Looking for something to do at the start of 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 6th June to Thursday 13th June.
Sunderland Food & Drink Festival – city centre – Fri 7th to Sun 9th June
We’re starting in Sunderland for a weekend of delicious food and drink, so if you’re after something tasty to do, this could be right up your street. Sunderland Food & Drink Festival is happening across the city centre from Friday 7th until Sunday 9th, giving you three whole days to sink your teeth into. There’s going to be a whole host of food to try, like your classic burgers and Greek gyros, and maybe some cuisines you’ve never tried before, like Armenian, African or Hungarian chimney cakes. And while you’re tucking into your food, you can enjoy the schedule of live entertainment for grown ups and kids, which include free street art workshops, giant garden games, arts and crafts, and so much more. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a line up of live music, which includes Amelia Lily performing on the Saturday, so it’s going to be absolutely brilliant. You can join in the fun on Keel Square, High Street West and in the Market Square, but if you want more info, take a look at the Sunderland Food & Drink Festival website.
Crossing The Tees Book Festival – libraries across the Tees Valley – Thurs 6th to Fri 21st June
This is another festival to enjoy in the North East, but this time it’s more about words, rather than food. The Crossing The Tees Book Festival is happening from Thursday 6th until Friday 21st with loads of book-themed activities taking place in libraries in Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool, Darlington and Redcar & Cleveland. There’s absolutely loads to go along to, such as author talks, including lots of conversations with North Eastern authors, as well as writing workshops, an embroidered paper collage workshop, and even a concert from an award-winning band who perform songs based on books. Alongside these events, there’s a short story competition that’s open for entry, so budding writers can be in with the chance of winning a cash prize and a place in a published anthology. If you want to have a look at everything that’s going on and get your tickets booked, take a look at the Crossing The Tees website.
Darlington Eco Fair – town centre – Sat 8th June
If you’ve been thinking about sustainability and how to live a bit more of a planet-friendly life, take a look at the Darlington Eco Fair. This is on Saturday in the market square with a whole host of traders, info stands and things to do for all the family to help you be a bit more mindful to the environment. Some of the activities include upcycled crafts, an interactive play about flood resilience, and a big science show with fun experiments. There’ll be stands about beekeeping, energy saving methods and looking after British wildlife, to name just a few, as well as traders selling all sorts, from eco-friendly candles and house plants, to upcycled and repurposed denim clothing. There’s absolutely loads on and it’s all free to attend too, so if you want more info, take a look at the Enjoy Darlington website.
James Arthur – Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium – Sat 8th June
We had Take That not so long ago and now we’ve got a massive, homecoming gig from the amazing James Arthur. He’ll be on at the Middlesbrough Riverside Stadium on Saturday 8th and it’s going to be absolutely massive because this is his biggest show to date, and where better to do it than on his home turf? The doors open at 5pm and I do recommend getting there in good time because the local support starts at 5:50pm, followed by Lauren Hibberd and McFly before the main man. There’ll also be the fan village to enjoy where you can grab a bite to eat or an amazing cocktail from my personal favourites, The Little Gin Palace. It’s going to be a cracking event, so if you fancy it, there are still some tickets available on Ticketmaster, so grab them while you can.
Williams v Zimmer – Sunderland Fire Station – Sun 9th June
We’re going from chart-topping tunes to Oscar-winning movie scores with Williams v Zimmer at the Sunderland Fire Station. County Durham-based brass band, The EverReady Band, will be taking to the stage to perform music from two of Hollywood’s favourite composers, John Williams and Hans Zimmer. Now these two musical titans have produced scores for some of the biggest movies in the business, like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean and Gladiator, to name just a few, so you’re certain to hear a fantastic mix of recognisable and epic tunes. I think this sounds like it’s going to be brilliant, especially if you’re a bit of a movie buff, so if that’s taking your fancy, it’s on Sunday 9th and you can get tickets on the Sunderland Fire Station website.
1940s Weekend – Bamburgh Castle – Sat 8th and Sun 9th June
You’re invited to step back in time and celebrate the 80 year anniversary of D-Day at iconic Bamburgh Castle with their 1940s weekend. That’s happening over Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th, and they’ve crammed in so much for visitors to do. There’ll be military vehicle displays, WW2 re-enactment groups, live music and performance in the dance tent, a vintage pop-up parlour, and kite making for kids. Also on the Saturday, there’ll be a special flyover the castle by a genuine Tiger Moth plane, piloted by local flight experience business Tiger Flights. It’ll be a truly spectacular sight to witness the primary training aircraft for WW2 pilots flying as low as 500 feet! This is all included with the cost of admission, so you can enjoy all of the 1940s activities, then have a mooch around the castle too. If you’d like more info or to book your tickets, visit the Bamburgh Castle website.
Great Big Green Week activities – National Trust Gibside – from Sat 8th to Sun 16th June
Great Big Green Week is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. This year, the theme is ‘swaps’ and one place that’s getting involved in the North East is Gibside, and they’re encouraging visitors to think about making simple swaps and growing your own produce. From Saturday 8th until Sunday 16th, they’ve got a fabulous assortment of events on in the gardens as part of Great Big Green Week, including plant a pizza, where you can decorate a plant pot then fill it with plants to grow a variety of pizza toppings; there’ll be a chance to help out with a butterfly survey where you’ll get to see hidden parts of the Gibside grounds on a walk to record butterfly activity; and so much more! There are various dates for each event, so take a look at the National Trust website for more info.
Grease – Newcastle Theatre Royal – from Mon 10th to Sat 15th June
One of the world’s most loved musicals is back in Newcastle and I think this is going to be brilliant. I’m sure most of us are familiar with Grease after watching the film, but if not, after a whirlwind summer romance, leather-clad greaser Danny and girl-next-door Sandy are unexpectedly reunited when she transfers to Rydell High for senior year. But can they survive the trials and tribulations of teenage life and find true love once more? You’ll have to go along to find out! And of course, I can’t not mention the utterly incredible score, featuring all of the infectiously catchy hits, like Summer Nights, Greased Lightning and You’re The One That I Want. So if you’re after a musical that’s energetic, fast-paced and a total classic, this is the one for you. It’s on at the Newcastle Theatre Royal from Monday 10th to Saturday 15th and you can get your tickets on the Theatre Royal website.
Make sure you check back next week for more amazing events!
