AMBITION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT and PROFILE are the three key drivers underpinning Newcastle's impressive events programme.
From NE1’s own signature and well loved events like the bi-annual Newcastle Restaurant Week, the highly visible Quayside Seaside or the Blackett Street takeovers, to big city centre events like the Rugby World Cup and the World Transplant Games that NE1 supports, there is rarely a day goes by without a new attraction being added to the city’s events calendar. And, that’s just as it should be!
Successful cities the world-over are those that are constantly changing and evolving. We need to be proactive here in Newcastle to ensure that we maintain our vibrancy and continue to look to the future to attract new events and activities, which will give us ‘the edge’.
One of the latest coups for Newcastle is that the city is to host a further three matches of the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 a ringing endorsement for the city and its ability to host major events. Some of the biggest and best rugby league stars from all over the world will be coming to the North East to our world class venues at St James’ Park and Kingston Park. This is proof positive that as a city, we now have an enviable and proven track record for hosting major sporting and leisure events and concerts and our reputation is growing.
We have always been able to throw a great party – we have the venues, the infrastructure and the right mind-set to not just deliver an event but to surpass expectations. This is very much a testament to the strong partnership between the relevant organisations Newcastle City Council, Newcastle United, NGI and the Newcastle Falcons in both securing and delivering these high profile events.
We are lucky to have world-class venues here in Newcastle and to be in the almost unique position of retaining our premier league football stadium in the heart of the city, a rarity in the modern game. This certainly adds to the success of events staged here. We saw this in the four years that the Rugby League’s Magic Weekend made the city its home. Visiting teams and supporters extolled the virtues of Newcastle and St James’ Park and its city centre location. People came for the rugby but enjoyed and easily accessed the city’s other assets; its restaurants, pubs, cultural venues and fabulous retail. But there is also another major, unquantifiable component that makes Newcastle’s event programme so successful and that is the character of the city, its people and the famous Geordie welcome. We make events memorable because the whole city gets behind them and demonstrates a pride in the region and a pride as the host.
This has put Newcastle well and truly on the map. With the succession of global events that have been staged here, the city has grown in stature and in confidence rising to the challenge of having the international spotlight trained on it.
This year the bar was set high and early when the Heineken & Challenge Cup rolled into town. In the region of one hundred thousand supporters from all corners of the globe descended on the city for the Heineken & Challenge Cup and were impressed by the welcome they received and the spectacle that was put on for their entertainment both on and off the pitch.
The sporting theme continued with NE1’s inaugural Newcastle City Sprint cycling event a new addition to the city’s event calendar and one that was well received by the crowds of people who lined the route through Grainger Town to the start and finish line at Grey’s Monument. Events like this introduce new audiences to sport, encourage greater sporting participation and add an exciting new dimension to the city’s events programme which all delivers a welcome boost to the local economy.
NE1’s summer season drew to a close at the end of August with the last of the Blackett Street family takeovers and the final Screen on the Green movie screenings. September saw two bumper weekends; firstly the Great North Run Weekend, a four-day sporting spectacular, opening with a Friday night of rugby with England taking on Italy at St James’ Park, a match designed as a warm-up for the Rugby World Cup. Saturday and Sunday saw the city devoted to Great North Run festivities, one of the world’s most popular and famous half marathons then on Monday 9th September, the Tour of Britain cycle race made a welcome return to the region and to the city the first time in over a decade. The final kilometres of the race were along the Quayside, before the final turn on to Dean Street and Grey Street for the spectacular city centre finish.
On Saturday, 14 September NE1 then hosted two major new events which we called ‘Super Saturday’. We teamed up with the Newcastle Cathedral and the Castle to host a new Merchant Quarter Revival event with markets, activities and entertainment which spanned the Bigg Market, the Castle and Newcastle Cathedral. On the same day, Newcastle’s hosted its first Dragon Boat race on the River Tyne with teams competing for the inaugural city Dragon Boat title.
Looking back it has been a glittering summer season of events in Newcastle and it is no sooner drawing to a close than we’re planning for its return next year and in years to come while also focusing on Christmas. We have been working with the Council to create and deliver an outstanding Christmas offer this year. With the summer programme drawing to a close and kids going back to school it will be all action stations for the delivery of Newcastle Christmas 2019 whilst also looking ahead to major events in summer 2020, 2021 and beyond.
Events will continue to play a huge part in NE1’s business programming. They are crucial for the city, its economic prosperity and its future. Events deliver for the city and it is crucially important that we cast our net wide and continue to attract and deliver major events throughout the year.
Newcastle punches above its weight in the event stakes and we need to keep it that way, relentlessly pursuing events that raise the profile of this great city and that deliver an experience and economic impact we can be proud of.