Play Hard

23 music festivals in Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Middlesbrough and Northumberland you should book tickets for now

This Is Tomorrow may be cancelled, but there are still plenty of music festivals going ahead in the North East this summer – with some of the best line ups in the country.

Written by Becky Hardy
Published 14.04.2022

NORTHERN KIN FESTIVAL

When? Friday 29th April – Sunday 1st May 

Where? Ushaw, Durham

Who? Newton Faulkner, Holy Moly and the Crackers, Del Amitri, New Model Army, Squeeze and Ferocious Dog are the big hitters at this folk, rock and blues music festival.

Tickets? From £58.54

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LOST MINDS FESTIVAL

When? Saturday 30th April

Where? Leazes Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Who? Miss K8, Sefa, Nicky Romero, Ben Nicky, Blasterjaxx, John O’Callaghan and Will Atkinson lead the dance and trance revolution at Leazes Park this spring. Don’t miss the official afterparty, either.

Tickets? From £40.00

Women Are Mint Cobalt Studios Ouseburn Newcastle

BEACHJAM AWAY DAY FESTIVAL

When? Sunday 1st May  

Where? Stewart Park, Middlesbrough

Who? Becky Hill, Craig David, Jax Jones and Bad Boy Chiller Crew are sure to get the Middlesbrough music festival party started this May.

Tickets? From £33.55

 

 

WOMEN ARE MINT

When? Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd May

Where? Cobalt Studios, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Who? Good Habits, Ceitidh Mac, Naomi Carole, Sound System, Nadedja, Northering… in a world where international music festivals are dominated by male headliners, Women Are Mint is like a balm to the soul.

Tickets? From £10

A Stone's Throw Festival Tynemouth North Shields Newcastle

A STONE’S THROW FESTIVAL 2022

When? Saturday 28th May

Where? 10 venues across Tynemouth and North Shields, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Who? With more than 60 of ‘the hottest new music acts’ in the industry right now promising to descend on Newcastle’s coastline, there’s lots to look forward to. Us? We’ll definitely catch local acts Heidi Curtis, Lizzie Esau, Lyras and Zela.

Tickets? From £33.34

 

 

HOUSE OF BAREFOOT

When? Thursday 2nd – Saturday 4th June

Where? Reed Farm, Stamfordham

Who? Some of the world’s most sought-after DJs are ready to play extended sets at this boutique dance music festival over the Jubilee weekend, including John Digweed, Danny Howells, Hernan Cattaneo, Nick Warren, Henry Saiz and James Zabiela.

Tickets? From £95.00

ROCK N ROLL CIRCUS

When? Thursday 9th, Saturday 11th– Sunday 12th June

Where? Town Moor, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Who? Under the Big Top at this new Newcastle music festival will be Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Charlatans, Andrew Cushin, The Libertines, Years & Years and L Devine.

Tickets? From £60.50

 

 

LET’S ROCK THE NORTH EAST

When? Saturday 11th June

Where? Herrington Country Park, Houghton le Spring

Who? Love really hurts without Billy Ocean and the R&B legend is why we’ll be heading down to Herrington Country Park this June alone. But a cheeky bit of Wet Wet Wet, Level 42, Tony Hadley, Sonique and Nick Heyward at this ‘80s festival can’t hurt either, can it?

Tickets? From £48.38

BLYTH LIVE FESTIVAL

When? Saturday 18th June

Where? Blyth Beach, Northumberland

Who? Fans of Boyzone and Westlife, rejoice – because the return of Blyth Live brings with it the return of former boyband members Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden in the crooner combo that is Boyzlife as headliners. Further acts still to be announced.

Tickets? Free

 

 

MOUTH OF THE TYNE FESTIVAL

When? Thursday 7th – Sunday 10th July

Where? Tynemouth Priory and Castle, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Who? Keane, Lighthouse Family, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Newton Faulkner are all set to perform across this weekend of music set in the seaside shadows of Tynemouth Priory.

Tickets? From £38.50

KUBIX FESTIVAL

When? Saturday 9th July and Friday 15th – Saturday 16th July

Where? Herrington Country Park, Houghton le Spring

Who? At the Pop & Dance Day on 9th July, expect to find cheesy chart-toppers Steps, Aqua and Vengaboys, while the Rock & Indie Weekend across the 15th and 16th July will host UB40, Happy Mondays, Lightning Seeds and Shed Seven.

Tickets? From £38.50

 

 

DURHAM BRASS FESTIVAL

When? Sunday 10th – Sunday 17th July

Where? Venues across County Durham

Who? Richard Hawley is the biggest name on the line up this year, especially as he’ll be performing alongside The NASUWT Riverside Band. Lyr, Yolanda Brown and Ibibio Sound Machine will also be jamming their hearts out.

Tickets? From £17.50

Ella Henderson Bents Park South Shields Festival 2022

THIS IS SOUTH TYNESIDE FESTIVAL

When? 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st July

Where? Bents Park, South Shields

Who? Will Young, Ella Henderson, and Shalamar and The Fizz will be headlining three out of the four Sunday Concerts that South Shields are now famed for, while on 24th July an exciting new addition to the festival emerges in the form of the Dance Revival – where you’ll find legends like Sonique, Phats & Small, and Kelly Llorenna.

Tickets? Free

 

 

GALLAGHER PARK LIVE

When? Saturday 16th July

Where? Gallagher Park, Bedlington

Who? Dodgy tops the bill at one of Northumberland’s most popular free festivals, while The Straits promise all the hits of Dire Straits and S Club Allstars will give us all an extra helping of cheesy pop classics from our younger days.

Tickets? Free

Scoop Music Festival Lanchester Durham

CLUBLAND BY THE SEA

When? Friday 22nd July

Where? Meggie’s Burn Farm, Blyth

Who? Relieve your youth this summer (or maybe just ours), with clubland legends Basshunter, Sash, Sunset Bros, Christina Novelli, Ultrabeat and Flip n Fill.

Tickets? From £44.64

 

 

SCOOP MUSIC FESTIVAL

When? Friday 29th – Saturday 30th July

Where? Burnhopeside Hall, Lanchester

Who? Chasing Mumford, UK Chilli Peppers, The National Anthems and Percy & the Piglets will be getting everyone on their feet and dancing away at this favourite family festival.

Tickets? From £20.00

DOMINION FESTIVAL

When? Friday 29th – Sunday 31st July

Where? Ushaw, Durham

Who? There are some hard-hitters at this brand new rock and heavy metal festival – exclusive headliners Cradle of Filth and Blind Guardian among the 42 bands to play over the two stages here.

Tickets? From £32.49

 

 

LOOSE FEST

When? Saturday 30th – Sunday 31st July

Where? Town Moor, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Who? Black Eyed Peas give us a healthy dose of throwback hits, while AJ Tracey, Clean Bandit, Example, Joel Corry, Jonas Blue and Sigala will all be bringing the beats to Newcastle’s Town Moor.

Tickets? From £45.38

LAMPLIGHT FESTIVAL

When? Friday 5th – Sunday 7th August

Where? Mowbray Park, Sunderland

Who? Jack Savoretti, Kaiser Chiefs, Deacon Blue are the names you’ll recognise on the line up here, while you should be sure to catch Big Society and Tide Lines, too.

Tickets? From £35.45

 

 

BETWEEN WOODS AND STREAMS

When? Friday 12th – Saturday 13th August

Where? West Benridge Farm, Morpeth

Who? Lovers of Coquetfest will still be mourning the loss of the family camping festival, but The Futureheads headline this new incarnation alongside a whole host of musicians who all hail from the North – such as Cortney Dixon, The Lake Poets and Frankie Jobling.

Tickets? From £15.00

Hardwick Festival 2022 Sedgefield County Durham

HARDWICK FESTIVAL 2022

When? Saturday 20th – Sunday 21st August

Where? Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield

Who? Big hitters here include Stereophonics, Jake Bugg, The Specials, Becky Hill, The Proclaimers and Ella Eyre. Keep your ears out for Elizabeth Liddle, Hayley McKay and Faye Fantarrow, too.

Tickets? From £72.45

 

 

NOUGHTY 90’S FESTIVAL

When? Saturday 27th – Sunday 28th August

Where? Leazes Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Who? Anyone born in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s is going to LOVE this. Think Cascada, Boyzlife, Fatman Scoop, S Club, Micky Modelle, Vengaboys, Five, Liberty X, Blazin Squad, N-Trance, Ultrabeat, Kelly Llorena, Fragma and Artful Dodger.

Tickets? From £38.75

LINDISFARNE FESTIVAL

When? Thursday 1st – Sunday 4th September

Where? Beal Farm, Northumberland

Who? Rudimental and Madness are the two huge headliners heading up to Northumberland’s magnificent coastline this September, along with, in a rather nice turn of events, local legends Lindisfarne themselves.

Tickets? From £74.09

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