Looking for something to do at start of June 2025 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 5th June to Saturday 14th June.
Sunderland Food & Drink Festival – Fri 6th to Sun 8th June
We’re starting off in Sunderland with something that’s perfect for all of the foodies out there. Sunderland Food & Drink Festival is back from Friday 6th until Sunday 8th, bringing a whole weekend of deliciousness to the city. Not only will there be street food from around the world like Greek gyros and German bratwurst, there’ll also be a market of artisan makers and fresh produce too, like macaroons, olives and preserves. And that’s not all – there’s going to be an fun and games for kids, a Green Living Zone where you can learn about sustainable living, an Afrobeats pop up on the Sunday, and live music across the whole weekend. This is happening around Keel Square, High Street West and the Market Square, and it’s free to go, so make sure you put this in your diaries for this weekend.
Party in the Park – Stewart Park, Middlesbrough – Fri 6th to Sun 8th June
This is another event with a festival vibe and this time, it’s in Middlesbrough. From Friday 6th until Sunday 8th, Stewart Park will be transformed into a spectacular, family-friendly space when Party in the Park lands. It all centres around giant hot air balloons, which will be illuminated and risen into the night sky on the Saturday night. But before that, you’ll be able to see the balloons tethered up on Friday and Saturday, as well as enjoy fairground rides, watch a motorbike stunt team display, hear some live music, eat street food and so much more. Entry is just £2 per person and you just need to pay on entry, but if you want to get any more info at all, take a look at the Party in the Park Middlesbrough page on Facebook.
Discover Fest – Newcastle University – Sat 7th June
Another festival now and this one is taking place at Newcastle University, but this is for everyone and not just students! Discover Fest is all about inspiring younger people and encouraging an interest in lots of different subjects, like science, art and languages. And this is all going to be done through a huge amount of workshops, exhibitions, performances and interactive experiences. There’s just shy of 70 different things to get involved with, like street science busking, sonic pond dipping to hear underwater soundscapes, and LEGO engineering sessions to design your own vehicles. This is all taking place on Saturday and there’s absolutely loads to see and do, so it would be the perfect thing to fill a day. And the best bit is that it’s all free, so either head along to Newcastle University on Saturday 7th and get stuck in, or visit their website to see the full list of activities.
Wear Rivers Trust RiverFest 2025 – Bishop Auckland Rugby Club – Sat 7th June
This is another one that’s got a bit of a science-y theme to it, but also an environmental and eco-friendly feel. So this is RiverFest 2025 by the Wear Rivers Trust, and it’s on Saturday 7th at Bishop Auckland Rugby Club. It’s another one that’s free to go along to and you can expect lots of activities and things to do all centred around rivers. It’s going to be a day of family fun with environmental experiences, ecological demonstrations, activities for both kids and adults, live music and street food. It’ll be a lovely one to learn more about nature and how we can better look after our rivers, but in a fun way. Like I say, this is a free event, so just head to Bishop Auckland Rugby Club this Saturday or visit the Wear Rivers Trust Facebook page to get more info.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Newcastle Theatre Royal – Tue 10th to Sun 15th June
If it’s a trip to the theatre you want next week, then look no further than Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Newcastle Theatre Royal. This smash-hit London Palladium production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s show is providing a bit of a homecoming for the North East’s Joe McElderry as he’s playing the roof-raising Pharaoh, and from what I’ve seen online, he’s doing a fabulous job. The multi award-winning show has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway, international tours in over 80 countries worldwide and has become one of the world’s most beloved family musicals. And of course, we all know the songs, like The Coat Of Many Colours and of course, Any Dream Will Do. Catch it at the Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tuesday 10th to Sunday 15th, and grab your tickets online now.
Crossing the Tees Book Festival – Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Darlington and Redcar & Cleveland Libraries – Thurs 12th to Sat 28th June
This is one that’s perfect for fans of reading and writing, and it’s happening across libraries in the Tees Valley. Crossing The Tees is a huge book festival that’s running from Thursday 12th to Saturday 28th with a mega programme of events and talks. For example, if you’re a budding writer, you might like the series of workshops that are running to help you get to grips with story structures and developing characters. If you like untold history, you’ll want to check out the Stand Up History show where you’ll find out unusual and funny stories from the past that our history teachers never told us. Or if you’re a fan of crime thrillers, you might like the ‘Whose crime is it anyway?’ Event, where you’ll help to decide the details of a crime and watch an improv session unfold. It’s a real mixed bag with lots to do from Darlington all the way across to Redcar & Cleveland, so take a look at the Crossing The Tees website and book your tickets.
Cullercoats Festival – Fri 13th and Sat 14th June
If it’s a mixed bag you want, then you might like Cullercoats Festival on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th. As the name might suggest, this is taking place around Cullercoats Beach, the Watch House, Library and Crescent Club, and is bringing a huge programme of events to the village. The fun starts on Friday with a festival opening ceilidh and string quartet, but things ramp up on the Saturday with a plethora of things to do, many of which are free. There’ll be beach yoga, salsa demos, calligraphy workshops, storytelling, a dog show… the list truly feels endless. And like I say, many of these activities are completely free to get involved with, so this would be a great option for a full day out. Check out the Cullercoats Festival website to see the full programme and to find out about the ticketed activities.
Stockton & Darlington Railway Walking Festival – across Durham, Darlington and Stockton – from now until October
Combine history and getting your steps in with the brand new walking routes that have launched as part of the S&DR200 celebrations. 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the steam passenger railway and there are lots of things happening across the year to mark the occasion, and the latest is a collection of free guided walks that on from now all the way through until October. They’re happening in Durham, Darlington and Stockton, and each will have a certain theme, so for example, the “Why the Railway came to Darlington” walk will visit some of the key sites and learn about some of the people behind the birth of the world’s first passenger railway, and see how Darlington has changed over those 200 years. There are loads of walks to choose from and all of them are free but ticketed, so you’ll need to visit the Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway website to book your spaces.
Make sure you check back next week for more amazing events!
