What To Do This Weekend
Complete the ultimate weekend checklist - and don't forget you've got an extra hour to do it in!
Experience Some Early Festive Magic at Living North’s Christmas Fair
Ditch the high street crowds: discover unique gifts, local food, and plenty of festive essentials
Living North’s Christmas Fair is firmly hailed as the best way to kickstart Christmas! From the 22nd–25th October, we’re back at Newcastle Racecourse. Bigger and better than ever, you can browse more than 200 artisan stands packed with unique gifts, stunning homeware, delicious food and drink, and bespoke Christmas decorations. Come with family and friends and make a day of it, and when you need a break from shopping relax in our Christmas Prosecco Bar. Tickets are available on the door so make sure you don’t miss out!
The Ultimate Toddler Playdate
Join Mickey and friends for a high-energy cinema takeover
Starting this Saturday, Disney Junior Cinema Club will return to the big screen at a cinema near you. Created for little ones between the ages of two and six, this is an on-screen adventure with dancing, games, superhero training, singing and a royal treasure hunt!
What’s New
In Leeds
Voted Leeds' best deli, Alfonso's is opening a new location on New Road Side in Horsforth. Famed for its toasted Cuban sandwiches, coffee, and stacked subs – this local favourite has made a name for itself serving some of the finest lunches in the city.
In Amble
Opening on Queen Street on this Saturday, Koral is a coffee, homeware and furniture shop full of delicious nibbles, hot drinks and beautiful items for your home. Pop in for a browse, and treat yourself to some coffee and cake.
In Darlington
Darlington Markets is welcoming a new bookstore, Chapter and Filter. Visit and you’ll find a range of new and second-hand books, as well as an expansive collection of fantasy, sci-fi, and romantasy reads to take home.
In Newcastle
Morning Cloud has officially opened a new spot inside Café Mercy on Grey Street. It serves speciality coffee, matcha, sweet bakes, and delicious brunches. This is definitely a spot you don’t want to miss this weekend.
Wear Out Your Pup at The Bark Barn
We love their endless energy, but every paw-rent needs a break sometimes!
Head on down to the North East’s very first soft play area designed exclusively for dogs, which can be found in Blaydon. Safely channel your four-legged friends’ boundless energy, and treat them to a fun and engaging play spot where they can make some new furry friends.
Autumn’s Ultimate Literary Sanctuaries
Escape the chill and immerse yourself in the weird and wonderful worlds of these unique bookshops
In Berwick
Slightly Foxed in Berwick is a charming, independent second-hand bookshop on Bridge Street. It features a back room with artistic ceiling murals, plenty of comfortable reading spots and a nostalgic, whimsical setting throughout – as well as plenty of books to browse.
In Whitley Bay
Keel Row Books is the longest established rare and collectable bookshop in the North East of England. Head over to browse their range of first-editions, signed copies, fine bindings and antiquarian books.
In Durham
Collected is an independent Durham City bookshop celebrating work written by women. Its intentionally curated selection showcases everyone from Margaret Atwood and Bernardine Evaristo to Agatha Christie and Danielle Steel.
In York
Calling all literary thrill seekers! Criminally Good Books is a haven for gripping crime-and-mystery literature ranging from Golden Age whodunnits to modern psychological thrillers, and deep-dive true crime.
In Leeds
Just when you thought you’d seen it all, here comes a floating bookshop! Hold Fast in Leeds Dock hosts a carefully curated selection of new releases, classics, second-hand titles, and children’s/YA books. This is certainly a unique outing for any book lovers.
Get Your Matcha Fix
Botaniq is taking over The Moor Market this weekend, and you won’t want to miss it.
Botaniq is back in Sheffield this weekend at The Moor Market. They’ll be serving their delicious, signature matcha drinks, banana puddings and cookies. You simply won’t find creations like their cookie butter matcha anywhere else.
Escape the Crowds This Weekend
Discover gorgeous autumn colours at these lesser-known gems
In Nidderdale
Brimham Rocks is a dramatic moorland rock formation created by a river which flowed 100 million years before dinosaurs walked the earth. There’s a natural playground for the little ones and a selection of food and drink at the refreshment kiosk, as well as a second-hand bookshop to browse if you want to escape the cold.
In Washington
Did you know the ancestral home of George Washington’s forebears lies right here in the North East? Washington Old Hall is a 17th-century house, where the Washington family lived between the 12th and 14th centuries, that still incorporates the original medieval stonework and masonry from the family's early home.
In Northumberland
St Cuthbert’s Cave is a scenic autumn walk with a golden forest canopy and dramatic sandstone cliffs. Climb the crags behind the rocks and you’ll find sweeping panoramic views stretching across the Northumberland countryside, all the way to Lindisfarne and Bamburgh Castle.
In Rotherham
Tucked away in a quiet, wooded valley straddling Maltby Beck, Roche Abbey offer an atmospheric escape from the crowds. The grounds were famously landscaped in the 1770s by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, who blended medieval Gothic transepts with picturesque streams and tree-lined walks.
In York
Goddard’s House and Garden was once the private family home of Noel and Kathleen Terry (creators of the famous Terry's Chocolate Orange). While the house itself is closed to visitors, you can still visit the five acres of formal gardens and walk through the intimate garden rooms.
