Looking for something to do mid-June 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 13th June to Thursday 20th June.
The opening of The Story – Mount Oswald, Durham city – Fri 14th to Sun 16th June
We’re starting in Durham city today for the opening of The Story in Mount Oswald. This is a brand new visitor attraction that celebrates the past, present and future of County Durham and it’ll be open to the public from Friday 14th, but there’s going to be all sorts of opening weekend activities on from then until Sunday 16th. There’ll be historical re-enactments, pop-up theatre performances, live music and a teddy bears’ picnic to name just a few of the free activities on offer, along with the chance to be among the first to see inside the eagerly awaited new venue. The Grade II manor house will be home to ancient documents and archaeological finds, records of bravery, and life-changing events, including six miles of archives charting 900 years of County Durham’s history and the entire Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Collection. Alongside that, The Story will have an interactive exhibition space, regular activities, and it will be the new home of the County Registration Service, so you’ll be able to get married there too. Along this weekend to see what it’s all about or find out more on the Durham County Council website.
Blyth Live Music Festival – Mermaid car park – Sat 15th June
Northumberland’s fabulous and free music festival by the sea is back with even more excitement and entertainment for everyone. Blyth Live Music Festival is on Saturday 15th in the Mermaid car park and there’s going to be something for absolutely everyone. There’s a fantastic line up of music to come, including headliners, The Lindisfarne Story, who are Billy Mitchell and Ray Laidlaw, previous members of Lindisfarne, who will perform a range of classics, like Run For Home, Fog On The Tyne and Lady Eleanor, so that should be brilliant. There’ll also be fairground rides in the car park, plus food and drink, and stalls from local craft groups and charities. And the best bit is that it’s all free to attend, so if you fancy some live music this weekend, Blyth is the place to be. Pack a picnic, take a blanket and head down to the beach for a fun-filled day, or if you want more info, take a look at the Blyth Town Council website.
Specialist Plant and Garden Fair – Ushaw Historic House & Gardens – Sat 15th June
Green thumbed listeners will love this one! Ushaw Historic House has teamed up with Plant Heritage North East to host a bigger and better second edition of their Specialist Plant and Garden Fair. You’ll be able to buy some fantastic plants from a wide range of plant nurseries from across northern England, as well as garden sculptures, furniture, gardening accessories, machinery and much more. That’s on Saturday 15th and is included in your Plant Heritage membership, Ushaw annual membership or day pass. And when you go along, you absolutely need to pop your head into the house itself because they currently have a Century of Wedding Gowns exhibition on. It displays 72 different dresses that show the evolving style over the years, as well as reproductions of royal wedding gowns, so it’s a really lovely exhibition. If you want to know more about that or the Plant and Garden Fair, take a look at the Ushaw Historic House and Gardens website.
Whitney: Queen of the Night – Sunderland Empire – Mon 17th June
If you love the musical divas or a good tune to belt along to, we’ve got Whitney: Queen of the Night at the Sunderland Empire on Monday 17th. This show has had a fantastic run on the West End, plus shows at the London Palladium and Royal Albert Hall, so we’re definitely in for a treat. As the name might suggest, this show is a celebration of one of the most iconic voices of all time, Whitney Houston, and it’s supposed to be absolutely fantastic. It’ll take you on an extraordinary journey through three decades of hits, including I Wanna Dance With Somebody and I’m Every Woman to name just a couple. If you fancy an unmissable evening of powerful vocals that sound as close to the real thing as you could get and incredible live music, you can head to the Sunderland Empire website to grab your tickets.
Here You Come Again – Newcastle Theatre Royal – Tues 18th to Sat 22nd June
We’re going from one diva to another with Here You Come Again, the brand new musical based on the music of Dolly Parton. Packed with iconic songs like Jolene, 9 to 5, Islands in the Stream and more, this lively and touching new musical tells the story of a diehard fan whose fantasy version of international icon Dolly Parton gets him through trying times. With her wit, humour and charm, Dolly teaches him a whole lot about life, love and how to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, even if your bootstraps don’t have rhinestones! It’s had two successful runs in the States and now it’s here in the UK, but more importantly, in the North East. If a feel-good and joyous musical sounds up your street, it’s on at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday 18th to Saturday 22nd, so make sure you head to the Theatre Royal website to book your tickets.
Saltburn Arts Festival – across the town – Mon 17th to Sun 23rd June
If you’re after something creative to do next week, Saltburn is the place to be for Saltburn Arts Festival. From Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd, contemporary artists, musicians and all kinds of makers from across Teesside and North Yorkshire will be heading to the seaside town to celebrate all things arts. There’s tons of events going on as part of this week-long festival, including music nights with Alistair Griffin and Mister Keith, a theatre show by the Saltburn Smugglers and Saltburn Children’s Shanty Choir, a Q&A with Simon Rix of the Kaiser Chiefs, and an art market. There’s also 15 different creative workshops scheduled in which you get tickets for now, so whether you want to try your hand at pottery, screen printing or painting, there’s something for everyone. And that’s just the tip of the Saltburn Arts Festival, the list of things going on is truly endless, so take a look at the Saltburn Inspired Facebook page for a full rundown and to get workshop ticket booking info.
Pete Firman: TrikTok – Middlesbrough Town Hall – Thurs 20th June
If you want to wake up your inner child and be in wonder at the unexplainable, you need to go and see Pete Firman at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Thursday 20th. With over 175 million online views and countless TV appearances under his belt, Pete is firmly established as one of the top comedy magicians. He’s also an award winner and a Boro boy, so this is a bit of a homecoming show. You can expect an evening of laugh-out-loud comedy and jaw-dropping magic that will leave you asking “how on Earth did he do that?”. I’m a bit of a magic fan and he’s one of my personal favourites, and I just can’t recommend his shows enough. There are still some tickets left, so if you fancy it, head over to the Middlesbrough Town Hall website to book.
Strawberry picking at Brocksbushes Farm Shop – Corbridge – slots available now
Last but certainly not least, we’ve got a super summery activity that you can do all the way through until August. Pick your own strawberry spots are coming to life and one place that I’ve seen who have started to offer slots is Brocksbushes Farm Shop in Corbridge. Now it’s one thing to go to the supermarket to get a punnet of strawberries, but there’s something so lovely about picking your own and finding THE perfect one to add to your picks. As well as all of the fresh strawberries, Brocksbushes have got lots of photo opps to make use of in the field, and there’s always the cafe and shop to browse too. They’ve started making strawberry desserts in celebration and they look absolutely phenomenal. Keep your eyes on the Brocksbushes Facebook page to see when more slots are released.
Make sure you check back next week for more amazing events!
