Music, heritage and family fun as Northumberland Miners’ Picnic returns to Woodhorn Museum
"it’s a chance for people of all ages to come together and celebrate the stories, creativity and community spirit that continue to shape our region today.”
One of the North East’s longest running and best-loved events, the Northumberland Miners’ Picnic returns to Woodhorn Museum on Saturday 13 June.
The annual celebration of North East mining heritage brings together music, performance, arts and culture for a day of remembrance, community and celebration of the region’s industrial past.
This year’s programme features a packed line-up of live music, creative workshops, storytelling and family-friendly activities for all ages.
The day begins with the miners’ memorial service and wreath laying, commemorating those who lost their lives in the coal mining industry. As part of the service, Ashington Male Voice Choir, celebrating their own centenary this year, will perform a special song commemorating 110 years since the Woodhorn Colliery Disaster. Four local brass bands - Ellington Colliery Band, Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band, Bedlington Community Brass Band and Ashington Colliery Brass Band - will then take to the main stage with lively performances of traditional mining songs and well-known classics.
There will also be performances from Northern Proud Voices, the high-energy New Orleans-inspired Northern Monkey Brass Band, and the dynamic Afro-Latin fusion of Ladies of Midnight Blue. The day will be compered by Bread & Butter Theatre Company, bringing energy and storytelling throughout the celebrations.
Alongside the music, families and younger visitors are invited to get creative in Bugs & Beasties workshops with artists Lottie Smith and Molly Barrett, making dragonfly wings, beetle hats and fern headdresses inspired by fossils from the Carboniferous era. Visitors can also take part in a percussion workshop with Ladies of Midnight Blue to create their own instruments before bringing their creations along to join the colourful Bugs & Beasties parade, filling the museum grounds with music and movement. Children can also enjoy circus skills activities throughout the afternoon.
The event also features a range of heritage displays, collections activities and storytelling, exploring the lives and experiences of mining communities across Northumberland.
To mark the 100th anniversary of the General Strike, Ed Waugh, writer of The Cramlington Train Wreckers, will share the story of the Cramlington 8 with live presentations throughout the day. Visitors will also be among the first to see The Northumbrian Miner, a new sculpture by artist John O'Rourke celebrating the region’s coalmining heritage, with opportunities to meet the artist and hear more about plans for the major new public artwork.
Marking twenty years since the closure of Ellington Colliery, Northumberland’s last deep coal mine, the iconic ‘Big E’ sign will make a special return to Woodhorn, alongside displays and memories capturing life at the pit.
Visitors can also explore a new object trail selected by the Museum Marras collections volunteers, featuring items from across the collection - from a humble horseshoe to a handwritten cake recipe - each revealing stories of everyday life in Northumberland’s mining communities.
Community groups also play a central role in the Picnic, including the Woodhorn Weeders Age UK gardening volunteers, offering plants and gardening advice, and the Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway Volunteers.
Food and drink will be available from the Winding House Café, alongside pop-up stalls from independent producers including Barista Sisters, Anarchy Brew Co, Cicarelli Gelato and Habibi Shawarma Street Eats.
Jo Raw, Northumberland Venues Manager, North East Museums, said:
“The Northumberland Miners’ Picnic is about more than entertainment – it’s about remembering, celebrating and bringing people together. From music and storytelling to hands-on family activities and heritage displays, it’s a chance for people of all ages to come together and celebrate the stories, creativity and community spirit that continue to shape our region today.”
The Northumberland Miners’ Picnic takes place at Woodhorn Museum on Saturday 13 June from 10am – 5pm. The event is free to attend, but onsite car parking is £5 per vehicle. A free shuttle bus will also operate between Ashington Leisure Centre and Woodhorn Museum.
For more information visit WoodhornMuseum.org.uk
