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Durham County Council
Summer in Durham City and the wider county is set to get into full swing, with some of the county’s biggest cultural events taking place from this weekend, and throughout July.
The summer programme begins this Saturday and Sunday, July 8 and July 9, with Durham Miners’ Gala and the start of Durham Brass Festival.
Pulling in more than 200,000 visitors to the city last year, bringing a boost to local businesses and traders, Durham Miners’ Gala celebrates the county’s rich heritage and the Durham Miners’ motto – ‘The past we inherit, the future we build’. On Saturday, July 8, the 137th Gala will take place with a colourful procession through the city.
The weekend festivities will continue into Sunday with a week-long celebration of music through Durham Brass Festival, which runs from this Sunday, July 9 to Sunday, July 16. The much-loved festival, which is one of the highlights of Durham County Council’s annual events programme, promises a week of spectacular performances, new commissions, free concerts, community activities, and lively street bands.
Exciting music events will take place throughout the week at key venues in County Durham including Gala Durham, Durham Town Hall and Consett Empire, as well as lively Big and Small Brass Bashes in Trimdon, Shildon, Crook, Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor.
The week will culminate with festival favourite Streets of Brass, which will see bands take to the streets of Durham from 11am to 5pm on Saturday 15 and Sunday, July 16, followed by a fabulous, free party featuring all the bands from the Brass Bashes in Wharton Park from 5.30pm on Saturday, July 15.
More than 35,000 people engaged with Durham Brass Festival last year, highlighting the power of culture to bring us together. It also creates an opportunity to bring distinctive cultural experiences to those who may not attend more traditional concert settings.
Coinciding with Durham Brass Festival is the ever-popular Durham City Run, on Friday 14 and Saturday, July 15. The festival will see hundreds of competitors race through the city centre, accompanied by live music from the Streets of Brass bands.
Durham County Council maintains its ambition to make County Durham the culture county through its annual festival and events programme, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors throughout the year while creating cultural opportunities and experiences for residents.
It has also contributed to the £1 billion visitor spend last year, a milestone reached in the county for the first time, exceeding the economy’s pre-pandemic levels.
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