You may not have heard of Morpeth, but every year they host a special gathering to celebrate the crafts and traditions of Northumbria. This market town in Northumberland, situated just north of Newcastle, is very proud of the area’s rich history and culture. And so, they keep this heritage alive with a fun festival known as the Northumbrian Gathering.
In normal times visitors are welcomed to the town with three days of events, from folk performances and dances to arts competitions and craft displays. However, since the pandemic, they’ve adapted to showcase this traditional music, dance, craft and dialect online.
And this year they’ll be hosting the 54th Northumbrian Gathering with full a programme of YouTube, Facebook and Zoom events. And a few special performances live in Morpeth itself. Giving you the chance to delve into the past and even try to master a few of these traditional skills yourself.
On Saturday 23rd April there’ll be family crafting workshops, an historic dance workshop and living history demos from Rent-a-Peasant. There’ll also be dance and music performances in Morpeth over the weekend. The Landmark Trust will be opening the castle to the public, so you can learn more about its history and restoration, as well as enjoy refreshments or a picnic in the grounds.
For more unusual festivals and celebrations, click this way!
When: 22nd – 24th April 2022
Where: Online on YouTube, Zoom & Facebook and in-person at Morpeth, Northumberland
£: Free but donations very welcome via gofundme to keep the event going and to help the artists taking part
More info: www.facebook.com/morpeth.gathering and www.northumbriana.org.uk
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