Although the holiday season will be like no other this year, there are still ongoing events in and around the North East to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Fenwick Christmas display
The Christmas display in Fenwick’s window has been a long-standing tradition in Newcastle’s culture since the first ever display back in 1971. Fast forward to 2020, and the display is now up for the 49th consecutive year. The unveiling of the display is usually met with crowds of thousands, however due to the current pandemic, the unveiling was held virtually. Incredibly, the live stream of the unveiling was watched by over 250,000 people, with people tuning in from all over the world.
The 2020 display is based around the classic children’s novel – The Wind in the Willows. The feature tells a story of iconic characters: Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad working together with Santa to save Christmas. The display is vibrant and provides a feel-good story for the whole family. Fenwick’s window will keep the display up until January, so there is plenty of time to for everyone to safely stop by and enjoy this traditional experience.
Christmas activities at Beamish
Beamish is known for being a brilliant place to visit all year round, however, it has an extra special feeling to it around Christmas time. One particularly festive activity, wreath making, is being held at Beamish Hall. Making your own Christmas wreath which can be put up in your own home, can really help to enhance the holiday atmosphere. If you want to book in for the wreath making event, you should visit the Beamish Hall website.
In terms of visiting the living Beamish museum this winter, the grounds are now open for festive visits. Unfortunately, the indoor attractions currently remain closed. However, visiting Beamish can still provide a magical winter experience for the whole family. You are even able to book in a visit with Father Christmas, who is available to meet and greet safely outside of Rowley Stations Goods Yard.
Enjoy festive drinks from the City Tavern
Local business City Tavern, located in the centre of Newcastle are here to fill the gap left by the absence of the Christmas Market in 2020. City Tavern have opened a pop-up Christmas pub, that serves a range of burgers along with special festive drinks. Hot mulled wine and warm pumpkin seed cider are both on offer to really get you in the Christmas spirit, along with prosecco, baileys lattes and white/ red wine. For those who don’t want to drink alcohol, there is also a range of hot drinks available to warm you up.
Winter walks along the bay near Riley’s Fish Shack
Riley’s Fish Shack is an absolute gem of a food joint located perfectly on a bay front in Tynemouth. They normally offer an outdoor seating area on the sand, to sit and enjoy some of the finest sea food in the North East. Currently, Riley’s Fish Shack is only open for takeaway and deliveries, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go out for your daily exercises along the water front. During winter, evening or morning walks along the beach can provide an even more refreshing feeling, whilst seeing the wonderful coastline views.
Christmas Adventure Quest at Belsay Hall
The Belsay estate; consisting of Belsay Hall, Castle & Gardens, is an English Heritage site in Morpeth. The grounds are large and the architecture is incredibly impressive. This all makes for a brilliant site to visit for the whole family. This holiday season, you can take part in a Christmas Adventure Quest, which is taking place on the grounds. The quest provides a way to explore and learn more about the history of the site, and involves searching for clues and QR codes which tell you fascinating tales about the place. The event is taking place from Boxing Day, and you can book any date between the 26th December and the 3rd January 2021. The quest event is aimed at children, however there is plenty to enjoy and admire about the Belsay estate for everyone.
Although this Christmas may have a different feel to it compared to previous years, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy yourself. Events may be more limited, however there are still a range of options around the North East of things to do and places to visit, to make your winter more memorable.
