What's On in the North East and Yorkshire in May
Popular shows, exciting events and everything you'll want to book now to enjoy in May
On Track
Jen and Dean are on the Metro, but this journey takes them back and forth through days, months and years. The tunnels are filled with memories and they must come to terms with a pivotal event that changed everything. This new play won the inaugural North East Playwriting Award thanks to its gripping portrait of young lives.
Dogs on the Metro
1ST–17TH MAY
Live Theatre, Newcastle
live.org.uk
Read All About It
From local authors and Living North columnist LJ Ross to new fiction to read and writing workshops to try out, Hexham Book Festival celebrates all things books. Visitors to various locations across Hexham will hear from northern Horrible Histories writer Terry Deary and Bookish author Lucy Mangan.
Hexham Book Festival
2ND–11TH MAY
Hexham
hexhambookfestival.co.uk
Sew Good
In this workshop at Raby Castle you can craft your own hand-embroidered landscape, no matter how much experience you have in embroidery. Will you frame yours, turn it into a greetings card or use it on a cushion?
Needle & Nature Landscape Embroidery Workshop
10TH MAY
Raby Castle, Staindrop
raby.co.uk
On Tap
This play centres around the lives of a group of women (and one man) attending a weekly tap-dance class in a North London church hall. Mavis teaches but before the dancing starts, she must mediate the drama between the group of students of different ages and backgrounds. Stepping Out won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Comedy when it originally opened in London’s West End in 1984. The popular film starred Liza Minnelli and Julie Walters.
Stepping Out
12TH–17TH MAY
Tynemouth Priory Theatre
tynemouthpriorytheatre.co.uk
Fiercely Funny
Moira Buffini’s clever and charming political comedy, Handbagged, unlocks the palace door, imagining the conversations of two of history’s most powerful women – the late Margaret Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth II. Expect satire and sharp humour as the gloves come off.
Handbagged
13TH–17TH MAY
Northern Stage, Newcastle
northernstage.co.uk
A Good Laugh
Northern comedian Carl Hutchinson is nonstop. This is his third consecutive back-to-back tour, and as always you can expect hilarious observations and exaggerated physical comedy to make you laugh from start to finish.
Carl Hutchinson
15TH MAY
Harrogate Theatre
harrogatetheatre.co.uk
Mackem Proud
Celebrated through the songs of its supporters including Cheer Up Peter Reid, Sunderland Take Over, Sunderland Till I Die and Can’t Help Falling in Love, The Sunderland Story is told through the eyes of the Carter and Thompson families, who realise that much of their family history always seems to link back to the story of Sunderland AFC. It’s a proud celebration of this city and its football team.
The Sunderland Story
15TH–31ST MAY
Sunderland Empire
atgtickets.com
It’s a Mystery
Degrees of Error will create a classic murder mystery on-the-spot in this improvised comedy show where you become the author. All you have to do… is solve it!
Murder, She Didn’t Write
16TH MAY
Gala Durham
galadurham.co.uk
Joy in the Jungle
Tall Stories’ musical adaptation of the much-loved Elmer books by David McKee is the perfect show for kids. Has anyone ever actually seen Elmer? Can you help find him? Expect songs, storytelling and puppetry.
The Elmer Adventure
16TH & 17TH MAY
Alnwick Playhouse
alnwickplayhouse.co.uk
Child’s Play
Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and friends are back with a live show – Igglepiggle’s Busy Day! The audience will join Igglepiggle in the Night Garden as he tries to find his friends. Children will love the costumes, puppets and music in this show which lasts just under an hour.
In The Night Garden Live!
16TH & 17TH MAY
The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
bradford-theatres.co.uk
Comedy Gold
Join Harry Hill on his Diamond Jubilee lap of honour, celebrating 60 years of laughter. One lucky audience member will get to join him in a double act!
Harry Hill: New Bits & Greatest Hits
17TH MAY
Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle
tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk
Lunch with Love
The Vale of York Supporters of the global charity Hope and Homes for Children are welcoming businesswoman and philanthropist Akshata Murty to this spring fundraising event at Raby Castle. There'll be a Champagne reception, lunch and an exclusive conversation between Akshata and interviewer Christopher Bourne Arton, and complimentary access to Raby Castle’s spectacular gardens and the historic Walled Garden is included. All of this will support Hope and Homes for Children, a charity working to make orphanages history by helping children return to safe, loving families.
Raby Castle Lunch
17TH MAY
Raby Castle, near Staindrop
hopeandhomes.org
Let’s Celebrate
Having recently been selected as a finalist in the Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards Hutchinson Hobbs are celebrating their 10th birthday with a hog roast where guests can meet suppliers, learn where the food comes from, sample some treats, and get 10 percent off shopping in the farm shop. In the evening, adults are invited to an 80s-themed party night presented by DJ and radio presenter Ryan Swain and there’ll be live music too.
Back to the 80s
17TH MAY
Holdenfields Farm, Castlelevington
hutchinsonhobbs.co.uk
Let’s Go Fly A Kite
Celebrating its 10th birthday this year, Bridlington Kite Festival will see some of the world’s largest inflatable kites take to the skies over the East Yorkshire coast. Look out for flying frogs, leaping lizards and a whopping whale. Plus, there’ll be food and drink, charity stalls, fairground rides and plenty to keep the kids entertained too.
Bridlington Kite Festival
17TH & 18TH MAY
Bridlington
bridlingtonkitefestival.co.uk
In The Country
From country sports to fine foods and animals, the whole family can enjoy a weekend at Yorkshire Game & Country Fair. Don’t miss the UK Tractor Show, displaying some of the finest tractors in the UK. Scampston Hall even has its own purpose-built tractor pulling area.
Yorkshire Game & Country Fair
17TH & 18TH MAY
Scampston, near Malton
scampston.co.uk
Back For Good
Back on the road solo, Gary Barlow will be entertaining audiences in Stockton this May. Fans of Take That won’t want to miss this show.
Gary Barlow
22ND & 23RD MAY
Stockton Globe
stocktonglobe.co.uk
Especially For You
Just a few hot tickets remain for Kylie’s Sheffield show on her Tension Tour this year, but that’s hardly surprising. Act fast to grab the final few for what’s set to be Kylie’s biggest tour in over a decade.
Kylie: The Tension Tour
23RD MAY
Utilita Arena, Sheffield
utilitaarenasheffield.co.uk
Cheers To This
Catterick Racecourse promises a fantastic day out for the entire family, with thrilling race fixtures held throughout the year. As well as thrilling racing action, enjoy live music and great beer at this special raceday, where there’ll also be free children’s entertainment in the course enclosure. The beer festival and live music take place in the grandstand and paddock enclosure. This Flat season, racegoers will notice some significant changes at the course, following the recent opening of the Horseshoe Café Bar where they can relax and enjoy refreshments alongside the racing action, right at the heart of the Paddock.
Catterick Beer Festival Afternoon Raceday
24TH MAY
Catterick Racecourse
catterickbridge.co.uk
Going Live
It’s almost festival season and one of the first on our list is Live at Leeds when it returns to Temple Newsam. This one-day festival has yet another impressive lineup this year featuring Sigrid, Manic Street Preachers, Bloc Party and Natasha Bedingfield.
Live at Leeds
24TH MAY
Temple Newsam, Leeds
liveatleeds.com
Off The Rails
Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first locomotive passenger train – a local invention that transformed the world, this new exhibition focuses on the impact of passenger railways on lives in our region.
All Change
FROM 25TH MAY
The Story, Durham
sdr200.co.uk
Murder She Sang
On her biggest ever UK headline tour, the icon behind Murder on the Dancefloor, Sophie Ellis-Bextor is back. Her sets are always highenergy and great fun, so don’t miss out on this chance to see her perform in York.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
26TH MAY
York Barbican
yorkbarbican.co.uk
Take Pride
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is back at Leeds Grand Theatre with the hilarious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story. Five women play overlooked servants who retell Pride and Prejudice through their eyes by each playing multiple characters in the story, including Darcy, Bingley and Mrs Bennet. Now a multi-award winning production, this audacious show features pop classics including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain. Find out why you won’t want to miss it at livingnorth.com.
Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)
27TH–31ST MAY
Leeds Grand Theatre
leedsheritagetheatres.com
Step Into Spring
The North’s leading homes, gardens, shopping, food and lifestyle event returns to Newcastle Racecourse this spring. With stylish shopping, live demonstrations, talks and tastings, Living North LIVE brings you inspiring ideas for your home and garden, great gifts, delicious food and unique accessories that you won’t find anywhere else! We can’t wait to see you there! Early-bird tickets are on sale now.
Living North LIVE
30TH MAY–1ST JUNE
Newcastle Racecourse
livingnorth.com
Making History
Alnwick Castle has flung open its doors to visitors for the new season, and for the first time in the castle’s nearly 1,000-year history, visitors can now go ‘below stairs’ and explore the extensive Victorian kitchens. There are a number of exciting events planned for the 2025 season, including falconry displays, jester shows and book talks.
The Great Kitchen
THIS SEASON
Alnwick Castle
alnwickcastle.com
River Deep
The theme for Dalby Forest’s exhibition The River Project is ‘connectivity’, creating an immersive, experiential series of workshops, engaging local people in the landscape surrounding the River Rye. Workshops took place in Rievaulx at Tylas Farm, in Sproxton at Throstle Nest and at Bonfield Ghyll up on the moors where participants discovered places in remote locations and heard from the landowners about their amazing nature friendly farming techniques during the workshops. Artist Sue Walsh has used the natural resources to help connect individuals and groups within the North York Moors through workshops. This exhibition brings together the creative outcomes from these workshops: poetry consolidated from the creative writing and field notes of participants, eco-printing using the flora surrounding the river, photography by Rachel Rimell and soundscapes created by Cecilia Tyrell.
The River Project
UNTIL 1ST JUNE
Dalby Forest
forestryengland.uk
Out Of This World
We don’t just live in the universe, we are the universe, according to the National Science & Media Museum’s new exhibition. This digital and interactive experience blends art, science and creative technologies to explore the web of relationships tethering us to the universe, as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
You:Matter
UNTIL 22ND FEBRUARY 2026
National Science & Media Museum, Bradford
scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk
