After all the excesses of the festive season, it will be time to get dressed, put away the chocolates and remote control, give ourselves a shake and start thinking about the year ahead.
A new year is often the time people decide to make a fresh start, change their lifestyle or repeat their annual vow to get in shape. Many seize upon the idea of dry January to make up for their guilt over the Christmas blow-out only to find that the dark days of January become even more miserable.
But a new year is also the perfect time to embrace opportunites to add more fun to life or to make plans that will give us something to look forward to. And already there are preparations under way across the North East for events that promise to help make 2023 a cracker.
Read more: the story of Ad Gefrin
Here we've focused on 10 events that will be taking place in and around Newcastle - including in Northumberland and County Durham - over the coming year. Among them are some festivals that are returning favourites; freebies - always an advantage at a time families are watching their finances - and new events such as the launch of an arts festival and the opening of a a £14m museum and distillery.
Here's a round-up of ideas we think deserve a place in those new diaries
The Late Shows
There's no announcement of a date yet but this hugely popular event has confirmed it will be back in 2023 and its two-day run is always in May. Given the current cost of living concerns, the fact it is free is great news for families who will be able to make the most of the opportunity to tour around the Newcastle and Gateshead cultural venues which will be opening up after-dark.
On offer will be opportunities to see behind the scenes and take part in activities and workshops, with a free bus linking many of the key venues for those keen to pack as much into the night as possible. First night is a Friday when the focus will be on Ouseburn venues then the main event takes place on the Saturday.
The first ever 'culture crawl', which is organised by Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums, was in in 2007 and since then a wide mix of museums, galleries, studios and historic buildings have opened their doors to host everything from performances to parties. See here.
Ad Gefrin
The eagerly-awaited £14m Anglo-Saxon Museum and whisky distillery is set to open its doors in Wooler, Northumberland, in the spring and it promises to be a hugely exciting visitor attraction for the North East. Besides being home to the first Northumbrian English single salt whisky using Northumberland barley and water from the Cheviot Hills, Ad Gefrin will showcase the "hidden history" of the 7th Century Anglo Saxon royal summer palace of the Northumbrian Kings and Queens.
This was discovered only four miles away at Yeavering and is said to be one of the 20th century’s most remarkable archaeological finds. Its era was said to be a ‘Golden Age’ and it ultimately spawned The Lindisfarne Gospels.
Ad Gefrin even sponsored the recent display of The Lindisfarne Gospels which has just come to an end in Newcastle. Read more about Ad Gefrin here.
Sam Fender at St James's Park
News that the North Shields award-winning singer-songwriter would be performing a huge outdoor gig at Newcastle United's ground on June 9 generated excitement of epic proportions when it was announced and then there came more fan frenzy with the confirmation of a second date, June 10, which followed all the clamouring for tickets.
And the double-date promises to make up one of the music events of the year. Fender has called his stadium opportunity "a childhood dream come true", adding: "I always joked that one day we might play St James' Park in Newcastle, the biggest stadium in the North East, and now we're actually gonna play it." See here.
The Hoppings
There's nothing like the fun of the fair to bring some buzz to the summer and, even if the reality turns out to be traipsing the moor knee-deep in mud, we love the annual visit by Europe's biggest travelling funfair. The Hoppings made its return to Newcastle Town Moor last June after two years' absence and, under new organisers Crow Events, we were treated to nine days' worth of entertainment including white knuckle rides like the MACH5, Air and Top Spin plus traditional favourites and fairground stalls.
The fair added its first fully licensed bar for the public and a Feast Street food village. On the back of that success, Crow Events has now announced 2022's dates - June 16 to June 24.
Northern Pride
A huge event is already being planned for the next Newcastle festival celebrating the LGBT community, following on from this year's success on the Town Moor. Organisers say: "We are well underway with our plans to bring an amazing free Pride to the North East in July 2023."
The dates for the diary will be July 22-23 and the event is also being seen as an opportunity to highlight challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community; promote understanding and give out advice and support. Follow updates on Pride's website here.
Ladies Day
Always a favourite, this event is a social highlight of Newcastle's summer calendar and second only to the Northumberland Plate in race day importance. For many it's a welcome chance to dig out the hats and fascinators that have been gathering dust ever since their last race day outing, or wedding, and with 'best dressed' prizes up for grabs at Newcastle Racecourse on the day there's even more reason to dress to impress.
Gosforth Park has announced the 2023 date for The Beeswing Ladies Day - July 29 - saying it will be "back, bigger and better than ever". For ticket details see here and information about tickets for the earlier Northumberland Plate Day, on July 1, can be found here.
Newcastle Creates
Plans for this new event, an arts festival aimed at creating an Edinburgh Fringe vibe, were unveiled by city culture bosses in the spring so keep an eye out for more news about the preparations. Set to include the likes of public art installations, exhibitions, music and dance, the hope is for a pilot event in August ahead of a full extravaganza the next summer followed by an annual event.
The last big cultural festival was the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018.
Kynren
As you might have guessed, as it's become such a tourist attraction over the years, Kynren - an Epic Tale of England will be back with another spectacular in 2023, and it is keeping some surprises under wraps too. The outdoor event, produced by 11Arches on its 7.5-acre stage site in County Durham, is also looking ahead to reopen in 2024 as a seasonal visitor attraction.
It recently hosted an open call-out for volunteers to join its 1,000-strong cast and crew for the next run and more opportunities are set to follow. The show, which has a cast of animals too, highlights key moments in 2,000 years of English history through dramatic action pieces which culminate in a spectaclar firework finale, set against the backdrop of Auckland Castle.
It will return on Saturdays between July 29 and September 9. For more about the award-winning experience, and to take advantage of an early bird ticket offer, see here.
Lumiere
The biennial light festival has announced plans for a dazzling return to Durham, with a four-night run set transform city centre streets and buildings from November 16-19. The 2023 event will be the 8th and, besides bringing its trademark sense of magic and fun to dark nights, Lumiere also will be taking into account the current difficult times.
While fund-raising is under way for the free festival, which is created by leading arts producer Artichoke and commissioned by Durham County Council, the idea is to channel investment back into the local community to help families in need. This time around, the new works on show will be by artists with "something to say about our world" too. See here.
Great North Run
We can't not mention the world's biggest half-marathon of course and the much-loved run will be back again on September 10. Its 2022 outing promised a return to normal following the challenges of Covid - and its traditional South Shields finish line was reinstated - but then the loss of the Queen just beforehand made the event anything but normal.
The run still went ahead, enjoyed by tens of thousands of runners, but with respects paid to her late majesty including a minute's silence and the National Athem. It was a, well-judged, success once more.
The 2023 affair no doubt will be back to its usual, extra-noisy, celebratory best with around 60,000 runners expected to take part. See here.
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