Looking for something towards the end of June or start of July 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 26th June to Friday 4th July.
Sonic Arts Week – Middlesbrough – Fri 27th June to Sat 5th July
We’re starting in Middlesbrough for Sonic Arts Week, a free festival that’s dedicated to sound and on from Friday 27th June until Saturday 5th July. The vibrant programme features art installations, performances and workshops in unexpected places, from shopping centres to hidden corners of the town. You can visit the Hill Street Shopping Centre and be plunged underwater with hydrophone recordings of the River Tees and Coatham Marsh. You can take part in a sound poetry workshop, where you’ll walk around town and capture voices, then put it all together to make a piece. You can see the closing ceremony in the heart of the centre by the old House of Fraser where there’ll be a collective performance from local communities and choirs. And that’s just the start, there’s so much more to see and do. Like I say, this is a free festival, but some of the activities are ticketed, so head to the Sonic Arts Week website to get more info.
Ryhope Beer Festival – Ryhope Cricket Club – Fri 27th and Sat 28th June
We are well and truly in beer festival season and I found this one in Ryhope at the Cricket Club. On Friday 27th and Saturday 28th, they’re offering up a fantastic range of craft beers and ciders from a range of producers from across the UK, like Maxim Brewery based in Houghton-le-Spring and Tiny Rebel Brewery down in Wales. And alongside the drinks, there’ll be food stalls and live music to enjoy while you’re sipping. This is a ticketed event and it looks like it’s been really popular so far, so if you want to get involved, check out the Ryhope Cricket Club Facebook page for more info.
Darlington Community Carnival – town centre to Stanhope Park – Sat 28th June
The Darlington Carnival is a fantastic, free and family-friendly annual event with so much to see and do, and this year, it’s all themed around the railway to celebrate the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The whole thing will start on Saturday 28th with a huge parade in the town centre heading to Stanhope Park, featuring schools and community groups in their railway-themed costumes. At the park, there’ll be live music and dance performances from local groups, street food, stalls to browse, face painting and loads more, so it’s a great option if you’re after something to with the whole family this weekend. Make sure you take a look at the Darlington Community Carnival Facebook page for more info and updates.
Storyland Festival – Hexham Abbey and Queen’s Hall – Sun 29th June
Storyland is Hexham Book Festival’s family festival, so this will be perfect if you’ve got little bookworms. On Sunday 29th, Queen’s Hall and Hexham Abbey will be brought to life with fun workshops, storytelling sessions, meet and greets with authors, and more over the course of the day. There really is so much on and a lot of it is free too, including the storytelling sessions, silent disco and book swaps. There are some ticketed events that have a small cost, like the big draw-a-long, circus workshops and book talks, but there’ll be plenty to do even if you don’t book any of these. And there’ll be community stalls, pizza and ice cream too, so you could definitely make a day out of it. If you want more info, take a look at the Hexham Book Festival website and follow the prompts to Storyland.
Classic Car Show – Raby Castle – Sun 29th June
Raby Castle and Durham Automobile Club are collaborating to bring you a day of classic cars in the gorgeous deer park on Sunday 29th. No matter if you’re a car enthusiast or you just fancy a wander out, this sounds like it’s going to be a great option for the weekend. Ticket holders will be treated to a unique experience with a chance to browse the vehicle displays and enjoy the extensive Raby Castle Park. Cars from the 1950s right up to modern classics will be showcased with awards being presented for each car class. The Estate Chef will also be serving up bacon and sausage sandwiches in the morning, and Raby Longhorn burgers in the afternoon. Of course, the deer park is lovely for a walk and there’s the Coach House too if you fancy doing some shopping, so it should be a great day. You can get your tickets now on the Raby Castle website.
Made in Whitby Festival – Whitby Brewery – Thurs 3rd and Fri 4th July
The Made In Whitby Festival is kicking off summer in style in Whitby with two days of producers, makers and performers on Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th July. This is all happening at Whitby Brewery and it’s going to centre around all things local. So you can expect to shop lots of local stalls, like Whitby Distillery’s gins, Botham’s of Whitby’s baked treats and pottery from the Little Whitby Potter. And that’s just the start because there’ll also be a range of local street food traders and a line up of local musicians, so it’s going to be a gorgeous day of celebrating Whitby. This is a free event, so just head along to Whitby Brewery next Thursday or Friday, or if you want more info, take a look at the Made In Whitby website.
Kynren – Bishop Auckland – not until Sat 19th July, but tickets selling fast
We’re rounding out with the return of the absolutely mega Kynren for its tenth anniversary. Now, this isn’t on until 19th July to 13th September, but tickets will get booked up quickly and I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out. So what exactly is Kynren? Well, it’s a huge, outdoor 90 minute spectacle that sees over a thousand cast and crew members, and 150 animals, performing 2000 years of English history on a 7.5 acre site. It’s a real feast for the senses with daring stunts, pyrotechnics, horsemanship, special effects and even hand-to-hand combat. And new for this year, the memorable Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Parade scene is getting a refresh with new props and costumes, impressive projections, and updated music inspired by the Victorian era to mark Kynren’s tenth anniversary. I feel like this is one of those things that everyone should see at least once because it truly is unbelievable, so don’t miss out, book your tickets on the Kynren website.
Make sure you check back next week for more amazing events!
