South Tyneside Festival Returns: A Summer of Music, Parade, and Family Fun!

The highly anticipated This is South Tyneside Festival will make a grand return this summer, offering a diverse program of live music, entertainment, and family-friendly activities. As one of the largest and most celebrated free festivals in the country, it will run from June to August.

The Summer Parade, a key highlight of the festival, will be back on Saturday, July 1st, bringing the community together for a vibrant carnival procession from South Shields Town Hall to Bents Park at the seafront. The coastal theme for this year’s parade aligns with 2023’s “Year of the Coast” and will be organized in collaboration with The Cultural Spring.

On Sunday, July 2nd, the festivities will continue with performances at Sandhaven seafront and promenade, as well as the return of the popular Proms in the Park concert at Bents Park, featuring both classical and contemporary music.

Bents Park will also host the much-loved open-air Sunday Concerts, which will draw crowds of up to 20,000 on four consecutive weeks on July 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th. The series follows last year’s successful line-up, which showcased prominent artists such as Will Young, Ella Henderson, The South, Shalamar, The Fizz, Whigfield, D:Ream, Phats & Small, and Kelly Llorenna.

From June 1st to 29th, the open-air Amphitheatre at Sandhaven will feature live music from local talent on Thursday and Saturday evenings, in partnership with North East-based support agency Generator. The Amphitheatre will also host a series of brass band performances on Sunday afternoons throughout June, July, and August. Kids Fun Fest, a range of children’s entertainment, will take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from August 1st to 24th.

Organized by the Friends of North and South Marine Parks, live music will be held at the South Marine Park bandstand on Saturday afternoons from July to September. South Tyneside’s summer parks program, featuring live music and children’s entertainment, will return to parks and open spaces across the Borough throughout August.

Councillor Joan Atkinson, Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Council responsible for Culture, Leisure, and the Visitor Economy, expressed excitement for the festival’s traditional elements and encouraged people to mark their calendars for this year’s event.

Groups or organizations interested in participating in the Summer Parade should contact The Cultural Spring via email at [email protected] or call 07469 030 256. South Tyneside Council’s Events Team can be reached at (0191) 455 4031.

More details about This is South Tyneside Festival will be announced soon. Residents and visitors are advised to check the festival website at www.southtynesidefestival.co.uk or follow South Tyneside Events on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

This year’s Sunday line-ups for the festival will feature iconic boy bands, a TV legend, and the music of one of the world’s most beloved groups. The free concerts at Bents Park are set to attract large crowds with an impressive program of music, starting on July 9th with British pop band The Vamps. Other performances include Jason Donovan, Björn Again, and Boyzlife.

Sandhaven Amphitheatre will host brass band concerts and Proms in the Park, among other events, throughout the summer months. Cllr Pat Hay, Mayor of South Tyneside, believes this will be one of the best festivals to date.

The This Is South Tyneside Festival is supported by various sponsors, including Port of Tyne, Minchella & Co, Colmans, Ramside Event