What To Do This Weekend
Family fun, fabulous food, and the return of the Great North Run…
Best of the Fests
If you love a pint, you’ll love this. The Leeds International Beer Festival returns today, and it’s celebrating craft beer brewed in the UK and overseas until Sunday alongside a street food market and live music at Kirkstall Abbey. Meanwhile on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, Druridge Bay Festival is encouraging visitors to unwind surrounding Ladyburn Lake, with live music, DJs and the option to camp under dark skies.
Child’s Play
They might be back to school, but there’s still plenty to keep the kids entertained this weekend. On 6th and 7th September, they can find The Happy Space in Blyth’s Ridley Park and step inside an inflatable dome to take part in crafts, stories and activities promising to bring a smile to their face. At The Alnwick Garden’s Lilidorei, September is Spritember and visiting elves can take part in Sprite Solver to earn a special secret as well as playing on the world’s largest play structure. The thrill of horse racing is combined with family fun this Sunday (7th) when York Racecourse welcomes Paw Patrol’s Chase & Marshall with an entertainment marquee, giant inflatables, a children’s petting zoo, zorb football and face painting.
The Great North Run
This weekend (7th September) around 60,000 runners will take part in The Great North Run – one of the biggest events in the North East calendar. From the iconic Tyne Bridge, passing the famous Gateshead International Stadium and finishing in the coastal town of South Shields, why not head along to support the runners? Are you taking part? Experts recommend carb-loading ahead of a big race, so here are three pasta recipes to try. Don’t forget to download the free tracking app, and we’ve also got your soundtrack sorted. Good luck to all those taking part this year!
Fabulous Food
Foodies and gardeners are highly anticipating the brand-new Plot to Plate event at RHS Garden Harlow Carr on 6th and 7th September with live cooking demonstrations, horticultural know-how, garden tours, live music, street food and child-friendly demonstrations. Sam Hamrebtan from The Life Larder will also be on hand to share her insights into the vital connection between soil health and gut health. Elsewhere, Sunderland Restaurant Week returns this Saturday and if you haven’t booked your table yet, act fast! For the first time, diners will even have the chance to try food from Michelin-star chef Tommy Banks. Here’s where to book.
Get Ready for Pumpkin Season
It’s time to start booking your tickets for the must-not-miss events of autumn/winter. Having grown more than 160,000 pumpkins, this October the Brocksbushes Pumpkin Experience is back. Bigger and better than ever, there’ll be endless photo opportunities, slides, mazes, rides, the famous pumpkin house – plus pumpkin carving is back so don’t forget to take your pick to the carving tent. The food village has expanded too, and new for this year don’t miss Woof Wednesdays (on 22nd and 29th October), when four-legged friends are welcome to explore the pumpkin patch. Spaces have sold out every year and this year is set to be no different, so Brocksbushes are urging visitors to book early – tickets are on sale now!
What’s New?
How do you like your eggs in the morning? You might enjoy yours best at Sandyford’s new café which is already proving a hit amongst Newcastle’s brunch lovers. Café Filto is dog-friendly and is now serving up brunch, lunch and cocktails. Take a peek inside here. Coffee-lovers will want to be one of the first to try Habitum in Leeds. This new coffee shop promises to fuel your caffeine habits with the ease of self-service and wellness-boosting ingredients. To celebrate the launch of a new arts trail in Shipley’s Northcliffe Woods, on Sunday 7th you can get involved in free hands-on workshops including leaf mandala making, tree wool weaving, fairy mobile creations and collagraph printmaking.
For everyone who likes to be organised for Christmas, early-bird discounted tickets for Living North's Christmas Fairs are on sale now! The North’s favourite Christmas Fairs will return to Newcastle Racecourse from 23rd to 26th October and York Racecourse from 20th to 23rd November… and don’t miss our brand-new event at Haydock Park Racecourse from 6th to 9th November. Book your tickets here. For more book-ahead events, pick up a copy of our October issues for the North East and Yorkshire for our brand-new culture calendar.
