Curated · updated weekly
What's on
The markets, craft events, exhibitions and small, lovely things worth your time — hand-picked, never the tourist-trap stuff. If it's here, we'd go ourselves.
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All upcoming in the North East
FamilyUntil 20 Sept · Newcastle
Treasure: Hidden, Lost, Found
A free family exhibition of hoards, relics and buried finds at Newcastle's much-loved natural history and archaeology museum.
Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4PTFree entry
ExhibitionUntil 17 Jan · Gateshead
Chitra Ganesh & Tish Murtha at BALTIC
Two free, drop-in exhibitions on Gateshead Quayside — a Brooklyn artist's UK debut and Tish Murtha's Tyneside photography.
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays, NE8Free
MarketUntil 31 Dec · Newcastle
Grainger Market
A gorgeous Grade I-listed Victorian market hall in the heart of Newcastle, trading six days a week.
Grainger Market, Grainger Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5QGFree entry
MarketUntil 8 Feb · Newcastle
Quayside Sunday Market
A long-running, year-round outdoor market on Newcastle's historic Quayside with independent traders selling handmade crafts, art and local produce.
Newcastle Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3DEFree entry
Music👋 Meet peopleFri 18 – Sun 20 Sept · Durham
Durham Folk Festival
A new city-wide folk festival across Durham's cathedral, market place and miners' hall, with singing sessions, ceilidhs and river-cruise gigs.
Multiple venues across Durham City — Redhills Durham Miners Hall, Durham Cathedral, Palace Green & the MarketplaceTickets vary by event/day pass — see tickettailor.com/events/durhamfolkfestival
ExhibitionUntil 1 May · Gateshead
BALTIC Open Submission 2026
BALTIC's flagship open-call exhibition of around 100 works by artists from across the region and beyond, free to visit on Gateshead's quayside.
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays, South Shore Road, Gateshead NE8 3BAFree entry
MusicMon 21 Sept · Gateshead
Death Cab for Cutie
US indie-rock veterans play the Glasshouse's main hall on their 'I Built You A Tower' tour.
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, St Mary's Square, Gateshead NE8 2JRFrom around £41
Food & drinkSat 26 – Sun 27 Sept · Durham
Chester-le-EATS
Free food and drink festival at Durham Cricket Ground with street food traders, craft drinks producers, a tasting school and live music, now in its fifth year.
Durham Cricket Ground, Riverside, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, DH3 3QRFree entry
ExhibitionUntil 29 Mar · Middlesbrough
Turner Prize 2026
Britain's most talked-about art prize lands in Teesside — four shortlisted artists, free entry, no queue-worthy hype needed.
MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art), Centre Square, Middlesbrough TS1 2AZFree
Outdoors👋 Meet peopleSun 27 Sept · Durham
Bark in the Park
A dog show and fun day in the grounds of Raby Castle — agility displays, have-a-go training sessions and a fun dog show open to all comers.
Raby Castle, Staindrop, Darlington, County Durham DL2 3AHAdult £10, concession £10, child (4-15) £8, family (2+2) £41, under-4s free
Market👋 Meet peopleThu 1 Oct · Durham
Durham Food Producers' and Crafters' Market
A monthly market in Durham's historic Market Place, bringing North East producers and crafters together for the first Thursday of the month.
Market Place, Durham DH1 3NJFree entry
SeasonalSat 3 – Sun 4 Oct · Durham
Beamish Harvest Celebrations
Costumed demonstrations across Beamish's 1900s farm, pit village and town mark the old harvest calendar — one visit converts into a year-round pass.
Beamish Museum, Beamish, County Durham DH9 0RGIncluded in museum admission — Unlimited Pass from £26 concession / £35 adult, valid a year
Culture👋 Meet peopleFri 9 – Sun 11 Oct · Durham
Durham Book Festival
New Writing North's flagship festival brings Neil Tennant, Christopher Eccleston and major authors to Durham for one packed weekend.
Gala Durham and venues across Durham City, Millennium Place, Durham DH1 1WAFree – ticketed events
Market👋 Meet peopleSat 10 Oct · Cullercoats
Cullercoats Artisan Market
A free, friendly handmade market at Cullercoats Methodist Church — over 40 North East makers selling jewellery, woodwork, art and homewares.
Cullercoats Methodist Church, The Broadway, Cullercoats, North Shields NE30 4PQFree entry
Seasonal👋 Meet peopleUntil 24 Oct · Newcastle
Oktoberfest Newcastle
Bavarian beers, oompah bands and stein-holding contests take over Times Square across three October Saturdays.
Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EPFrom £12.50
MarketSat 10 Oct · Saltburn
Saltburn Farmers' Market
Around 35 stalls of local producers fill Station Square in this seaside town's monthly farmers' market, running since 2008.
Station Square, Saltburn-by-the-Sea TS12 1AEFree entry
Outdoors👋 Meet peopleSat 10 Oct · Newcastle
Shine Night Walk Newcastle & Gateshead
A 10k night walk through illuminated Tyneside landmarks for Cancer Research UK — welcoming to solo walkers, teams and all paces.
Start point: Baltic Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead NE8 3BAFrom £8.74 (early bird registration)
ExhibitionUntil 13 Feb · Newcastle
Pre-Raphaelites: Art and Poetry
The first exhibition to properly explore the Pre-Raphaelites' art and poetry side by side, with Rossetti, Millais and Elizabeth Siddall.
Laing Art Gallery, New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AGAdmission charge applies, concessions available
Market👋 Meet peopleSat 17 Oct · Tynemouth
Tynemouth Station Farmers' Market
Farmers' stalls fill the Victorian ironwork of Tynemouth's working Metro station once a month, alongside its regular weekend market.
Tynemouth Metro Station, Station Terrace, Tynemouth, North Shields NE30 4REFree entry
Food & drink👋 Meet peopleFri 23 – Sat 24 Oct · Newcastle
Lord of the Wings
A two-day chicken-wing food battle in Wylam Brewery's grand taproom, with local wingmasters going head-to-head from mild to fiery.
Wylam Brewery, Palace of Arts, Exhibition Park, Claremont Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4PZFree entry — pay per dish and drink
Seasonal👋 Meet peopleSun 25 Oct · Whitley Bay
Witchy Bay Alternative Craft Market
A free, dog-friendly Halloween craft market at Whitley Bay's Masonic Hall — handmade mystical wares, tarot readers and alternative fashion stalls.
Whitley Bay Masonic Hall, Norham Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear NE26 2SEFree entry
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