Illustrated scene of Bloemfontein, Durham

What's on in Bloemfontein

The pub quizzes, craft fairs, and village fêtes the big sites miss — here's what's on around Bloemfontein.

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Children & FamilyNature & OutdoorsTheatre

Summer of Play 2026: free family activities

This year is even bigger than last. It’s a play paradise with fun-packed play zones. There’ll be Georgian games, racket sports, music making and space hopper racing. Discover wildlife and nature, compete in penalty shootout, try your luck at a bean bag toss and play a game of volleyball. Tiny explorers will love the sensory play scattered across the Walled Garden where every step brings something new to see, touch, and experience. Bigger kids can step into the puppet theatre and put on a show, and adults? Put your family to the test in lawn games. Not to mention, there’ll be plenty of guided sessions returning, including: • Family fun yoga – join Kalma Life Yoga for bubble-filled animal poses • SEND friendly sports lessons – facilitated by Smile Through Sport • Axe throwing – try your aim with safe, instructor led throws from B Outdoors • Nature crafts – make simple creations inspired by the wild world • Parachute play – big, bright, energetic fun for all ages • Soft archery – test your focus with foam tipped arrows • Storytelling – settle in for lively tales that spark imaginations Whether your child dreams of becoming a sports champion or an artist, they’ll head home happy-tired, full of excitement and fresh air. From Saturday 4 July, every day until September, all summer long. Let the festival begin!

Thu 23 Jul11:00Gibside(4.9mi)

via Gibside

Children & FamilyTheatre

Parachute play: Summer of Play

Drop by to try out classic parachute games at Gibside's Play Paradise. Expect primary school classics: create a giant, colourful mushroom, experience a heart-pounding game of cat and mouse, or surprise your friends and family with a round of shark attack. Summer of Play is sponsored by Starling Bank.

Thu 23 Jul12:00Gibside(4.9mi)

via Gibside

Children & FamilyTheatre

Family games: Summer of Play

Drop by and join the family challenge. Take part in classic games like the egg-and-spoon race, parachute challenge, foam javelin throws, space hopper races, and blindfold games. Who in your family will take home the bragging rights?

Thu 23 Jul14:30Gibside(4.9mi)

via Gibside

Community

Church Wives

We meet fortnightly on a Thursday evening in the Chapter House, except in July and August. We have a range of speakers for most meetings, which are listed in the separate left hand tab. We also enjoy a shared meal approximately four times a year. For further details .

Thu 23 Jul19:00Family History Specialist(3.9mi)

via Family History SpecialistCurated

Community

The Wedding Walk – 150 Years of Wedding Dresses Repeating Event Event Summary: The wedding dress fashion show is a...

Ushaw, Durham, DH7 7DW

Fri 24 JulUshaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens(4.8mi)

via Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & GardensCurated

Community

Around £12

The Wedding Walk - 150 Years of Wedding Dresses

On Friday 26 June & 24 July, join us for an unforgettable evening, which will bring to life astounding examples of wedding dress design from the past century, in the stunning surroundings of Ushaw Historic House. The wedding dress fashion show is a special, exclusive event to compliment our wedding dress exhibition providing the opportunity to view additional gowns, not displayed in the exhibition. Models will demonstrate a series of gowns. This catwalk-style event will be accompanied by collector and designer Kevin Thornhill’s lively commentary. Event information: – Doors will open at 5pm to discover 150 Years of Wedding Dresses exhibition. – You’ll also have the opportunity to relax with a drink in the Francis Thompson Bar. Please note, drinks are not permitted in the chapels. – The fashion show will begin at 7.15pm and will run for approximately 90 minutes.

Fri 24 JulUshaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens(4.8mi)

via Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & GardensCurated

Community

Around £14.95

Snakes & Shakes

Fri 24 Jul10:00Lanchester Aquatics(4.2mi)

via Lanchester Aquatics

Community

Ladies Meeting

Ladies Meeting — brought to you by Langley Park Baptist Church and surfaced by us. A beautiful collaboration, if we do say so ourselves.

Fri 24 Jul10:30Langley Park Baptist Church(4.1mi)

via Langley Park Baptist ChurchCurated

Community

Around £14.95

Snakes & Shakes

Do you love snakes? Do you want to learn more about our slithery friends ? Do you also crave delicious milkshakes? If you answered yes to any (or all) of the above questions then this event is for you! Join us for another exciting Snakes & Shakes event where you can get up close to one of our resident snakes and learn all about our slithery friends. The fun doesn’t end there as we are also including one of Udderly Delicious Milkshakes from Moo’s Ice Cream Bar – the difficulty may be deciding the flavour! £14.95 per child (includes snakes workshop and a Milkshake from Moo’s Ice Cream Bar). Please note all tickets are non-refundable, however name changes are permitted if you are unable to attend. This would only be permitted if you contact us 48 hours prior to the event and advise of the change of details. Should this event be cancelled, due to circumstances beyond our control, we will offer a transfer to an alternative event of the same value (subject to availability) or a credit voucher equivalent to the full value of your booking. This credit will be emailed to you and will be valid for use at Lanchester Garden Centre for 3 months from the date of issue.

Fri 24 Jul11:00Lanchester Garden Centre(4.5mi)

via Lanchester Garden Centre

Children & FamilyNature & OutdoorsTheatre

Summer of Play 2026: free family activities

Fri 24 Jul11:00Gibside(4.9mi)

via Gibside

Sports & Fitness

Football Friday's coached sessions with Newcastle United Foundation

Get ready for Football Fridays, high‑energy skills sessions led by the brilliant coaches from Newcastle United Foundation, the charity arm of NUFC dedicated to inspiring young people through sport. Learn to dribble like Messi, score like Bellingham and volley like Shearer with some top‑quality coaching. Sessions run 10:30–11:30am for ages 6–8 and 11:30am–12:30pm for ages 9–14.

Fri 24 Jul11:30Gibside(4.9mi)

via Gibside

Sports & Fitness

Football Friday's coached sessions with Newcastle United Foundation

Fri 24 Jul12:30Gibside(4.9mi)

via Gibside

CommunitySports & Fitness

Football Friday's drop-in sessions with Newcastle United Foundation

Get ready for Football Fridays led by Newcastle United Foundation coaches, the charity arm of NUFC dedicated to inspiring young people through sport. Kids can dip in and out of activities, practise new skills and join friendly challenges throughout the day. There's plenty of multi‑sport equipment to try out and don’t miss the Keepy‑Up Challenge. How many keepy‑ups can you do, and will you make it onto the leaderboard? Come back each week to beat your score or defend your title.

Fri 24 Jul14:30Gibside(4.9mi)

via Gibside

Community

Youth Club

We've tracked down Youth Club at Evangel Church. For the rest of the intel, you'll want their website.

Fri 24 Jul18:45Evangel Church(4.2mi)

via Evangel Church

CommunityFestivals & EventsHistory & Heritage

Around £6-£16.30

Heritage Steam Train Ride (Timetable A)

Enjoy a scenic 6-mile round-trip through the Causey Valley aboard a lovingly restored steam locomotive and Victorian-era carriages. Day Rover tickets allow unlimited travel all day, and you can join or break your journey at any station.

Sat 25 JulTanfield Railway(3.6mi)

via Tanfield RailwayLocal gem

Food & DrinkHistory & Heritage

Around £40.28

Afternoon Tea Train Experience

Indulge in a quintessentially British afternoon tea aboard a beautifully restored Directors’ Class carriage while enjoying scenic views along the world’s oldest railway.

Sat 25 JulTanfield Railway(3.6mi)

via Tanfield RailwayLocal gem

Arts & CultureFood & Drink

Around £40.28

Afternoon Tea Train

Enjoy a delightful afternoon tea aboard a historic Directors’ Class carriage while taking in scenic views of the North East countryside.

Sat 25 JulTanfield Railway(3.6mi)

via Tanfield RailwayLocal gem

See what else is on

Event details on Near Here are aggregated from third-party sources and may change. Always verify times, location, availability, and any price directly with the organiser before travelling. See Terms.

More about Bloemfontein

Durham, England

Bloemfontein sits in Durham with a quiet dignity that makes it perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon or a brisk Tuesday walk. There are plenty of places to grab a coffee and people-watch without feeling like you're being studied by a sociologist. The local shops always seem to have the best selection of raincoats, which is handy when the sky turns grey. We know that every neighbourhood has its own rhythm, and Bloemfontein keeps a steady one that suits everyone. From community gatherings to casual meet-ups, there are regular events popping up around the area. Near Here collects them all so you don't have to hunt through a dozen websites on a weekend morning.

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