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- 11th Nov 2026
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15 things to do in the North East this weekend (11th – 15th November 2026)
Christmas light switch-ons are starting across the region, and the festive build-up is in full swing.
From the Metrocentre’s Winter Weekender, with Martin Kemp switching on the lights, to the Ouseburn light switch-on and Brocksbushes’ Christmas Fayre, the festive season is well and truly under way.
Add a double bill at Dance City, Crown Ballet’s The Nutcracker in Consett, plus a run of wreath-making and craft workshops, and there’s plenty to fill the diary.
Here’s our pick of what’s on across the region this week.
Into the Light: Pett Clausen-Knight – Newcastle
When: Wednesday 11th November
Where: Dance City
Price: £16.00
PCK Dance, nominated for Best Independent Company and Emerging Choreographers at the National Dance Awards, bring a double bill to Dance City. VESSEL sees three bodies move beneath artificial constellations, while IN THE ABSENCE plays out on a mirrored floor of silver confetti. Suitable for ages eight and over.
Brocksbushes Christmas Fayre – Northumberland
When: Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th November
Where: Brocksbushes Farm Shop
Price: Adults £3.50 entry, children 16 and under go free
A North East favourite since 1998, Brocksbushes Farm Shop’s Christmas Fayre fills the farm with more than 70 handpicked stalls selling gifts, artisan food and drink and festive home decorations. Live music and demonstrations run alongside the shopping, and the farm shop and Courtyard Kitchen are on hand for a proper day out.
Good Company Networking – Newcastle
When: Thursday 12th November
Where: Bandstand!
Price: £11.55
A relaxed after-work social at Bandstand! in Exhibition Park, from Bloom Digitally, for anyone who’d rather chat than network. It’s open to ages 16 and over, and your ticket includes a welcome drink and 10% off food and drink on the night. Bandstand!’s monthly quiz kicks off at 7:30pm if you fancy staying on.
Sunrise Pilates – Tynemouth
When: Friday 13th November
Where: King Edward’s Bay
Price: Free, donations welcome
Club LUVO’s sunrise pilates session takes place on the sand at King Edward’s Bay, with the sea as your backdrop. The 45-minute class starts promptly at 7am, so arrive before 6:55am and wrap up in warm layers, as the organiser warns it will be chilly.
Metrocentre Winter Weekender – Gateshead
When: Friday 13th to Sunday 15th November
Where: Metrocentre
Price: Free
Metrocentre rounds off its 40th anniversary year with a festive weekend: live music from Thomas Nicholas on Friday, a Christmas parade on Saturday, a giant snowball pit for little ones all weekend, and Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp playing a DJ set and switching on the Christmas lights on Sunday.
Ouseburn Christmas Light Switch On – Newcastle
When: Friday 13th November
Where: Ouseburn
Price: £2.00 entry to the market, children go free
Late-night shopping, live music from a rock choir and the Storytellers Brass Band, and a Christmas market with 35 local businesses come together as the lights go on at 7pm. Santa is at 51 Lime Street, there’s mulled wine and festive treats, and the raffle and collection buckets raise money for Stepney Bank Stables.
Stargazing in the Garden – Northumberland
When: Selected dates from Friday 13th November
Where: Lord Crewe Arms
Price: £50.00
The Lord Crewe Arms hosts an evening of stargazing in its historic Gatehouse, led by astronomer Andy Gray. Set in the dark-sky village of Blanchland, it’s an intimate mix of constellations, stories and science, with the inn’s bar and restaurant to hand. Booking is essential, and further dates run through winter and into spring.
Lace and Legacy: Fashion Treasures from the Blackborne Collection – County Durham
When: From Saturday 14th November to Sunday 11th April 2027
Where: The Bowes Museum
Price: Included in admission
Marking 20 years since the landmark exhibition Fine & Fashionable: Lace from the Blackborne Collection, The Bowes Museum explores the antique lace trade in Lace and Legacy. Portraits and garments chart European lace from the sixteenth to the twentieth century, alongside student work from a research partnership with the National Gallery and Northumbria University.
The Nutcracker – County Durham
When: Saturday 14th November
Where: Empire Consett
Price: Adults £32.00 (£29.00 concession), under 16s £24.00
Crown Ballet brings The Nutcracker to Empire Consett, back after last year’s acclaimed tour. Tchaikovsky’s score soundtracks young Marie’s journey as her Nutcracker doll becomes a prince and leads her through swirling snowflakes, magical battles and the sparkling Kingdom of Sweets. A festive tradition for all ages.
Silver Gemstone Stacking Ring Workshop – Hartlepool
When: Sunday 15th November
Where: The BIS
Price: £60.00
The Little Silver Kiln leads a beginner-friendly silversmithing workshop where you’ll make three different rings, a textured one, a wavy one and a patterned one, each using a different technique. Then choose a gemstone to add to a pre-made bezel setting for the finishing ring. No experience is needed, and it runs for five hours.
Christmas Craft & Flea Market – Newcastle
When: Sunday 15th November
Where: Boiler Shop
Price: Entry £3.00, under 12s go free
Craft & Flea brings its Christmas makers’ market to the Boiler Shop, with independent makers, collectors and designers selling ceramics, illustrations, candles, jewellery and vintage finds. Every stall application is screened, so expect handmade, hand-designed and authentic vintage goods. Pre-booked tickets get priority entry.
Art Goss Zine Club – Sunderland
When: Sunday 15th November
Where: Port Independent
Price: £5.00
Pink-Collar Gallery’s Zine Club is a relaxed, hands-on session that turns women’s art history into something you make. A spin of the Art Goss wheel picks a woman artist, you create a page inspired by her story, and everyone’s pages are combined into that session’s zine, with a copy to take home. No experience needed.
Christmas Wreath Making Pottery Workshop – Newcastle
When: Sunday 15th November
Where: John Marley Centre
Price: £45.00
Soul Ceramiks runs a Christmas pottery workshop where you’ll sculpt your own ceramic wreath, using clay cutters, texture rollers and hand-building techniques to add holly, berries, stars and snowflakes. Paint it yourself or leave it for the studio’s white glaze, then collect it in around four to six weeks. Ages 12 and over.
Punkin’ Pumpkin Bath Bomb Making – Sunderland
When: Sunday 15th November
Where: Lush Cosmetics Sunderland
Price: £5.50
Lush Sunderland invites you to make your own Punkin’ Pumpkin bath bomb in a 30-minute workshop guided by staff. The cinnamon-scented creation includes pumpkin powder and a citrus mix of lime, orange and mandarin oils, and you take it home. Ages five and over, with adult supervision for children up to 12.
Christmas Wreath Making and Festive Fizz – Morpeth
When: Sunday 15th November
Where: The Creative Studio
Price: £44.04
The Creative Studio on Newgate Street hosts a Christmas wreath workshop where you’ll make your own fresh wreath, with all materials and guidance provided and no experience needed. Guests aged 18 and over get a complimentary glass of Prosecco, with soft drinks and alternatives available, plus festive refreshments. Spaces are limited, so book early.
Check out our what’s on calendar for upcoming events worth knowing about in the North East.
Molly Ferry
CONTENT ASSISTANT
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