Looking for something to do at the end of 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 19th December to Tuesday 31st December.
Jack and the Beanstalk at Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham – now until Sat 4th Jan
We’re starting off our final event list of the year with a panto because it’s only right, and this one is at the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre in Hexham. We’ve got Jack and the Beanstalk, which is a total classic and perfect for a familiar story. When Jack’s mum desperately sends him to sell their cow at the market, coming home with a bag of magic beans instead isn’t exactly what she had in mind and trouble just grows from there. This is a magical Christmas show for all the family filled with puppets, original music and of course, plenty of festive fun. If you’re still yet to see a panto this season, this could be the one and it’s on from now until Saturday 4th January, and you can get tickets on the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre website.
The Great Christmas Adventure at Discovery Museum Newcastle – Sat 21st and Sun 22nd Dec
Kids are breaking up for the Christmas break this week, so if you’re looking for something Christmassy to do this weekend, I’ve got a few options, starting with the Great Christmas Adventure at the Discovery Museum Newcastle. It’s on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd, and it’s going to be ideal for Disney fans as the day will be filled with all kinds of characters, including Cinderella, Belle, Peter Pan and so many more. Tickets get you a space on a table to watch a variety of live performances and to meet and greet roaming characters, and I’ve heard there’s a few surprises in store too. This has been hugely popular, so there are just a handful of tickets left, so if you want to get it booked, skate on over to the Let It Snow Productions Facebook page as soon as you can.
Christmas at Preston Park, Stockton – Sat 21st and Sun 22nd Dec
Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd are your last chances to experience traditional Christmases of years gone by at Preston Park Museum in Stockton. It’s been decorated to the nines for the festive period, including twinkly lights, trees and wreaths in the Victorian Street. There’s an elf trail that you can take part in, where you might see some real life elves, there’ll be festive family games and drop in crafty sessions, and a community Christmas tree display to explore. These have been decorated by a range of groups, including volunteer organisations, local schools and college students, and it’s definitely worth a look. You can enjoy all of this with museum admission, so you can explore the rest of the museum too and enjoy the huge playground, so it’s one to keep in mind for the weekend.
The Elf Express at Stephenson Steam Railway – Sat 21st to Mon 23rd Dec
The Stephenson Steam Railway are making this Christmas a real cracker with their Elf Express. From Saturday 21st to Monday 23rd, you can grab tickets to the most magical train ride that the whole family will absolutely love. You’ll climb aboard and take your seats to meet the Chief Elf and even Santa himself. There’ll be live entertainment, Christmas music, festive refreshments and a gift from Santa fro every child. There are five different times to choose from on each day and the train ride will be about 40 minutes, so it should be ideal for keeping kids of all ages engaged. As I say, this is on from Saturday 21st to Monday 23rd, but the tickets are down to the very last few, so if you fancy it, head to the Stephenson Steam Railway website to book ASAP.
Twixmas and early Jan activities at North East National Trust sites – Thurs 26th Dec to Sun 5th Jan
You either love or hate the twixmas period, which is the time between Christmas and New Year’s, and if you’re looking for things to do to fill that gap, the National Trust could help you out. They’ve got a selection of fab activities on from Boxing Day into the New Year to Sunday 5th January. Gibside in Gateshead have got a woodland fairy trail and a Christmas star trail on, and they’d be perfect if you’ve got little ones who love finding things and solving clues. Cragside have got their Spirits of the Forest Twilight Lantern Walk on, where you’ll use a lantern to explore the grounds in the dark. And Wallington are having live music in the Central Hall over twixmas, so you can pull up a seat and enjoy a tune or two. All of these are included with an annual membership or admission, which are easy to book through the National Trust.
Twelfth Night Celebrations at Beamish Museum – Fri 27th Dec to Sun 5th Jan
As the home of all things history, Beamish Museum will be celebrating the tradition of Twelfth Night from Friday 27th December to Sunday 5th January, and this will be the last opportunity to see the site in its Christmassy glory, because as we know, Twelfth Night is when your decorations are supposed to come down. But in the lead up, Beamish will be hosting live music, crafts and traditional displays to give you the best post-Christmas day out. You’ll be able to learn about how New Year was traditionally celebrated, find out what first footing is and have a go at making a Twelfth Night mask. The Elf Wood trail will also still be on, which is very cute for little fans of elf on the shelf. As this is a daytime event, you can enjoy it with your 12 month admission ticket or Friends of Beamish membership, but if you need more info, take a look at the Beamish Museum website.
Brutus Gold’s New Year’s Eve Disco Extravaganza at Sunderland Fire Station – Tues 31st Dec
If you’re looking to boogie your way into 2025, you’ll love Brutus Gold’s New Year’s Eve Disco Extravaganza. Brutus Gold’s Love Train has earned itself a bit of a reputation as the ultimate disco night with lots of 70s influences, tongue in cheek comedy and endless amounts of fun. It’s an immersive evening complete with an all-star cast of crazy characters and spectacular production and of course the best music from the grooviest decade. But of course, this one will have a bit of a New Year’s feel to it as it’s on Tuesday 31st. It’ll be a fabulous end to 2024 for sure, so go dressed in finest flares, get ready to do the hustle, and pick up your tickets on the Sunderland Fire Station website.
New Year’s Eve Party Night at the brand new STACK Middlesbrough – Tues 31st Dec
The brand new STACK Middlesbrough is open and has been bringing in crowds for a couple of weeks now, but the team are kicking things up a gear and opening the doors on the 31st for their first ever New Year’s Eve Party. If you’re looking for live music, DJs and street food to see you into 2025, this is the place for you. The venue is home to a stage where there’ll be music on all night, plus five different street food vendors for you to try, including Greek food from Acropolis, juicy burgers from Brack Burger, and delicious bao buns from Bao Down. There’s also going to be a Kroud Karaoke for the ultimate singalong experience. STACK is usually a walk in venue, but you’ll need to book tickets from this through the STACK website and I’d get in there quickly because I think this is going to be very popular.
Make sure you check back next week for more amazing events!
