2023 Events
Key Events in Durham
Durham hosts an exciting programme of events across the county every year, which attract visitors and encourage longer stays. Below you will find a selection of key events for 2023, which can be used in your own marketing activity to give your customers a reason to visit, or return.
For further information on what’s on across the county, download or register to receive a weekly copy of the This is Durham Week Ahead e-newsletter - a valuable tool to enable you to let your customers know what's going on in Durham. The week ahead is updated and available for download every Friday.
Do you have an event to promote? Complete the event submission form to have your event listed on thisisdurham.com, the official tourism website for the county.
Durham Pride - 10th anniversary
29 May | Durham City
Read More about Durham Pride - 10th anniversary
Bishop Auckland Food Festival
22 – 23 April | Bishop Auckland
Read More about Bishop Auckland Food Festival
Kynren – An Epic Tale of England
29 July – 9 September | Bishop Auckland
Visit Website Find out more about Kynren
England v New Zealand IT20
30 August | Seat Unique Riverside
Read More about England v New Zealand IT20
Durham Book Festival
Dates 13 - 15 October | Durham
Visit Website Find out more about the Durham Book Festival
North Pennines Stargazing Festival
20 October - 5 November | North Pennines
Visit Website Find out more about the North Pennines Stargazing Festival
Durham Christmas Festival
1 – 3 December | Durham
Visit Website Find out more about Durham Christmas FestivalMore 2023 Event Highlights
Spring
Raymond Briggs: A Retrospective at The Bowes Museum - 12 November - 26 February 2023
Fire & Ice - 24 - 25 February
World Heritage Site Lates - From 23 February
The Power of Image at Ushaw - 1 April - 25 June
World Heritage Site Day - 10 April
Bishop Auckland Food Festival - 22 - 23 April
Beamish Coronation Weekend - 6 - 8 May
Durham Pride - 10th anniversary - 25 - 29 May
Summer
Durham Regatta - 10 - 11 June
Sin: Exhibition organised by the National Gallery, London with The Auckland Project - 17 June - 1 October 2023
The Durham Shakespeare Festival - 8 - 30 July
Durham Brass Festival - 9 - 16 July
Durham Miners' Gala - 8 July
Movement: Celebrating 250 years of the world’s most famous Silver Swan - 8 July 2023 – 7 January 2024
Gaia - Durham Cathedral- 10 July - 10 September
Durham City Run Festival - 14 & 15 July
The Who Hits Back - 19 July
Durham Fringe Festival - 26 - 30 July
Adventure Cinema series at Raby - 28 - 30 July
IncludFEST - 29 July
Kynren - an epic tale of England - 29 July - 9 September
BeachFest at Dalton Park - 31 July - 20 August
Seaham Food Festival - 5 & 6 August
Hardwick Festival - 18 - 20 August
Derwent Fest 2023 - 25 - 28 August
Weardale Show - 26 August
ODI England Men v New Zealand Vitality IT20 - 30 August
Autumn
Wolsingham Show - 2 - 3 September
Heritage Open Days - 8 - 17 September
ODI England Women v Sri Lanka WIT20 - 9 September
Beamish Autumn Transport Gala - 9 - 10 September
Luxmuralis, Durham Cathedral - 11 - 15 October
Durham Book Festival - 13 - 15 October
North Pennines Stargazing Festival - 20 October – 5 November
Winter
Pyromusical Firework Spectacular - 4 November
Lumiere - 16 - 19 November
Gala Pantomime - Cinderella - 23 November 23 - 6 January 24
Durham Christmas Festival - 1 - 3 December
The Flying Scotsman Centenary Festival - Locomotion - 16 December - 2 January 24