Free Family Events & Activities in North East England in June

***FREE EVENTS***

There is plenty to celebrate in June. The month that marks the end of Spring and the start of Summer. Although there are no Bank Holidays or School Holidays we do though celebrate Father’s Day and the Queen’s Official Birthday, and Summer this year begins on the Summer Solstice of Wednesday 21. 

With free family events and activities throughout North East England in Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Durham and Middlesbrough - where will June take you this year?

LIVE MUSIC AT THE AMPHITHEATER

Thurs & Sat until 24 June
Bents Park, South Shields

The annual summer-long free South Tyneside Festival kicks off in June with our fantastic Live Music at the Amphitheatre events. Join in at South Shields seafront every Thursday and Saturday evening until 24 June for great outdoor music experiences featuring performances from some of the most talented bands from around the region.

The line-up features:

• Thursday 8 June - The Spacehoppers + The Breakfast Club
• Saturday 10 June - The Good Souls + Acoustic Keys
• Thursday 15 June - South Tyneside College
• Saturday 17 June - The Caffreys + Tony Bengtsson
• Thursday 22 June - CustomSpace Showcase
• Saturday 24 June - The Revolutionaires + Jay Burt

BRASS BANDS AT THE AMPHITHEATER

Sun 11, 18, 25 June 2pm – 4pm
Bents Park, Sea Road, South Shields

Enjoy the sounds of music all summer long at these free brass band concerts, part of the South Tyneside Festival. They are a firm favourite with visitors and take place at South Shields Amphitheatre every Sunday afternoon throughout June. This event is perfect for combining with a Sunday stroll along the promenade next to the amphitheatre and taking in the lovely views of the sandy beaches and the rugged coastline!

• 11 June - People's Mission Silver Band
• 18 June - Cockerton Prize Silver Band
• 25 June - South Tyneside Junior and Senior Wind Band

BIERGARDEN AND GERMAN VILLAGE

Thurs 8 – Sun 11 June
Times Square, Newcastle

Now when days get longer and the sun comes out again it’s time for the German Village Festival. The wonderful open air Biergarden and the traditional German Village don’t require a ticket and are completely free to enter.

GERMAN VILLAGE OPENING HOURS

• Thurs June 8 - 17:00 - 24:00
• Fri June 9 - 17:00 - 24:00
• Sat June 10 - 12:00 - 24:00
• Sun June 11 12:00 - 19:30

THE NORTHUMBERLAND MINERS' PICNIC

Sun 11 June 10am – 5pm

Woodhorn Colliery, Ashington, Northumberland

Celebrate...The Northumberland Miners’ Picnic 2017: a fun, family day out rooted in local heritage reimagined with a contemporary twist! 

• Enjoy... a fantastic programme of performers on the Bandstand Stage with LINDISFARNE opening the stage at 12noon. 
• Discover... some of the region's most talented food producers and arts and craft makers in the Picnic Market located in our historic Workshop Galleries. 
• Explore… Woodhorn Museum and the historic colliery site. Get creative at our pop-up art workshops and refuel at our café, food stalls and beer tent! 
• Remember… the people, places and industry that brought us the tradition of the Northumberland Miners’ Picnic. 
• Attend The Miners’ Memorial Service and visit Jeremy Deller's Battle of Orgreave exhibition in the main museum.

Programme:

• 10.00am – 5.00pm- Picnic Market, pop-up art workshops, street theatre and more
• 10.15am- Miners’ Memorial Service and Wreath Laying
• 12noon- LINDISFARNE 1.15pm- PITMAN Eliot Smith Dance Company
• 2pm- Brass Marras featuring Ashington Colliery Band, Bedlington Brass Band, Ellington Colliery Band and Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band 3pm- Alistair Anderson & Friends
• 4pm- Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra

LITTLE BIG GATESHEAD

Sat 10 & Sun 11 June 10 – 4pm
The Nest, Durham Road, Low Fell, Gateshead

Enjoy a full weekend of FREE family fun! From arts and crafts, yoga, dancing, song-writing and LEGO robots, to family survival skills and family first-aid, Little Big Gateshead is a whole weekend dedicated to the young 'uns and the oldies coming together to have fun and learn something new. Whether your 1 or 100 there'll be loads of fun stuff for you to do!

For the whole weekend, every floor of The Nest will be packed with fun, expert-led sessions for all sorts of activities, and everyone taking part will get a voucher to redeem against tasty food and drink in the cafe.

Booking is essential to manage numbers - so please book however many tickets you think you'd like, one for every member of the family. And don't forget, it's all free!

Vintage Motorcycles - "The Bamburgh Run"

Sun 11 June 9.30am
Etal Village Hall Sunday

In 2017 the annual Vintage Motorcycle event, "The Bamburgh Run" will be hosted from Etal, at the Village Hall. The event is held by the Ashington-based Reivers Section of the national Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) together with the Marston Sunbeam Club and Register (MSC&R) with the purpose of riding vintage motorbikes - including some of the earliest types from around 1910 - on the quiet roads of North Northumberland where part of the route passes along the road between Seahouses and Bamburgh Castle.

Around 40 entrants are expected and the Club welcomes the public to visit, view the bikes and chat with the owners. The bikes will arrive from around 9.30am with tea and coffee, at 10.30 (ish), when all entrants are ready, they'll set off on a run of approximately 4 hours, returning around 2.45pm. Visitors are welcome to join the group at these times in the Hall or to come along at the start to wave the bikes off as they leave, the earliest machine first, at around 30-second intervals. The bikes make for a spectacular sight and kindle nostalgia and excitement amongst motorcycling and vintage fans of all ages.

The Hoppings Funfair 2017

Fri 16 - Sat 24 June
Newcastle Town Moor

The world’s biggest travelling fun fair returns to Newcastle’s Town Moor from Friday 16 June to Saturday 24 June with over 300 rides and attractions. A regular favourite with families and visitors across the North East and now in its 134th year, Hoppings 2017 promises to be the biggest yet, bringing another ten fun-filled days to the region. Watch out for the return of thrilling rides, such as AIR, Extreme and Wild Mouse – sure to make even the bravest daredevils scream. But that’s not all. This year, the amazing Newcastle Military Show will be taking place on Saturday 17 June (12.30pm - 8pm) and Sunday 18 June (12.30pm - 6pm) – so there will be even more to see!

MEDIEVAL MISCHIEF

Sat 17 & Sun 18 June 10am – 4.30pm
Newcastle Castle

For Medieval Mischief the Castle will be open free of charge, allowing visitors to step back in time once more. The artisan market specialists will bring with them stalls boasting heritage crafts, gifts and food and drink a-plenty, which will be spread out across the Castle Keep and Black Gate. There will also be immersive elements, including craft activities for children and demonstrations from musicians, jongleurs, and swordsmen and women.

This year there will be: Northumberland Lace Makers, Greenwood Turning, Demonstrations/talks, Wandering Minstral and Buffoon, Birds of Prey, Proffessor Fiddlesticks Balloon Modelling, Unicycling, Handcrafted Goods & Heritage Crafts, Refreshements, Food Stalls & Street Food, Dawn of Chivalry - Show & Tell, Dressing of the Knight, Sir David & Sir Jez - Doing Battle, Stocks & Pillory, Childrens Archery, Local Charities, Facepainting and Sand Art.

The Full Moon Market

Tues 13 June 2017
Durham City

The Full Moon Market arrives in Durham Market Place, around the time of the full moon – and is one of the North East’s premier streetfood events – combining fantastic food with live music.

Craft InDurham Markets

Sun 18 June
Durham City

The popular Craft InDurham Market will return on Sunday 18 June bringing together the finest producers, artists and craftspeople from across the North East, offering gifts, homewares, hand-crafted items, locally produced food and drink and more.

CAB IT

Sat 17 & Sun 18 June 10am – 4pm
Locomotion The National Railway Museum at Shildon, County Durham

Climb aboard vehicles from the national collection and learn how a steam train really works. The museum's excellent volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and give insights into the locomotive footplates, cabs and controls.

ARMED FORCES DAY

Saturday 17 June
Middlesbrough Town Centre

This year, Armed Forces Day will take place in the heart of the town centre a fitting venue for this fun-filled family day, including a parade, band performance and a variety of demonstrations, activities and entertainment. Armed Forces Day is a national celebration of local support for the military. The celebration - formerly known as Veterans’ Day - has been developed to reflect the wider role of the UK Armed Forces in the life of the nation and its local communities, and their involvement in ongoing conflicts around the globe. Highlights of the day will include a parade of service veterans, Air, Sea and Army Cadets, the military standards, veterans, local army and cadet units.

LITTLE LANDMARKS

Sat 17 June - Sat 30 September
South Shields Museum

See ten familiar South Shields landmarks, from the old to the very new, rebuilt in miniature with LEGO®. Also, see if you can spot local characters among the LEGO® Minifigures.

WEARDALE IN PICTURES

Sat 24 June 10am-4pm
The Dales Centre, Stanhope

Produced by The Weardale Museum and I love Weardale this is a presentation of modern-day images, with a selection of photographs from the Weardale Museum archive.

WILLINGTON WAGGONWAY

Saturday 24 June 11am – 3pm
Stephenson Railway Museum, North Tyneside

Join in for this family-friendly day and find out more about the Willington Waggonway. There will be mini pony rides, craft activities, meet the archaeologist sessions, mini digs, an exhibition of timbers already preserved and a chance to see some of the timbers they hope to save.

ORANGE PIP MARKET

Sat 24 June 12 noon - 7 pm
Baker Street, Middlesbrough

The last Saturday of every month is a date for food and culture-lovers' diaries alike. Orange Pip Market opens midday on Baker Street and parties on until 7pm. Inspired by the likes of Maltby Street Market in London and Brooklyn Flea in NYC, Orange Pip is the place to be. Blending creativity with commerce, Orange Pip sees the traditional marketplace transformed into an engaging 21st century culinary bazaar, featuring music, arts and performance whilst you shop, hang out and eat the most delicious food in the region. 

DURHAM CASTLE GOES MEDIEVAL

Sun 25 June 11am – 4pm
Durham Castle, Palace Green, Durham City

Enjoy a FREE Medieval -themed Family Day at Durham Castle on Castle Community Action (CCA) and Durham Castle Museum have teamed together to offer you a unique experience at Durham Castle. Prepare for a Medieval family day out as Durham Castle and its beautiful grounds take a step back in time to the Medieval period! Immerse yourself in the Courtyard with activities inspired by the Medieval period and even see some real medieval objects. Whilst the Great Hall will be transformed into a royal banquet area complete with crafts and storytelling, so bring a picnic fit for royalty!

SPRINGWELL VILLAGE 1940s WEEKEND

Fri June 30 to Sun July 2
Springwell Village, Tyne and Wear

Springwell Village is hosting a 1940s Weekend from 30 June to 2 July, celebrating the history of the Second World War and the heritage of the village during this period and in the years before the war. Enjoy a weekend of live music and dance, living history and re-enactments, family activities, food and drink.

Activities include:

• Bowes Railway - free entry all weekend with re-enactors on site 10.30am-5.30pm each day. 
• Tea dance at Springwell Village Community Venue, 2-4pm, Friday 30 June
• Exhibition of old photographs and artefacts, Springwell Village Community Venue, 10am-4pm, Saturday 1 July
• Children's party with games and dancing, Springwell Village social club, 12-2.30pm, Saturday 1 July
• National Garden Scheme Gardens open for charity, Woodlands, Peareth Hall Road, 1.30-4.30pm, Saturday 1 July, £3 entry
• Afternoon tea with The Darling Dollies, Springwell Village Methodist Church, 3-5pm, Saturday 1 July
• 1940s dance with music by The Bright Street Big Band, Springwell Village Community Venue, from 7.30pm, Saturday 1 July, tickets £8 from venue.
• Memorial Service and talk by Tom Davidson LoH, Ex-Warrant Officer Flight Engineer, 466 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, Springwell Village Methodist Church, 11am, Sunday 2 July
• Picnic in the park with children's activities, Seldom Seen Park, 2-4pm, Sunday 2 July
• Tea time 1940s jazz, Springwell Village Community Venue, 1-4pm, Sunday 2 July 

GRUFFALO SPOTTERS TRAILS

Every Day
Hamsterley Forest & Kielder Water and Forest Park

Bring the Gruffalo and other characters to life with this brand new Gruffalo Spotters trail and exciting augmented reality app. Download The Gruffalo Spotter app at home, then visit Hamsterley Forest in Durham or Kielder Water and Forest Park in Northumberland. Along the trails look out for clues which lead to footprint marker posts - point the app at these and watch Mouse, Fox, Owl, Snake and the Gruffalo appear before your eyes!

HADRIAN'S CAVALRY

Until Sun 10 September 2017
Arbeia Roman Fort, South Tyneside & Great North Museum, Newcastle

Hadrian’s Cavalry explores the role and daily life of the Roman army’s cavalry forces in a unique wall-wide exhibition that stretches the full 150 miles of the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site area – from Maryport in the west to South Shields in the east.

Free events include:

UNCOVERING CAVALRY – WHAT ARCHAEOLOGY TELLS US ABOUT ROMAN CAVALRY

Arbeia Roman Fort, South Tyneside

The Hadrian’s Cavalry exhibition at Arbeia Roman Fort consists of objects found in the barracks where the soldiers lived, and includes two outstanding items from elsewhere in the Empire that match finds from the fort itself. Visitors to Arbeia will also be able to explore the museum’s fascinating permanent exhibition which delves deeper into the lives of the Romans who lived and worked at this Roman Fort. Don’t miss the finest of archaeological findings which were discovered in and around the Fort when it was excavated.

SHOCK AND AWE – THE POWER OF THE ROMAN CAVALRYMAN’S MASK

Great North Museum, Newcastle

A cavalry trooper projected a powerful image. Their appearance reflected the power of the Roman Empire as well as the man behind the mask. or the very first time, two bronze ‘Ribchester-style’ Helmets are being displayed together at the museum. 

SHIVER ME TIMBERS - PIRATES ON PAGE, STAGE AND SCREEN

Until January 2018
The Word, South Tyneside

Batten down the hatches and hoist up The Jolly Roger for a new exhibition – Shiver Me Timbers – Pirates on Page, Stage and Screen anchored at The Word from Thursday 25 May. If you think you know about pirates, think again. Sponsored by Port of Tyne, this immersive exhibition is something the whole family will enjoy. Not only will it celebrate pirates and their iconic seafaring adventures, but will transport budding crew mates back into the golden age of piracy.

JURASSIC GARDENS

Every day until Sat September 30 2017
Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm & Sunday - 12noon - 4pm
Sunderland Museum & Wintergarden, Sunderland

Hidden amongst the lush vegetation of an indoor garden a whole series of amazing dinosaur models are waiting to be discovered. See a baby T-Rex as it hatches from its giant egg, watch a stegosaurus and a triceratops grazing on the greenery and spot some pteranodons flying overhead. Hunt down a velociraptor before it finds you and try not to disturb the sleepy crocodile as it lurks by the pool. The collection now also includes an impressive 3-metre high utahraptor, a baby camarasaurus and a huge pterodactyl with a 2-metre wingspan.

L.S.Lowry

Mon – Sat until Saturday 9 September
South Shields Museum

2017 marks 130 years since Lowry’s birth. In the later years of his life, he spent much of his time in the North East, particularly in Sunderland and South Shields. Here the sea became a prominent theme in his work. He also became increasingly interested in creating humorous images and caricatures. This exhibition presents some examples of his pictures from this period, including ‘Four People’, on loan from a private collector, which presents an intriguing scene set in Marine Park, South Shields.

Please check with event organisers before travelling and wherever you go, we hope you enjoy yourself this month,

Deb x