By Ben Whitfield, Director of Communications, NE1 Ltd
In a crowded marketplace and busy season, where cities across the UK and Europe compete to stand out, Newcastle is gearing up to put on a great show to attract visitors this summer. The city’s calendar is packed with a programme of curated events, designed to appeal to a wide audience with activities for all ages and interests, and lots of free things to see and do.
At NE1, we have worked closely with partner organisations to ensure that the summer programme in the heart of the city is well-timetabled and supported. Throughout the school holidays there will be a major themed event each weekend which will create a real buzz, attracting tens of thousands of visitors into the city centre, and even before our main events get underway, there are already some highly visible NE1 additions which herald the start of summer, and bring the city’s streets to life.
The welcome return of NE1’s Grey Street Gathering is always one of the first signs of the fun in store. The much-loved pocket park has returned to Grey Street, providing seating and a green space to chill in the heart of the city.
On the Quayside, another installation has returned with NE1’s show-stopping Wesley Square mural, this year showcasing artist, Andy Welland. His 90m-long masterpiece decorates the pavement with a riot of colour and shapes, providing a novel backdrop for capturing summer photos and adding a new dimension to one of the city’s most iconic vistas.
Over our coming five-year term, NE1 has committed to celebrating distinct quarters of the city and helping them forge their own unique identities. In Chinatown, we have worked closely with the local community to install lanterns spanning the length of Stowell Street, and we’ve worked with LGBTQIA+ groups to design and install a colourful crossing on Marlborough Crescent.
All of these wider placemaking efforts have been installed in time for the school holidays, a sign that the city is gearing up for the main event, NE1’s Summer in the City programme.
The festivities commence at the beginning of July with the return of NE1’s much-loved Screen on the Green in Old Eldon Square, its adopted home since 2016. The open-air movie theatre opens with sporting action before the main event, more than 90 free movies throughout the summer holidays.
This year, the whole of Old Eldon Square will be transformed into a hive of family-friendly fun with what we know will be a hugely popular and exciting new addition, Tiny Toon, a miniature Play Village of role-playing fun for children equipped with mini-versions of some of Newcastle’s most iconic buildings and businesses.
Play Rebellion will also be returning, encouraging kids to embrace their creativity by building and playing with the installation’s large colourful foam shapes to create their own structures.
All this will make Old Eldon Square the place for families all summer long with enough free activities to entertain the kids all day in the heart of the city.
The summer weekend fun starts on 19-21st July with Northern Pride. We are delighted to partner with the event for the 10th year running. Central to the celebrations will be the signature Pride march, and the weekend music festival staged at Central Park in Times Square. A Mini Pride pop-up will be staged at NE1’s Screen on the Green with activities for all the family.
Our Summer in the City programme sees us team up with local businesses to deliver over 75 free activities for people to enjoy, with free dance classes run by Dance City and new twilight yoga sessions hosted on the Quayside. Another first this summer is free kayaking taster sessions on the Tyne thanks to our partners, CBK Adventures. We’ve also added two new weekend events; Music by the Marina, on Saturday 17th August, a day of live performances from local talent, and Dog on the Tyne, a canine extravaganza timed to coincide with International Dog Day, on Saturday 24th August.
Newcastle City Council’s NOVUM Festival will provide the fun and focus for the weekend of 8th – 11th August with live performances, artistic installations, music and free family fun. One not-to-miss event will be artist Lawrence Malstaf’s ‘Shrink’, with local people vacuum-sealed and suspended as living portraits.
Red Bull arrive in the city on Saturday 3rd August with the Red Bull Tyne Ride motorcycle race. Some of the world’s best riders, including local Wallsend hero Billy Bolt, will compete in nail-biting races on a purpose-built course on the Quayside. The event is free and promises to be a thrilling spectacle and a high point of the summer schedule.
On top of all this, returning in August is one of the most anticipated events in the city’s annual calendar, NE1’s hugely popular Newcastle Restaurant Week. With discounted meals at over 100 participating restaurants, it’s a firm favourite across the region and updates are eagerly awaited. The dates for the August event will be announced soon so keep an eye on NE1’s social channels to secure your spot at your favourite restaurants.
With a packed calendar of free events across the city, we’re confident that this will be one of the best summers ever in Newcastle. Here’s to a bumper six-weeks, and beyond!
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