Tourism and travel

Coming back by popular demand after 2 years away, Ocean Beach Pleasure Park, South Shields will be giving families the chance to enjoy some movies with a difference at the Drive-In Cinema this October and November.

A large screen will be erected in Bents Park, Sea Road where visitors can drive into the Park and watch movies from the comfort of their own car.  Movies will then be projected onto the large screen and audio will be transmitted through an FM radio signal.

From Saturday 24th October until Sunday 15th November, there will be 16 Movie Nights showing 1 film per night, with a variety of kids, teen and adult movie's to cater for all groups. See below.

Tickets are available from £20 per car via the website (www.thedriveincinema.co.uk) as well as from Ocean Beach Pleasure Park and payment on the door.  The Drive-In Movies proved very popular in 2013 so advance booking is recommended due to the limited availability each night.

Full Film listings and times can be viewed online (www.thedriveincinema.co.uk) from 12th October.

Hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and drinks are just some of the food and drink available to purchase on the night. 

Grab a ticket with your family and friends for a night to remember!

FILM SCREENINGS (All start times 6.30pm, except 24th October starts at 7pm) Gates open 2 hours ahead of screening time:

24th October - Get Hard, 25th – Grease, 26th – Paddington Movie,  27th – Frozen, 28th – How to Train Your Dragon, 29th – Minions Movie, 30th -The Purge, 31st – Beetlejuice

5th November – Fast and Furious, 6th - Back To the Future (Part I), 7th – Inside Out, 8th – Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone, 12th – Jurassic World, 13th – Grease, 14th – Inside Out, 15th – Minions Movie

For more information please visit www.thedriveincinema.co.uk

Venue Address

Bents Park, Sea Road, South Shields, NE33 2LD

Based at Gateshead Rugby club in Low fell and the event is run by a hardy bunch of volunteers. What initially started off as a small festival has quickly grown into one of the largest of its kind in the north of England and is now a must on the local festival calendar.
 
Headlining this year we have The mOObs and Bessie & the Zinc Buckets, we are also set to make an announcement on a sensational Friday headliner. We also very excited to have  a special performance from Antonio Lulic on Sunday 1st May. Antonio is fresh from his tour of South America supporting Ed Sheeran and he will be supported by John Parker who is one half of chart topping duo Nizlopi

There is a great selection of ales that are sourced countrywide but we also always ensure that we provide a great springboard for local brewers to showcase their Ales. We are currently deciding on what ales to include in our 2016 festival and we have  already had some exciting submissions.

Tickets are available from www.gatesheadbeerfestival.co.uk and are priced at £12 per day and £30 for a weekend pass (Ticket price includes a free festival programme and souvenir glass).

You can also follow us on twitter @Gateshead_Ale or Facebook at "Gateshead Beer & Music Festival"

The team behind the successful "Gateshead Beer & Music Festival" are currently putting together "The Gateshead Winter Food & Craft Fair 2015". We are looking to have 60+ Food and Craft stalls located with our clubhouse and our heated marquee

Stall trading hours will be from 10am - 6pm (Saturday 5th) & 10am - 5pm (Sunday 6th).

We are delighted to announce that we will be supporting three charities over the weekend.

Save the Children will be having a stall selling their delicious jams and marmalades and we will be a collection point for both the Gateshead Food Bank and the Salvation Army toy appeal

We are currently putting together an entertainments programme:-

Saturday 5th December

12pm - 2pm 2sum

2pm - 4pm Salvation Army Brass Band
4pm - 8pm Simma & Acoustic Circus Ltd.

Sunday 6th December
1pm - 3pm George Welch & Christine Jeans
More music to be confirmed.

Both days will feature christmas classics performed by our guest pianists.

Dig out your dancing shoes and take pleasure in an evening of great food and great music with talented British singer/songwriter Ray Quinn.

Get together with friends before the Christmas rush, dress to impress and enjoy a delicious two-course meal in the Rockliffe Suite followed by a musical performance by Ray Quinn and a DJ into the small hours.

Price
From £65 per person or make a night of it from £280 per room including tickets to the event (based on two people sharing Tiplady Lodge)

Date & Time
Thursday 26th November 2015 from 7pm

Location
The Rockliffe Suite at Rockliffe Hall

Illuminating Entertainment,Music, Arts & Crafts,WIN £500 - keep warm indoors on the night the city turns on its Christmas Lights!

Wrap up warm and enjoy a traditional bonfire night with the Bowes Railway on 5th November, complete with a roaring fire and a magnificent display of fireworks.

This event presents a unique opportunity to see the Bowes Railway in a totally different light – literally! Spectacular pyrotechnics and imaginative lighting will be brought together to highlight the railway’s locomotives in a way you’ve never seen before. This unique evening is a must do for photographers, so make sure you bring along a camera!

The Bowes Railway display is ideal for families, with fairground rides to keep the children entertained. There will also be a number of food and drink stalls, so you won’t go hungry!

Gates are set to open at 4.30pm, with the bonfire being lit at 6.30pm and fireworks commencing at 7.30pm. Entry to the display costs £3 for adults and £2 for children. You can find the Bowes Railway on Springwell Road in Gateshead, and there is secure car parking available for a small fee of £1.

The Bowes Railway was one of the work’s first modern railways when it opened back in 1826. The oldest section of it was designed by George Stephenson, and it was originally a colliery railway, although these days it’s run as a museum by a team of volunteers. The railway hosts regular open days with guided tours, so be sure to head down there to find out more about this historic site!

Kirkley Hall in Ponteland celebrate one their favourite times of year this Bonfire Night with their annual Kirkley Hall Bonfire and Fireworks Display. Keeping things traditional by holding the event on the 5th of November, Kirkley will host an array of beautiful fireworks and a roaring bonfire from 6pm on the beautifully kept grounds of this historic Ponteland estate.

Admission is just £2.50 per guest and visitors will be treat to a delicious Northumbrian hog roast as well as other refreshments to warm their cockles from the cold, autumn air.  The display will be lit around 6.30pm on the grounds of the impressive Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens with nearby parking and toilet facilities available for families to use with ease.

Kirkley Hall is a wonderful tranquil North East attraction which is located just eight miles from Newcastle City Centre and four miles from Newcastle International Airport, making it easily accessible by car.

 Standing as a 17th Century Grade II listed building with stunning views of the surrounding Northumberland countryside, the beautiful Kirkley Hall estate and its gardens are the perfect setting for weddings, special celebrations, christenings, parties and corporate events. Kirkley Hall’s fascinating history and thriving Zoological Gardens with over 130 species of animal make it a fantastic destination all year round for couples, families, tourists and schools.

Fans of Kirkley Hall’s brilliant Bonfire Night and Firework Display can also enjoy a number of seasonal and/or year-round activities such as this years’ Christmas Fair which takes place in November as well as a number of workshops, events and parties for both adults and children.

Sparks will be flying on the 1st of November in the coastal town of Blyth, Northumberland.  The popular event promises a four hour marathon of Bonfire fun, including a spectacular firework display and remarkable light show. Entertainment will be provided for the whole family with an exciting fun fair and live music from the likes of Sunderland-based indie rock band Frankie and the Heartstrings. The Newcastle based, hip hop duo The Great and the Magnificent will also be performing. 

The event kicks off at 2pm-7pm on the 1st of November with the firework display starting at 6:30pm. To gain entry, wristbands can be purchased for £1 from the Keel Row shopping centre in Blyth, North Tyneside.

The port of Blyth dates from the 12th century however the development of the modern town only began in the 18th century. Situated along the coast, Blyth was a prosperous mining and ship building town which thrived back in the day. Nowadays, the port is used for shipping paper and pulp from Scandinavia for the newspaper industries of England and Scotland.

Blyth Quayside is an up and coming area in North Tyneside with recent investment being put into stunning housing developments. There’s also a huge range of restaurants in the area to choose from including the renowned seafood restaurant, The Boathouse, which frequently receives outstanding reviews for their authentic menu and the harbour side setting which offers scenic views.

If you can’t wait until 5th November for your fireworks fix, fear not, as the Festival of Lights will be returning on Sunday 1st November.

To join in the fun, wrap up warm and head down to Hodgkin Park South on Armstrong Road in Benwell. The fireworks display will begin at 7pm, but the gates are open from 5.30pm, and it’s advisable to get there early for a good spot as past events have been attended by over 2500 people!

You can look forward to a fun-filled night for all the family, with DJs, fairground rides and refreshments available, as well as a spectacular display of fireworks. Entry to the event is free of charge, so it’s also kind on your purse strings!

This event has been created with the aim of bringing people together from a whole cross section of local communities, to allow local families to gather for an enjoyable evening together. Safety is a key priority, and for this reason, sparklers, alcohol and dogs will not be allowed. The organisers are also working in partnership with the local fire brigade to promote safety and encourage people to attend the organised display instead of risking accidents by using fireworks themselves.

Hodgkin Park can be found in the heart of Benwell, and is made up of two parks intersected by Armstrong Road, with the fireworks being held in the southern park. Although this venue does not offer car parking, it is easily accessible by local bus services. The park is a great facility for the local community all year round, and features a games area, a large children’s playground and a number of attractive water features. 

Celebrate Bonfire Night with a bang at the Stanley Fireworks’ Festival which takes place one again at Oakies Park and Playing Fields near Sunny Terrace in Stanley. Bringing just the right amount of sparkle and sizzle to a cold autumn night, the event will be lighting up the skies on the 1st November from 5pm onwards with plenty of festive fun activities for kids and a colourful pyrotechnic display.

Everyone from the surrounding community and beyond can attend for FREE this year to enjoy music, refreshments, catering, stalls and a 25-minute long fireworks display with a Spy theme which will be lit at 7pm.

The event will also be supporting local lad Daniel Rainbow who suffers from a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma. His friends and family will be in attendance to collect any donations should you wish to help out Daniel.

Unfortunately there is no parking near the event so the event organisers recommend using the nearby Stanley car park which is just a 5-10 minute walk away. In case of bad weather we also recommend wrapping up warm as the event will be entirely outdoors.

Stanley in County Durham is a former colliery town with an extensive history thanks to its coal mining pits. The ever popular Stanley Fireworks Festival has been one of the most successful family events in the area with funding from the Areas Action Partnership (AAP) and Stanley Town Council to help put Stanley on the map whilst creating something fun and engaging for all the community.