top of page

LAUNCH
WEEKEND 

Blyth Celebrates

Blyth logo CMYK multicolour celebrates border.png
Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 August 2025

Two Days of Wonder, Creativity and Community


This August, Blyth is celebrating – and everyone’s invited. Join us for a joyful weekend of free, family-friendly entertainment to mark the grand opening of the stunning new Market Pavilion and the transformation of Blyth’s historic Market Place.

Produced by Blyth Town Council, ASP Events and Walk the Plank this Launch Weekend is the first major celebration in the wider Blyth Celebrates programme – a celebration of creativity and community running through to March 2026.

What's happening on Saturday 24 August
What's happening on Sunday 25 August

Free | Family-Friendly | No Booking Required 

Event Details

What: Blyth Celebrates Launch Weekend

When:
Saturday 23 August, 10am to 5pm
Sunday 24 August, 10am to 4pm

Where: Market Place, Blyth

Storytelly Captian Raggy Beard  with a group of children all dressed as pirates.

What's On - Weekend Highlights

 

🎶 Live music, including crowd favourites and tribute acts
🎭 Interactive street theatre and walkabout performers
🖌 Hands-on, family-friendly workshops
🌿 Nature and relaxation spaces
🍔 A bustling food market
🎉 A spectacular People Powered Procession

​​

Enjoy performances from The Sam Fender Experience, Drag CastlePandora, Rave & Play, Blyth Valley Samba, and a sneak peek of Aladdin from The Phoenix Theatre – plus local choirs and more.

Around the Market Place, enjoy walkabout entertainment from The Wild Beasts of Silly, Storm in a Teacup with giant bubbles and stilt walkers, the comic mayhem of PC Gone Mad, high-energy fun from Team GBee, and the mesmerising Bee Enchanted Circus or enjoy Silent Disco Adventures.
 

Just drop in and join the celebration!

Lead singer of The Sam Fender Experience on stage playing the guitar

Sat 23 Aug, 10am to 5pm

Main Stage Line Up
  • A special treat from members of The Young Pheonix

  • High-energy dance fun for the whole family with DJ Weasel from Rave & Play

  • A Diva Drag Show full of sparkle and sass by Drag Castle 

  • Epic performance from The Sam Fender Experience - a tribute to a local legend

LOCATION: Market Place, Blyth

Young girl spinning a plate on a stick

Sat 23 Aug, 10am to 5pm

Street Theatre & Walkabout Acts
  • Don't miss the unpredictable and hilarious antics of The Wild Beasts of Silly

  • Discover the giant bubbles and stilted characters of Storm in a Teacup

  • Enjoy a live drumming showcase by Blyth Valley Samba

Relaxation Garden - Enjoy story time with Spin Drift Stories and free face painting.

LOCATION: Market Place, Blyth

Cirucs equipment ready for a Storm in a Teacup Workshop

Sat 23 Aug, 10am to 5pm

Creative Workshops
  • Masks and puppet-making with Made by Racoons

  • Drumming with Blyth Valley Samba

  • Circus Skills with Bee Enchanted Circus

  • Nature and coastal activities with Northumberland Wildlife Trust and Stronger Shores

  • Circus skills workshops with Storm in a Teacup

LOCATION: Market Place, Blyth

Battle of the Bands finalists - Pandora on stage

Sun 24 Aug, 10am to 4pm

Main Stage Line Up
  • Local favourites The Shanty Singers 

  • The Pheonix Theatre introduce the cast of Alladin 

  • The warm welcoming sounds of Blyth Community Voices courtesy of Loud Arts CIC

  • A live set from 'Battle of the Band' finalists Pandora

  • A show-stopping set from Phil Davids and The Good Time Band

LOCATION: Market Place, Blyth

Lady from Bee Enchanted standing with her arm in the air spinning hula hoops

Sun 24 Aug, 10am to 4pm

Street Theatre & Walkabout Acts
  • Be amazed by the hula hoop skills of Bee Enchanted Circus 

  • Witness the disco-powered comedy from Team BGee by MarkMark Productions

  • Enjoy comic policing from PC Gone Man from MarkMark Productions ​

Relaxation Garden - Enjoy story time with Captain Raggy Beard and free face painting.

LOCATION: Market Place, Blyth

A group fo people wearing headsets enjoying a Silent Disco Adventure

Sun 24 Aug, 10am to 4pm

Creative Workshops
  • Circus skills workshop with Bee Enchanted 

  • Drop in workshops with Creative Remakery

  • Nature and coastal activities with Northumberland Wildlife Trust and Stronger Shores

  • Dance link no one's watching with Silent Adventures' Silent Disco

LOCATION: Market Place, Blyth

A life-sized replica of Stephenson's Rocket being powered by people peddling inside the train. A man is standing on the train leading the procession.

Sunday 24 August, 3pm to 3.45pm

People-Powered Procession

 

2025 marks 200 years since the first passenger railway - and Blyth is on track to celebrate in style. 

Led by a life-sized, people-powered replica of Stepheson's Rocket and featuring a giant puppet of George Stephenson himself, this joyful street celebration, produced by outdoor arts experts Walk the Plank, honours Blyth’s proud past and bright future as a leader in green energy.

Expect music, movement, community spirit and a spectacular finale in Market Square – with powerful percussion from Ladies of Midnight Blue, local groups, and some very grateful horses hitching a ride!

All weekend

A Feast Awaits

​​

No celebration is complete without incredible food and drink – and we have a delicious line-up of local traders ready to tempt your tastebuds. 

Tuck into mouth-watering Greek wraps and loaded fries from Gyros Gang, bold, pork crackling from The Crackling Guy, and freshly made waffles and indulgent shakes from The Waffle Company

Buy 
handcrafted spirits from Clarence Spirits and enjoy the nostalgic kicks of Kitty’s Homemade Ginger Wine to take home. Treat yourself to unique, homemade scones from High Tea by Julie or enjoy irresistible homemade goodies from L of a Bake.

And that’s just a taste - more stalls will be popping up throughout the weekend. *Charges apply*

Lots of large bubbles created by Bee Enchanted
Large scale outdoor book featuring artworks created by 264 people

Sat 23 Aug, 10am to 3pm

Travelling Tales

Presented by Hannah Kelly

A glowing installation of storybook artworks created by 264 people in Blyth. Come and add your own story – real or imagined - to this creative community project. Take part on the day, and your creation could become part of a magical illuminated display lighting up the town later in the year.

LOCATION: Market Place, Blyth

A windband sat ready to perform in front of a stained glass window in a church

Sat 23 Aug, 1pm

Come & Play Day

Presented by Yamaha Music School

Calling all woodwind and brass players (Grade 3–4+)! Join conductor Alastair Lord for a lively morning rehearsal, then take to the stage for a celebratory performance. Enjoy playing favourites like Coldplay, The Lion King, September, and Guardians of the Galaxy.

LOCATION: Market Pavilion, Blyth

Man drawing in sand. The results are being projected on to a screen

Sat 23 Aug, 10am to 3pm & Sun 24 Aug, 10am to 2pm

Cultural Awareness Day

Presented by Dialogue Society

Celebrate cultures from around the world through art, crafts, and traditional food. A fun, welcoming day for all ages.

LOCATION: Market Pavilion, Blyth

Members of Ashington & District Male Voice Choir ready to perform wearing their branded blue blazers

Sun 24 Aug, 2pm

Male Voice Choir Celebration

Presented by Ashington & District Male Voice Choir

Enjoy the power of male voice singing and discover how to get involved. A joyful event full of music and community spirit.

LOCATION: Market Pavilion, Blyth

“The Launch Weekend marks an exciting moment for Blyth. It’s a celebration of place, of people, and of what happens when we invest in the heart of our town. The new Market Pavilion is not just a building - it’s a symbol of regeneration and opportunity. This event brings together families, artists, businesses and the wider community, and I hope everyone joins us in making it truly unforgettable."

Cllr Wendy Pattison, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism at Northumberland County Council.

Frequently asked questions

We also think you'll like...

Read the latest update

Blyth Celebrates Launch Weekend - Two Days of Wonder, Creativity and Community Spirit

 

Don't miss out

Blyth Celebrates Launch Weekend is your chance to enjoy two unforgettable days of music, theatre, creativity, and community spirit – all for free, right in the heart of Blyth.

Inside the Luminarium - an inflatable colourful structure visitors can walk through.
PrimaryFunded by UK Gov.png
transparent background_NCC 'flag centred' mono.png
North East CA-RGB_MasterLogo-Mono-Black.png
NCC logo left-05.png
bottom of page