What's On and Things To Do Around Washington

A lesson in how to make a small shady place colourful and interesting. Small ’courtyard style’ garden, with central paved area, surrounded by borders containing shrubs and box balls for year round structure, and packed with colourful Astilbes, lilies and clematis for summer impact.

Join us every day during May half-term for a fun outdoor activity. There’s lots to be discovered, and plenty to learn about nature. We’ll be doing lots of ’50 things to do before you’re 11 ’ tasks such as hunting for bugs and beasts as well as looking out for birds.

The picturesque stone manor house and its gardens provide a tranquil oasis in an historic setting. It contains a formal Jacobean garden with box hedging borders around evergreens and perennials, vegetable garden, wild flower nut orchard with bee hives. Places to sit out and enjoy a picnic.

Let's Rock The North East: Tickets avaiable.

Climb the secret spiral staircase to the monument’s rooftop walkway. Enjoy spectacular views across Wearside and County Durham from the top of this 70ft iconic landmark. Booking Advisable. Phone: 0844 249 1895. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Climb the secret spiral staircase to the monument’s rooftop walkway. Enjoy spectacular views across Wearside and County Durham from the top of this 70ft iconic landmark. Booking Advisable. Phone: 0844 249 1895. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Race for Life brings thousands of women together to support Cancer Research UK’s life-saving research into all 200 types of cancer. Sign up or help us spread the word. This is a 5k suitable for all abilities. This is thousands of women uniting with one purpose. 10k is a great step up from our 5k events.

Planet Circus The Wow Factor!!! This year’s super show features: The world’s most dangerous circus act Team Brazil in The Globe of Death, with motorcyclists speeding around inside a steel cage at over 60mph, this act has to be seen to be believed.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is a series of women-only events raising money for research into all 200 types of cancer. Race for Life Gateshead is a 5k (or just over 3 miles) and is an achievable distance for all ages and abilities.

Sophie reads about an exciting creature called a Penguinpig on the Internet. Filled with delight and intrigue she sets off alone on an adventure to find the adorable creature, leading her to the Zoo. But what will she find inside?

Newcastle Bach Choir joins forces with a guest choir from Newcastle’s twinned town Gelsenkirchen, Germany, to sing Mendelssohn’s Elijah - a wonderful musical journey through key events in the story of Elijah, including a dramatic retelling (resinging?

Enjoy the hustle and bustle of a Georgian Country Fair at Beamish Museum. Experience a fair like no other as The Squire of Pockerley sets about hiring his staff for the coming months! Here’s just some of the many things on offer at the fair; Be amazed by the Georgian Peep Show.

On the 9th and 10th June the roads and streets at Beamish will come alive with the sights and sounds of stunning classic vehicles from the Morris Car Club. Up to 20 cars will be on display at the museum and travelling around site, a brilliant opportunity to see some amazing vehicles first-hand!

Join the folk at Beamish Museum as they celebrate their Sunday School Anniversary, a big event for the community, when children wearing their finery would have taken part in a service before gathering for a picnic and treat.

The North East Police History Society will be putting on a display of items and exhibits at Beamish Museum. Visit the North East Police History Society exhibition in the Collections Study Room (near Open Stores) to learn about policing in the past. As with all daytime events, your Unlimited Pass is valid!

The 48th Beamish Safety and Reliability Run is taking place on Sunday, 17th June 2018! This event is for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles registered before 1956. Beginning and finishing at Beamish, the run will follow a 150-mile route around County Durham and North Yorkshire.

Climax Blues Band - it’s been a long road, but one thing for sure is that the Climax Blues Band of today carries the same standard of quality as it did when the band formed back in the late 60s!

Speed Dating in Newcastle How speed dating in Newcastle works By simply arriving at venue for the Speed Dating in Newcastle event, you will be greeted by our friendly professional hosts. They will settle you in by briefly explaining the format of the evening and confirm how many people you will be dating.

Beamish Hall are bringing the whole family together this Father’s Day, we aim to keep the family entertained while Dad enjoys the football on a large screen. There will be a BBQ on the Lawn, Football Games, Fairground Rides, Face painting and much more..

Robots – then and now, developed by the Science Museum in London, tells the 500-year, work in progress story of building automated machines, from the humble beginnings of 16th century mechanical automatons to the latest humanoids – and everything in between.

It’s Friday night and Ben knows that means only one thing - staying with Granny! There will be cabbage soup, cabbage pie and cabbage cake and Ben knows one thing for sure - it’s going to be soooooooo boring!

The Great American Songbook - a choral concert conducted by David Murray, featuring his own arrangements of some of the great songs which have come out of America in the twentieth century. These will included a Gershwin section, a Jerome Kern medley, and a carpenters sequence.

Always losing those notes you put in a “safe place”, never to be found again? Sick of wasting time searching for your to-do list, or returning from the shop without milk because you left your shopping list at home (for the third time this week)?

If, like us, you’re a lover of candlelight and would love to make your own bespoke candles then come and join us and get creative. All materials for this workshop will be provided and a range of teacups, jars and quirky vessels for you to take your sweet smelling scents home will be provided.

North East Submariners Monthly meeting

Big Fish Little Fish are back in Newcastle with a ’Carnival’ themed event at our brand new venue - Northumbria Students Union! Join our award winning, critically acclaimed family fun event for the post-rave generation of parents - helping them to be responsibly irresponsible since 2013.

Big Fish Little Fish are back in Sunderland with a ’Hat and Moustache’ themed Father’s Day event at our brand new venue - Bonded Warehouse! Join our award winning, critically acclaimed family fun event for the post-rave generation of parents - helping them to be responsibly irresponsible since 2013.

Planet Circus The Wow Factor!!! This year’s super show features: The world’s most dangerous circus act Team Brazil in The Globe of Death, with motorcyclists speeding around inside a steel cage at over 60mph, this act has to be seen to be believed.

After the huge success of ‘Dance is Life’ in 2017, Giovanni is once again set to get your hearts beating a little faster, showcasing a story of love and passion, with even more heat, even more energy, and even more drama than ever before!

The garden is attached to an award winning specialist plant nursery (5 Chelsea Gold Medals and winner of the RHS Presidents Award 2015).

Delve into Gibside’s past through a new and exciting installation by mixed media artist Fiona Curran and visit her architectural folly by the Orangery.

Join a history tour to hear all about Gibside and how it came to be. The vision of coal baron George Bowes, Gibside is one of the few surviving 18th century designed landscape gardens. It was fashioned with two things in mind: spectacular views and ’wow’ moments.

Sculptor Andrew Burton has researched the tempestuous story of Mary Eleanor’s second marriage to Andrew Robinson "Stoney" Bowes as well as looked at the original urns that once graced Mary Eleanor Bowes’ original orangery.

There is so much fun to be had with the humble stick. From building tiny mouse houses to creating huge dens, identifying trees and making stick art. Spend your May half term discovering just how much you can do with a stick. Booking Not Needed. Dogs on leads welcome.

Gibside is delighted to host Great Run Local who organise free weekly 2km and 5km timed runs that are open to everyone and are safe and easy to take part in. The runs will take place at Gibside each Sunday throughout the year.

Get fit with the help of Body and Mind Lifestyle on a Nordic Walking class. Whatever age, fitness level or goal, it’s a different way of enjoying the outdoors and working your muscles at the same time. Walking, using the poles provided you have support to work out harder as you’re on the move.

It’s been proven that getting outdoors for a relaxing stroll can improve your health and wellbeing. So how about joining in a Health Walk every Wednesday from 11am. You can meet a guide at Visitor Reception for a walk around the grounds, as well as meet new people.

Whether you are new to sewing or have been doing it as long as you can remember, the Gibside Sewing Group meet weekly and everyone is welcome. The Gibside Sewing Group meet every Thursday morning at 10.30am in the main caf.

Gibside Pub can be found inside the main caf every Friday and Saturday evening until 9pm. And although it may be on the small side, it is nestled within an 18th-century garden as well as being the only pub in the village. Inside you’ll find Wylam Brewery ales on tap, lager, wine, cider and soft drinks available.

Explore Gibside after hours. The summer sun and lighter nights are ideal for longer adventures, so we’re opening the whole estate until late. Stroll around this eighteenth-century landscape garden while the sun sets, celebrate history through two contemporary art installations and down your picnic blanket.

Every month we open up the floor at Gibside Pub for Showcase night. Whether you’re simply looking for somewhere to relax and be entertained, or you happen to be a budding musician and would like to show off your talents this could be for you.

Whether you’re new to running, a youngster or an Olympic athlete, all runners are welcome at Gibside parkrun, a free 5km timed run every Saturday at 9am. It’s an opportunity to enjoy running in a historic garden where the background noise includes birdsong, perhaps a lawnmower or two, and not much else.

Enjoy the fantastic acoustics of Gibside Chapel with live music from local performers and choirs (1.30 - 2.30pm) followed by a traditional Anglican service (3pm). Free entry. Booking Not Needed.

Meet author of best-selling biography Wedlock, Wendy Moore, and hear the turbulent story of Gibside’s most famous eighteenth century heroine, Countess of Strathmore Mary Eleanor Bowes. Follow Eleanor’s life through its most scandalous and controversial period, her marriage to conman Stoney Bowes.

Enjoy a 7 mile guided walk around the furthest reaches of George Bowes’ landscape park and farm. Uncover some of Gibside’s views and lesser trodden paths. Our guided walks are sociable and led by experienced guides.

Running alongside the Gibside Marathon, enjoy a scenic route and a real running challenge. How many laps of our marathon course can you do in 24 hours' Footpaths range from tarmac, hardcore and trail. Water, juice, salty snacks and sweets will be provided. Booking Essential. Phone: Online entries only.

Running alongside the 24 Hour Race, take part in an evening run around a varied and scenic route. Take part in a multi-lap race. There is a strict 5 hour limit to ensure all runners complete the race before dark. Booking Essential. Phone: Email only.

Shakespeare’s comedy of love and intrigue, magic and mayhem, is brought to life in a funny and exuberant production. Four young, unsuspecting lovers become entangled in a magical affray and soon no mortals are safe in those bewitching woods outside Athens. Booking Essential. Phone: 01207 541820.

Discover what’s living below the surface of a pond. We have nets, underwater cameras and experts on hand so you’ll have everything you need to discover the wildlife living below the surface. Maybe you’ll see a rare great crested newt. Booking Essential. Phone: 01207 541820.

Come and take part in a worm themed trail and learn more about how valuable gardens are for wildlife. This is an outdoor event. No toilet facilities available. Drop in any time. Free event but donations are welcome.