyd Experience are coming to Darlington Hippodrome on Sunday 3rd to celebrate 30 years since Floyd’s iconic PULSE tour with top-flight musicians, an amazing light show and over 2 hours of incredible music. The show will include plenty of songs from the PULSE setlist, including The Division Bell, Animals and The Dark Side of the Moon, as well as Not Now John from The Final Cut, which was apparently highly requested. If you’re a fan of Pink Floyd, then make sure you don’t miss out on this one and check out the Darlington Hippodrome website for tickets.
Priscilla – Queen of the Desert – Billingham Forum – from Wed 6th to Sun 10th March
This is another great option if you’re in the mood to see something on stage over the next week, so the Stockton Stage Society are performing Priscilla – Queen of the Desert at Billingham Forum from Wednesday 6th to Sunday 10th March. Based on the 1994 film, this show follows Tick, Adam and Bernadette as they travel across Australia in their bus called Priscilla. It’s all about accepting and supporting each other, and being your authentic self, which results in a funny, flamboyant and disco-fuelled jukebox musical that always has the audience up on their feet. If you fancy some tickets for this, take a look at the Billingham Forum website.
Rob Brydon: A Night of Songs and Laughter – The Glasshouse International Centre for Music – Thurs 7th March
Rob Brydon is one of the UK’s top entertainers, not just for his comedy, but for his music too, and we’ll be getting a good mix of both when he appears at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music on Thursday 7th March. His show, A Night of Songs and Laughter, will see Rob and a 9-piece orchestra share his personal musical journey from South Wales to Hollywood and back with a brilliantly unexpected selection of toe-tapping tunes. I’m talking about Tom Waits and Guys and Dolls on the same setlist, so it’ll be a real mixed bag. And of course, there’ll be plenty of his famed impressions, like Mick Jagger and Michael Caine. The tickets are on the brink of selling out, so if you want to go, you’ll need to be speedy.
Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival – Berwick-upon-Tweed – from Thurs 7th to Sun 10th March
We’re rounding off this list at the very top of Northumberland in Berwick-upon-Tweed where you’ll find the Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival from Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th March, and what a jam-packed weekend it’s shaping up to be. There are 47 films being shown, many by filmmakers from across the globe and many with Q&As at the end, as well as workshops, exhibitions and even an experimental short horror film based on a series of paranormal events that took place in the early 70s in Hexham, so there’s a bit of all sorts. If you love the arts, all things cinema and film, or you simply just want to try something different, this could be a great shout.
Make sure you check back next week for more amazing events!
