This year’s Durham Miners Gala is set to be the biggest of modern times, with more banners and brass bands taking part than at any time since before the Miners’ Strike.

Huge crowds are expected when the Big Meeting returns this Saturday after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

More than 50 Durham miners’ banners and more than 50 brass bands are now confirmed as attending.

This is more bands and banners than at any Gala since before 1984-85 strike.

But when does it all start?

There is no formal start time but people usually begin arriving to make their way into the Market Place of Durham City at around 8.30am.

Coachloads of people are dropped off with banners from all over the country and make the journey down to the racecourse.

The procession can take three to four hours to pass the County Hotel due to the huge numbers attending and the frequent pauses at the hotel.

What time do the speeches start?

The speeches start on the platform at the racecourse at 1pm with keynote address from Durham Miners’ Association  General Secretary Alan Mardghum.

There will also be addresses from

  • Mick Lynch, RMT
  • Christina McAnea, Unison
  • Sharon Graham, Unite
  • Patrick Roach, from teaching union NASUWT
  • Jo Grady, from further and higher education union UCU

When does it end?

Speeches are expected finish at around 3pm and people start to make their way back through city over the next few hours. Festivities in Durham however continue into the evening.

The Northern Echo: Around 200,000 people are expected in Durham on SaturdayAround 200,000 people are expected in Durham on Saturday

Hosted by the Durham Miners Association (DMA), the Gala was established in 1871.

It is back this year after a two year hiatus caused by the pandemic.

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DMA Chairman Stephen Guy said: “We are seeing an extraordinary response from the extraordinary people of County Durham.

“Just as they were after the closure of the collieries, our communities are determined that the Gala must continue.

“The Gala is not just be back – it will be bigger than it has been in decades.

“The Gala is the people’s day. There is nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world and it happens right here on the second Saturday in July. We should all be very proud. This is Durham.”

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