A glorious return is on the cards for the Ouseburn Festival this weekend. Music, markets, family activities, tasty food and drink and loads more smashing stuff is going to be woven throughout Newcastle’s cultural quarter. Our friends over at Cultured. North East have done a lovely preview.
It’s back! Ouseburn Festival returns for 2022
If the weather forecast is to be taken at its word, this weekend is going to be an absolute scorcher.
Meanwhile, if the press release for the Ouseburn Festival is taken at face value, crowds who descend on the much-loved event this Saturday (July 16th) are in for an extremely good time.
Outdoor spaces and indoor venues aplenty are going to be throwing open their metaphorical arms to welcome people back following a four-year absence.
Live music and performances, makers’ markets, river boat trips and a short film festival are all on the cards across 21 locations – but that really doesn’t do the festival menu justice.
Let’s have a little dive in and see what highlights we can come up with.
Boat trips on the Tyne at the Ouseburn Festival
Under the cover of the rail bridge, the Ouseburn Woodland Bandstand promises to be a magnet for families, thanks to its programme of activities from the the likes of CHALK, Seven Stories and Unfolding Theatre as well as performances from Katie Grace, Cerys Jones, Jack Denton and the Storytellers Streetband.
Up on high at the Cumberland Arms, those excellent people over at NARC have offered their services to programme a day of love music to trumpet the summer and the return of the festival. During the day Look out for Teesside cellist and songwriter, Harriet Bradshaw, acoustic indie twosome, Fawns and alt. rock smashers, The Timewasters.
As evening falls, the on-stage action will move inside for turns from electro spoken word artist Faithful Johannes, indie rocker Holly Rees and Weekend Faithful.
Away from the stages, there will be stalls galore to peruse thanks to the Ouseburn Market – which is making a weekend of it and will be open on the Sunday too.
If you’ve not had the pleasure, it can be found behind Northern Print, just off Stepney Bank and will be boasting more than 80 stalls filled with goods from local artists and makers. A little sister market will also be running down the street at Ouseburn Garden with live DJs and art, stalls and activities.
Singer Katie Grace will be gracing the stage
Now while this all sounds terrific, we know that we haven’t got to the most important bit yet – THE RIVER BOAT TRIPS!
Oh how people love those free trips along the Tyne, which come courtesy of Newcastle Motorboat Club… so it’s good news all round that they’re returning for 2022.
Other things to look out for:
- Free taster tours down the Victoria Tunnel
- Short film screenings at the Star and Shadow Cinema from the North East International Film Festival 2021 programme
- Art exhibitions. demos and workshops across Shieldfield Art Works, 36 Lime Street, the Biscuit Factory, B.Box Artists Studios and the Biscuit Tin Studios
- Vintage clothing and record sales at the Toffee Factory and Tyne Bank Brewery
- A special pony parade from the gang at Stepney Bank Stables
- Meet the animals events at Ouseburn Farm
- Cake Stories at Hoults Yard offering cakes, cocktails and live music
Also, there will be a new Community Hub popping up on Riverside Walks’ Bottleworks to showcase a shining collection of community groups and charities who work in the Ouseburn Valley
If you’d like to support the Festival by donating towards the running costs, this is the place to do that.
For all the programme information, visit the website, Facebook and Twitter pages