Everything You'll Want to Do this Weekend
Get the whole family involved this weekend with these great things to do
Loud and proud…
This weekend, the biggest Pride event in the North returns to Newcastle. Spanning the whole weekend (19th–21st), this year Northern Pride will be taking place at venues across Newcastle city centre. This year’s theme is ‘unapologetically visible’, and events include a free family zone at The Assembly Rooms, a live performance space at Grey’s Monument, and the Northern Pride Arena at Central Park. The incredible line-up for this year includes local artists Jen & Liv, DJ Fat Tony and Ginger Johnson (the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season five). You can read our recent interview with Ginger here.
Time to celebrate…
Celebrating 25 years of serving delicious food and drink by the sea, The Ship Inn at Low Newton in Northumberland is hosting 25 Beers for 25 Years, a fabulous fun festival running across Saturday and Sunday. Featuring homemade brews and guest ales, the weekend will also include live music, and an incredible menu with dishes like beef brisket chilli, crab sandwiches and bratwurst with sauerkraut. This is not one to miss!
Catch a show…
If the weather remains unpredictable, head to Lyceum in Sheffield for the heartwarming and poignant Come From Away – this Saturday (20th) is your last chance to catch it here so grab your tickets while you can. If the sunshine does make an appearance, enjoy some outdoor cinema at Auckland Gardens as part of their Summer Fest, including Princess Bride on Friday (19th) and Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory on Saturday (20th).
Music to my ears…
This is shaping up to be a great weekend for gig-goers. On Sunday (21st), as part of the ongoing South Tyneside Festival you can catch ‘80s heartthrob Jason Donovan at Bents Park in South Shields, and at Millennium Square in Leeds you can catch Bananarama on Saturday (20th) performing all of their classic hits. For something brand new, head to Herrington Country Park in Sunderland on Saturday (20th) for Monument Festival, a new event with a line-up of rock, indie and alternative artists to enjoy.
A piece of cake…
Sometimes taking it easy at the weekend is a great way to reset after a long week. Why not take some time for yourself in the kitchen to create something delicious? For something easy to make with the kids, we recommend trying these chocolate cornflake cakes with pecans. For a true showstopper, challenge yourself to make this impressive and delicious three-layered Eton Mess cake.
Make a splash…
Ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, whet your appetite with the Aquatics GB Summer Championships. Returning to Sheffield this Saturday (20th), watch as hundreds of the country’s top young swimmers descend on Ponds Forge International Sports Centre for a key end-of-season meet. A significant event on the performance pathway, spectators will be cheering on the next generation of Olympians and Paralympians as they battle it out, marking the start of a remarkable summer of sport.
Head in a book…
Come rain or shine, there’s no place we’d rather be on a quiet weekend morning than at one of the many great independent bookstores across the North East and Yorkshire. One of our favourites (and named independent bookshop of the year for the North) is Wave of Nostalgia in Haworth, which boasts a carefully curated selection of books with a focus on women’s stories. In Northumberland, The Accidental Bookshop in Alnwick is another great option and comes from the same team who run the award-winning Forum Books in Corbridge and The Bound in Whitley Bay.
When in Rome…
For something unique this weekend, head to Malton on Sunday (21st) for the their third annual Roman Festival where you can expect live-action demonstrations from the Roman Cavalry, marching and battle sequences, and military encampments where you can discover more about the lives of the Romans during their 400 years of occupation in the UK. There’s plenty to keep the kids happy too including mosaic making, painting and archaeological digs to get stuck into. Book your tickets now so you don’t miss out.
State of the art…
For some of the best local artists and makers around, head to Lesbury Village Hall in Northumberland this Sunday (21st) for an amazing arts and crafts fair. Make a day of it and spend time learning about the different skills the makers bring to their work, with plenty of stalls to browse including work from Jane Charles Studio Glass as well as stone carving, photography and ceramics.
