***FREE EVENTS***
Every month I aim to highlight some of the great FREE events, places, attractions and things to do with your family across Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Teesside, Durham and Northumberland.
JIGGLY JELLYFISH
Saturday 3 March 10am - 12 noon
Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead
Get ready to create some commotion in the ocean with some crazy colourful jellyfish! Drop in across the morning to make a friendly colourful jellyfish ready for some commotion in the ocean. You’ll get crafty and creative whilst using all sorts of different arts materials. Suitable for ages 3yrs+. This event is Pay What You Feel with all donations going back into Gateshead Culture Team activities in Gateshead.
Special Saturday openings in March
Saturday 3 & Saturday 10 March 11am - 4pm
Part of the BBC Civilizations Festival
Arbeia Roman Fort, South Shields
Arbeia's fort and museum will open for two special dates for visitors to come and see redevelopment work going on ahead of the main season, as part of the wider BBC Civilisations Festival. This includes the improved access across the site, interpretation of the fort's history and objects, and highlighting the archaeology in areas such as the fort's North Gate.
Scales of Justice
Saturday 3 – Sunday 4 March – 1pm – 3pm
Palace Green Library, Durham
Scales of Justice can be used to see who is right and who is wrong. Make your own today to celebrate our exhibition 'Hell, Heaven and Hope: A journey through life and the afterlife with Dante.
Drawing Challenge
Saturday 3 March 11am - 3pm
Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle
A drawing challenge for all ages. Pop along to our Clore Learning Suite to explore some of our handling collection; then have a go at drawing, tracing, or colouring a them to take away.
THE DUCK RACE
Saturday 10 March 2pm
Elvet Bridge, Durham
The Duck Race is back with all profits going to the Great North Air Ambulance Service & the Local Charities Fund. Free to watch and just £1 entry. 10,000 rubber ducks with a £400 prize up for grabs. This unique spectacle returns to Durham, as we tip 10,000 rubber ducks into the river from Elvet Bridge, which race and win their corresponding raffle ticket owner a prize! A day of family fun for all - not to be missed!
Lucet Weaving
Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 March – 1pm – 3pm
Palace Green Library, Durham
The Anglo-Saxons made beautiful bracelets using a lucet weaver. Join us and make your own.
Mothers Day Ramble
Sunday 11 March 11am
Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve
Mums and their guests are invited to Rainton Meadows to enjoy a stroll around the reserve for Mother’s Day. A guide will introduce you to the herd of Exmoor ponies on the reserve and their 24/7 conservation work. Free for Mums, other guests are asked to make a donation, booking essential.
Bees
Saturday 17 March 11am - 4pm
Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle
The Great North Museum: Hancock will be a hive of activity as it hosts a special day dedicated to bees. Feel the buzz and meet with members of the Tyneside Beekeepers Association, NUSU BeeSoc, researchers from Newcastle and Northumbria University and a swarm of bee connected community groups and makers from across Tyneside. They’ll have stalls and activities, and there will be a treasure hunt for some lovely bee related prizes. People often think honey bees just make honey. But without them, our world would be a very different place.
ST CUTHBERT FESTIVAL WALK AND PROCESSION
Saturday 17 March 2018 9.30am Chester-le-Street / 2.10pm Market Place Durham
The Northumbrian Association holds its annual walk from Chester-le-Street to Durham Cathedral in honour of St Cuthbert. It is symbolic of the arrival of the body and relics of St Cuthbert in Durham in 994AD, and the formation of the Anglo-Saxon White Church, a precursor of today’s great Norman Cathedral. A free event – to reserve a place please contact events@durhamcathedral.co.uk
All the walkers arrive at the Cathedral via Durham’s Market Place. The St Cuthbert Banner will be carried in procession from the Market Place to the Cathedral to be welcomed at 2.10pm for a procession and prayers to the Shrine of St Cuthbert. Part of Durham Cathedral's annual St Cuthbert Festival.
LOCAL PRODUCERS’ MARKET
Saturday 17 March 10am – 4pm
Cloisters, Durham Cathedral
An opportunity to purchase local food and produce in a special market in the Cathedral Cloister. Organised by Durham Markets Company and part of the annual St Cuthbert Festival
Family Fun – Storytelling
Saturday 17 March 10.30am – 4pm
Durham Cathedral
Storyteller Adam Bushnell will celebrate St Cuthbert with stories about the Anglo Saxons and the vicious Vikings! There will be object handling and other activities suitable for ages 3+. A free event – no need to book. Part of the St Cuthbert Festival.
FANTAZMAGORIA
Saturday 17- Sunday 18 March
Locomotion, Shildon, Durham
Steampunk and sci-fi converge in our film and television spectacular, which brings together collectables, models, art and more. Enjoy displays and demonstrations by clubs and individual exhibitors, and take the chance to explore a range of stands offering everything from collectables and costumes to art, comic books and war games. The cabs of selected steam locomotives from our collection will also be open over the weekend, giving you the chance to take photographs against the perfect steampunk backdrop—as well as to discover more about how a steam locomotive works.
Organised by the Film & TV Model Club, Fantazmagoria lends a truly unique atmosphere to the museum and is not to be missed.
Heroic Hopes
Saturday 17- Sunday 18 March 1pm – 3pm
Palace Green Library, Durham
Dante had many hopes and wishes for his journey. As our exhibition ends, create a special holder for your hopes and wishes.
GROUND LEVEL 5” GAUGE SHUNTING DEMONSTRATION
Wednesday 21– Sunday 25 March 2018
Locomotion, Shildon, Durham
Witness some fantastic diminutive model steam and diesel engines in action at this celebration of 5" gauge railways. The Ground Level 5” Gauge Main Line Association return to the museum for a fascinating five-day shunting demonstration. Get up close to a working 5” gauge railway running throughout our Collection Building. Discover how railways, locomotives and rolling stock really work through displays modelled on British mainline railways. See operating models of popular steam and diesel locomotives performing realistic railway operations—all against the impressive backdrop of our standard gauge collection.
INFINITY PITCH
24 March – 15 April 2018
Baltic, Gateshead Quays
Play by your own rules as BALTIC welcomes you to a three-week takeover of making and doing, completely free. Join artists Pester & Rossi and a group of collaborators to make, break and re-make the rules of play. Enjoy up to eight live action stations and big, fun, colourful inflatables across BALTIC’s largest gallery space, and take part in activities where you can watch, listen, explore, improvise and play. Infinity Pitch is for everyone and open daily. No need to book, just drop-in. Inclusive access sessions that are designed to be a quieter, more relaxed opportunity to visit and allow those with specific needs to feel more comfortable are also available.
Butterwick Hospice Easter Fayre
Saturday 24 March
Butterwick Hospice, Bishop Auckland, Durham
There will be stalls, face painting, yummy treats and even games for the little ones, including an Easter egg hunt with our Butterwick Bunny!
BEAUTIFUL BOOKS
Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 1pm – 3pm
Palace Green Library, Durham
Celebrate our wonderful library and make your own books to take home.
Penshaw Bowl
Friday, March 30, Good Friday from 12 noon
Herrington Country Park
This year’s event will once again centre around a traditional egg rolling competition in the Amphitheatre at Herrington Country Park. Other free activities will include a craft market, live music and a range of traditional children’s games. All children aged eleven and under are welcome to take part in the egg roll which will be opened by The Right Worshipful Mayor of the City of Sunderland. Please come along with your pre-decorated hard boiled egg clearly marked with your child's name and age. The bowl will begin with the age 3 and under category and work up through the age groups. Please note that filming and photography will be taking place throughout the event. This is a free event, but please pre-register your place so they can manage numbers on the day.
ARBEIA OFFICIAL SEASONAL REOPENING
Friday 30 March Good Friday 11am - 3.30pm with training demos at 1pm and 3pm
Arbeia Roman Fort, South Shields
As it reopens for the 2018 season, come along and meet members of Cohors Quinta Gallorum, the auxiliary unit that garrisoned to the Fort in the third century. The group are part of the Arbeia Society who research, reconstruct and display all aspects of military and civilian life in early third century Britain. They'll have some of their weapons and armour on display and will be demonstrating the training that would be undertaken regularly by Roman Soldiers. They may even let visitors try throwing a javelin.
Sci-Fi Fair
Saturday 31 March 12 noon – 3.30pm
South Shields Museum & art gallery
Don your Doctor Who scarf and get your lightsaber at the ready.
Embrace your inner geek and head down to South Shields Museum for the welcome return of the regular Easter Saturday sci-fair collectors event. Whether you're a Dr. Who fanatic or a Trekkie, there is something for all sci-fi fans with the usual range of fantastic dealers for toys, gifts, jewellery and more.
Whatever you do and wherever you decide to go, I hope you have lots of family fun in March.
Deb x
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