Happy New Year! If you’re looking for things to do in Teesside in January 2026, look no further than this list. From markets, to things for theatre lovers, to ideas for kids, there’s something everyone in this list. Take a look at the list below for everything you need to know.
Jump to: markets | theatre and live music | craft workshops | quizzes | at the museum | general ideas
Markets
Sedgefield Market – Sun 4th – Rectory Row, TS21 2AE. From 8:30am to 12pm. From 12pm to 4pm.
Hartlepool Farmers Market – Sat 10th – National Museum of the Royal Navy, TS24 0XZ. From 9am to 2pm.
Stokesley Northern Makers Market – Sat 17th – Stokesley High Street, TS9 5DG. From 9am to 2pm.
Stewart Park Foodie Market – Sun 25th – Ladgate Lane, TS7 8AR. From 9am to 2pm.
Hartlepool Maritime Market – Sat 31st – National Museum of the Royal Navy, TS24 0XZ. From 9am to 2:30pm.
Theatre & live music
The Woman In Black at Darlington Hippodrome – Tues 6th to Sat 10th – Obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a Woman in Black, Arthur Kipps engages a sceptical young actor to help him tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul.
Killer Rhapsody at The Georgian Theatre – Sat 17th – For over a decade, Killer Rhapsody have been blowing people’s minds with the hottest and most riveting tribute to Freddie Mercury and Queen. Amazing harmonies and large orchestration. This is not your usual run of the mill QUEEN TRIBUTE. This is an EXPERIENCE!
Drag Me To The 80s at Billingham Forum Theatre – Sat 17th – Meet the cast of our 80’s Divas and join us on an unforgettable journey as this amazing production delivers a dazzling fusion of nostalgia, empowerment and a celebration of the extraordinary. Get ready to dance, sing and be captivated by the powerhouse vocals of the queens who redefine the stage and bring the spirit of the 80’s roaring back to life.
Rough Cut Revolutions Launch Event at ARC Stockton – Thurs 22nd – Each month, Rough Cut Revolutions gives Tees Valley artists the stage to share their newest, boldest, and most daring work, straight from the rehearsal room to a live, supportive audience. Be the first to experience brand-new performances and creative experiments from some of the region’s most exciting talent. Share your thoughts, spark conversations, and connect with others at these vibrant, one-of-a-kind scratch nights celebrating raw creativity in action.
Horrible Histories: The Concert at Darlington Hippodrome – Fri 23rd & Sat 24th – For the very first time, your favourite songs and actors from the BAFTA Award-winning CBBC TV series will be appearing live (and dead!) on stage in a very special production! When William Shakespeare is asked to create the greatest show on earth, he’s no idea how much trouble he’ll get from monstrous monarchs like King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria! Things hot up when Death appears – and now Boudica and Cleopatra want to take over! Can things get any worse? Of course they can!
Al Murray: All You Need Is Guv at the Stockton Globe – Sat 24th – There’s no denying the world’s a mess daddio, but there is a glimmer of hope as the globe’s favourite Pub Landlord returns with his like-nobody-else Common Sense hot-takes for the masses, offering a much-needed truth tonic (pint for the fella/glass of white wine for the lady) for these whacked out and troubled times. With a fresh and frothing pint to hand, a barrel of laughs to pour from, and a flower in his heart, Guv is all you need.
Indiepalooza Festival at Middlesbrough Town Hall – Sat 24th – Indiepalooza is an amazing touring indie-rock tribute festival featuring leading tributes to the Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Oasis and Sam Fender, all on one night. The Kopycat Killers, Oasis 96, Scam Fender and Sub-Arctic Monkeys are some of the best tributes in the world, playing huge festivals both in the UK and abroad to thousands and thousands, now all coming together on this special touring festival show.
Red Rum Club at KU Stockton – Fri 30th – Liverpool favourites Red Rum Club return to Stockton as part of their very special small venue tour celebrating Independent Venue Week this January.
Queen of the Night Whitney Houston Tribute at Middlesbrough Town Hall – Sat 31st – Established as the UK’s biggest Whitney Houston tribute, this breathtaking production honours the music, legacy, and unmatched talent of the legendary Whitney Houston. Celebrate Whitney’s remarkable musical repertoire in an electrifying production that honours her timeless songs with sensational vocalists and a full live band.
90s & 00s Daytime R&B Festival at Middlesbrough Empire – Sat 31st – Middlesbrough the BIGGEST Oldskool R&B Indoor Festival is returning for 2026! Get ready for a massive celebration of 90s & 00s R&B music, if you love your oldskool anthems you cannot miss this!
Craft workshops
Silver Ring Making with Jen Lithgo at The Thrive Hive CIC, Hartlepool – Sat 10th – Come and learn how to make your own sterling silver ring! You’ll learn marking and measuring, cutting, shaping and forming, soldering, texturising and finishing. And you’ll take your ring away with you the same day.
Clay Workshop with Palette & Pop at The Rings, Ingleby Barwick – Sat 10th – You’ll use the coil technique to help you build your very own handmade piece. You’ll learn how to wedge the clay and create a vase, cosmetics holder or pen pot – completely from scratch.
Vision Board Workshop at Nuzuri Hartlepool – Sun 11th – Head to Nuzuri an inspiring, hands-on Vision Board Workshop where creativity meets intention. This isn’t just arts and crafts — it’s a powerful experience to visualize, align, and manifest your dreams for the year ahead.
Beginner’s Sewing Machine Workshop at From Loft To Loved – Sat 17th – Want to learn how to sew using a machine but don’t know where to start? Join sewing teacher Michelle who will guide you through sewing machine basics to make a project. This is a beginners level session so absolutely no experience is required.
Clay Jewellery at Creative Village CIC – Tues 27th – Join us in our clay jewellery workshop. Create a collection of funky small pendants and charms using stoneware clay. Add colour and designs using underglaze and have them glazed and fired in our kiln.
Soy Candle Making at From Loft To Loved – Thurs 29th – This candle making workshop is aimed for the absolute beginner and anyone who is interested in learning a new skill. Learn about candle waxes, fragrance oils, wicking and the science behind candle making in this relaxed workshop.
Quizzes
The Office US Quiz at Play Middlesbrough – Thurs 8th – Would we rather this quiz be feared or loved? Easy. Both. We want people to be afraid of how much they love this quiz.
The Music Quiz at The Loft Stockton – Thurs 8th – Does anybody really know what time it is? Why do fools fall in love? What does the fox say? All perfectly valid music questions, but not ones you’ll get at The Loft’s monthly music quiz. Expect questions on chart hits (past and present), artists and bands, music mashups and funny trivia.
Pop Punk Music Quiz at Play Middlesbrough – Thurs 22nd – We’re testing your knowledge on all of the Pop Punk Anthems for the chance to win themed prizes! Thnks fr th Qz.
Movie Quiz Night at The Regent Redcar – Sun 25th – Join us in the bar for an evening of film quizzing goodness! Only £1 per ticket with prizes up for grabs! No need to book.
At the museum
Heritage Weekend at Hopetown Darlington – Sat 3rd & Sun 4th – Welcome to the new Heritage Open weekends at Hopetown Darlington. On the first weekend of every month, we open the doors to Darlington Locomotive Works and the 1861 Shed for you to engage with Darlington’s pioneering and ongoing railway engineering. They’re free to visit and each month will engage with a different railway-related theme. The theme for January is BOILERS.
BrilliANT at Hopetown Darlington – Sat 17th Jan to Sun 15th Mar – Don your ant antennae, enter the anthill in the Carriage Works and journey deep into a sculpted anthill made entirely of recycled material. Crawling with creativity and buzzing with brilliant ideas, Brilli-ANT! is packed with hands-on activities, storytelling, and inspiring insect encounters that show how even the smallest changes can make a huge difference. Meet a dung beetle with recycling tips, a bumblebee who knows the power of community, and a host of larger-than-life meadow-dwellers – each with their own story of adaptation and resilience in a changing climate. These wise bugs don’t just survive – they thrive.
Perfume at Preston Park Museum – Sat 17th Jan to Sun 10th May – In less than a month, the Tracks of Change exhibition series, presented by S&dr200, reaches its finale at Preston Park Museum with Perfume – an extraordinary sound and light installation by internationally acclaimed French artist Yann Nguema. This immersive experience explores the surprising role railways play in the natural world, from supporting seed distribution to aiding pollination as trains move through the countryside.
General ideas
Set some goals for 2025 – it’s time to think about what you want to achieve in the year ahead. Keep your goals realistic and within reach.
Take your decorations down by Twelfth Night – Sun 4th – it’s the tradition!
Treat yourself in the Jan sales for Blue Monday – Mon 19th – on the saddest day of the year, there’s never been a better time to treat yourself.
Sign up for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch – Fri 23rd to Sun 25th – Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers like you take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring. With birds facing so many challenges, it’s more important than ever to get involved in the Birdwatch. Every bird you do – or don’t – count will give the RSPB a valuable insight into how garden birds are faring.
Eat haggis, neeps and tatties on Burns Night – Sun 25th – Burns Night is celebrated on January 25th each year, which marks the birthday of Robert Burns, the author of many Scots poems
Blow off the cobwebs with a walk in the park – there are so many local parks across Teesside that would be ideal for a walk in January. My favourites are Ropner Park (Stockton), Stewart Park (Middlesbrough), Summerhill Country Park (Hartlepool) and South Park (Darlington).
Warm up with homemade soup – fancy having a go at making soup? Have a look at BBC Food for some inspo.
Try vegan food for Veganuary – you could try making your own vegan dishes or dine out somewhere. Some local vegan-friendly spots include Sunday, Alkaline Kitchen and The Waiting Room.
This list will be kept up to date with any other events that I find for January 2026, so keep checking back!
