Free events in Northumberland this month

Wednesday 30 September 2026

• Alana Brook organ recital

  19:00 Berwick Parish Church (Holy Trinity), Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  An evening organ recital by Alana Brook in Holy Trinity, the parish church on the Parade. Entry is free with a retiring collection. Organiser

Thursday 1 October 2026

• Lunchtime Live

  13:00 Hexham Abbey, Hexham · Free

  Forty minutes of live music at lunchtime, with a focus on recitals on the Abbey's Phelps organ. Organiser

Saturday 3 October 2026

• Berwick Open Studios

  Venues across Berwick, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  Artists and makers open more than 25 studios and spaces around Berwick for the second weekend of the town's first open studios event. Free, with maps from the visitor centre. Organiser

• Morpeth Farmers' Market

  Market Place, Morpeth · Free

  The monthly farmers' market fills the Market Place on the first Saturday of the month, with local food and produce stalls. Good for a browse before a walk along the Wansbeck in Carlisle Park. Organiser

• Norham Village Band concert

  15:00 St Cuthbert's Church, Norham · Free

  Norham Village Band plays to celebrate the reopening of St Cuthbert's Church after three months of works, with afternoon tea. Entry by donation. Organiser

Sunday 4 October 2026

• Harvest Festival

  St Aidan's Church, Bamburgh · Free

  St Aidan's marks the end of its Season of Creation with a Harvest Festival thinking of farming communities near and far. The church's main Sunday service is at 11am, but check the parish site for the harvest timings. Organiser

• Inner ward open day

  11:00 Prudhoe Castle, Prudhoe · Free

  The inner ward and manor house at Prudhoe Castle open on the first Sunday of the month; the outer ward is free to explore every day. Upper floors and the chapel are reached by steep steps. Organiser

• Sunday Makers' Market

  11:00 Etal Village Hall, Etal · Free

  The Tin Shed's last Sunday makers' market of the season, with locally made arts and crafts and demonstrations. Dogs are welcome. Organiser

• Rendez-Vous Dance: Moving Together workshop

  14:00 Maltings at Hide Hill, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  A free two-hour inclusive movement workshop for adults led by choreographer Mathieu Geffré and movement artist David Kam. No dance experience needed and activities can be adapted. Organiser

Monday 5 October 2026

• Yule Goat Dressing Workshop

  10:00 Ad Gefrin, Wooler · Free

  Volunteer to help thatch, sew and dress the giant Yule Straw Goat ahead of its November procession. Twelve places per session, with free refreshments. Organiser

Thursday 8 October 2026

• An evening with Chris McKinnell

  19:00 Northumberland Haunted Museum, Amble · Free

  A free talk, question and answer session and book signing at Amble's haunted museum. Organiser

• Cabaret of Words

  19:00 The Straw Yard, Berwick Barracks, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  An open mic night for poets, storytellers and lovers of the spoken word, with table seating and a bar. Free to watch, with optional donations; part of Berwick Literary Festival. Organiser

Saturday 10 October 2026

• In The Lighthouse: sound and light installation

  Ness Gate and Berwick Pier, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  Artist Ed Carter lights up the walk along the pier to Berwick Lighthouse with a sound and light piece about Robina Burgon, the town's first female lighthouse keeper. Free, just turn up; wrap up warm as the pier is exposed. Organiser

• Hexham Farmers' Market

  09:00 Hexham town centre, Hexham · Free

  Local food producers at Hexham's farmers' market in the heart of the town, usually held on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Organiser

• Hexham Community Arts Open Day

  10:00 Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Hexham · Free

  More than 20 local creative groups show what they do, with performances and free taster sessions in singing, dance, poetry and ceilidh. A good way to find a new hobby. Organiser

• Nature reserve open day

  10:00 West Chevington nature reserve, Widdrington · Free

  A chance to explore one of the Trust's newest rewilding reserves, with free parking and staff on hand to talk about the conservation work. There are no toilets or refreshments on site. Organiser

• West Chevington open day

  10:00 West Chevington nature reserve, Widdrington · Free

  A chance to explore the trust's West Chevington reserve near Widdrington, with staff on hand to talk about the conservation work and future plans. Organiser

• Yule Goat Dressing Workshop

  10:00 Ad Gefrin, Wooler · Free

  A Saturday chance to help dress the six-metre Yule Straw Goat with thatching, sewing and craft. Twelve places, free refreshments. Organiser

• Adventure Babies sensory storytelling

  10:30 Berwick Library, Walkergate, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  Free sensory stories for babies and toddlers with puppets, music, lights and parachutes, at 10:30am and 12pm. Part of Berwick Literary Festival. Organiser

• Christian Foley: Babblin' Animal Raps

  11:30 The Guildhall, Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  An interactive show of animal poems, freestyle raps and audience participation for primary-age children. Free, but booking is needed. Organiser

• Lighthouse 200 Celebration Cake

  12:00 Marygate market place, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  Baker Jim Ford recreates the giant lighthouse-shaped Christmas cake made by a Berwick baker in 1908, with free slices while they last, live music and local history stories. Part of the celebrations for 200 years of Berwick Lighthouse. Organiser

• Best in the World: darts drop-in workshop

  13:30 Market Pavilion, Blyth · Free

  A free drop-in session linked to Unfolding Theatre's darts show Best in the World, which comes to the Market Pavilion in November. Organiser

• Carolina Ewing: A Blizzard in Berwick

  13:30 Berwick Library, Walkergate, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  Children's author Carolina Ewing reads from her stories set around Berwick and talks about the wildlife in them, with a Q&A and activity sheet. Organiser

• Tribe: Glendale Ceilidh Band and Wooler Arts Junk Orchestra

  19:00 St Mary's Church, Wooler · Free

  Traditional and new music from two local ensembles, including Kate Bagenal-Lowe's Wooler Water and the world premiere of John Casken's Melange. Organiser

Sunday 11 October 2026

• Andante Chamber Choir: A Choral Tapestry

  15:00 St Cuthbert's Church, Norham · Free

  An a cappella programme of folk song arrangements by Holst, Vaughan Williams and Grainger alongside sacred music, with afternoon tea. Entry by donation. Organiser

Tuesday 13 October 2026

• Body of Memory: Paddy Hartley retrospective

  The Straw Yard, Berwick Barracks, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  A retrospective of 35 years of Paddy Hartley's work on science, medicine, memory and the body, including embroidered textiles, sculpture and film about First World War facial reconstructive surgery. Organiser

Wednesday 14 October 2026

• Ageing Well Information Fair

  10:00 Morpeth Town Hall, Morpeth · Free

  A free drop-in fair with local organisations sharing advice on staying active, healthy, safe and connected through the winter. Contact Morpeth Mental Health Group serve soup, scones and cake for a small charge. Organiser

• Art at Etal

  10:30 Etal Village Hall, Etal · Free

  The final monthly Art at Etal day of the season, with local artists and makers in the village hall. Free entry, dogs welcome. Organiser

• Glorious Geese

  11:00 Window on Wild Lindisfarne, Holy Island · Free

  Family crafts and games at Window on Wild Lindisfarne, near the harbour on Holy Island, to celebrate the return of the geese to the nature reserve. Check the causeway safe crossing times before you set off. Organiser

Thursday 15 October 2026

• Lunchtime Live

  13:00 Hexham Abbey, Hexham · Free

  Forty minutes of live music at lunchtime, with a focus on recitals on the Abbey's Phelps organ. Organiser

Saturday 17 October 2026

• Lowick Art Group exhibition

  10:00 Berwick Parish Centre, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  A free one-day exhibition of work by local artists from Lowick Art Group. Organiser

• Lighthouse 200 Sand Art on the Beach

  14:00 Spittal Point Beach, Spittal · Free

  Help artist Claire Eason create a giant temporary sand drawing of the Lighthouse 200 emblem and star constellations on Spittal beach. Taking part is free but needs booking; watching is open to all until the tide takes it. Organiser

• Hauxley Wildlife Talks: bird ringing for beginners

  16:00 Hauxley Wildlife Discovery Centre, Low Hauxley · Free

  Chris Wright of Ponteland Wildlife Group explains how bird ringing works and what the data tells scientists. Parking charges apply; the cafe offers 20% off before the talk. Organiser

Wednesday 21 October 2026

• Wilder wellbeing

  11:00 Northumberlandia, Cramlington · Free

  A free session with Northumberland Recovery College mixing gentle conservation volunteering, a mindful walk, nature crafts and citizen science. Meet outside the Northumberlandia cafe. Organiser

• Collingwood Toast

  11:40 Morpeth Town Hall (Buttermarket), Morpeth · Free

  On Trafalgar Day the Mayor of Morpeth raises a toast in the Town Hall Buttermarket to Admiral Lord Collingwood, who made his home in the town. A short civic tradition worth catching if you are in town. Organiser

Saturday 24 October 2026

• Hexham Farmers' Market

  09:00 Hexham town centre, Hexham · Free

  Local food producers at Hexham's farmers' market in the heart of the town, usually held on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. The Queen's Hall hosts a free Meet the Makers craft market in its foyer the same morning. Organiser

• Eric Thomas: lute recital

  11:30 Berwick Parish Church (Holy Trinity), Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  A late-morning lute recital, with tea, coffee and food in the Parish Centre from 10:45am. Admission by retiring donation. Organiser

Sunday 25 October 2026

• Speakeasy: Ruth McCann on Japanese stab binding

  14:00 The Straw Yard, Berwick Barracks, Berwick-upon-Tweed · Free

  Bookbinder Ruth McCann leads an informal afternoon of talk and making in a cabaret-style setting, focusing on Japanese stab binding. Doors 1.30pm. Organiser

Monday 26 October 2026

• Ford and Etal Scarycrow Trail

  Ford, Etal and Heatherslaw villages, Ford · Free

  A half term trail of scarecrows made by local residents and businesses, now in its 19th year. Pick up a map and score sheet from the village shops and vote for your favourite. Organiser

• Goose Festival

  Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve (Holy Island and Budle Bay), Holy Island · Free

  A week of events across Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve for the arrival of the wintering geese, including sunrise dawn chorus events at Budle Bay and family nature activities. Guided walks must be booked and Holy Island is only reachable at low tide. Organiser

• The Famous Scarycrow Trail

  Ford, Etal and Heatherslaw villages, Etal · Free

  Pick up a map from a village shop and follow the half-term trail of home-made scarecrows around Ford, Etal and Heatherslaw, scoring your favourites as you go. Most of it is walkable, buggy friendly and dogs are welcome, and proceeds go to a local charity. Organiser

Tuesday 27 October 2026

• Blyth Halloween: Trick or Treat

  Market Pavilion and Blyth town centre, Blyth · Free

  A week of free drop-in Halloween crafts at the Market Pavilion, where families help build a giant spooky creation, with a parade on the Friday and fireworks on the Saturday. Organiser

• Lantern Making Workshop

  10:00 Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Hexham · Free

  Make a lantern for the Hexham Lantern Parade in a free 45-minute session in the Queen's Hall foyer. Book a place for each child; sessions at 10am, 11am and 12pm. Organiser