Here you can find a list of in-person events local to the north east of England. We cover events happening roughly from York up to Newcastle upon Tyne, although we will sometimes include events as far away as London or Edinburgh as with a bit of planning it is possible to get there and back in a day on the train – one of the benefits of being located in Darlington on the East Coast Main Line! But for most national UK in-person events and also international events please see the Events page on the OBOD website. We have also included a few FREE online UK events.
Mandua Briga Events
Is Anybody Out There? The Return of Darlington Pagan Moot! – Saturday March 22nd at 2pm. The Mandua Briga Seed Group of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids invite those of all pagan paths – Druid, Wiccan, Heathen, Hedge Witch and others – to a friendly, inclusive and informal moot at the Clocktower Café in The Goods Shed at Hopetown Darlington to find out if there is interest in re-starting a regular pagan moot in the town. The venue is fully accessible. Everyone welcome.
Well Blessing at Rock Well in Darlington – Saturday 12th July 2pm – more information to come!
Monthly Events
Moots:
Durham Pagan Moot – open to Druids as well as Wiccans, Heathens and like-minded and / or curious people in the Durham area. On the 1st Tuesday of every month (except January) upstairs at the Head of Steam pub on North Road in Durham starting at 7pm. Whilst the stairs are wide, there is no disability access.
Gateshead Pagan Moot – run by Gateshead Wiccans and Pagans, last Saturday of the month at the Cafe Under The Spire.
Wear Valley Moot – open to all pagans and seekers. Meet on the third Tuesday of the month at the The Stanley Jefferson Wetherspoons pub in Bishop Auckland Market Place starting at 7.30pm.
Astrology:
Durham Astrology Club – Monthly meetings to discuss all things Astrological. Everyone welcome.
Newcastle Astrology Group – meet every second Saturday of the month starting at 2pm at the Cafe Under The Spire in Gateshead with Darlington-based Astrologer Ben Potter. Contact Ben to be added to the WhatsApp group, where most information about the group is posted.
Seasonal Events
Hurworth Wassail – Gather in the car park at Hurworth Grange Community Centre at 4pm and process to the Hurworth Community Orchard – this year’s Wassail is Sunday January 12th 2025. For up to date information see the Hurworth Grange Bar Facebook page and also see the write up of last year’s event in The Northern Echo.
Dilston Physic Garden Wassailing Ceremony – organised by our very good friend and fellow OBOD Druid Victor Ball at Dilston Physic Garden in Corbridge. Usually the weekend after the Hurworth Wassail. Open to all and no need to book. Saturday 18th January 2025 1pm to 4pm.
Winter Tours at Thornborough Henges – Sunday, March 2nd, Friday, March 7th, Sunday March 16th & Friday March 21st 2025 – English Heritage would like to welcome you to join their volunteer-led winter tours of the beautiful Thornborough Henges. Meeting at the entrance gates to the Central Henge, their volunteers will take you on a guided walk around the site to get to know the history and inspiring stories of the Henges.
The Misfit Market – the next one is coming up on Thursday 6th March 2025 5-9pm in Darlington Indoor Market
Wolf and Witch Night Market – Wolf and Witch Middlesbrough’s Original and Award Winning Alternative Night Market. Now coming across the North East for 2025. 28th March 2025 5-9pm Ye Olde Durhams Social Club in Hartlepool.
The Rocky Horror Show at The Hippodrome, Darlington – Monday March 31st to Saturday April 5th 2025. Not a specifically pagan event as such, but definitely pagan adjacent. And as our good friend Meggie used to say – people who only go to purely Pagan events should probably get out more!
Black Diamond Day of Dance – Save this date to your diaries – Saturday April 12th 2025. That’s the day we set Darlingtons streets ringing with sounds of Morris bells, clogs, sticks and music. So get yourselves into Darlington town on the 12th April and join us for a full day of fun entertainment. Starts at 10am – various Morris sides will be dancing all day in different places around the town centre and finishing at The House of Hop for drinks and more music and dancing. Not a specifically pagan event – but see above!
Celebrate Beltane at Thornborough Henge in North Yorkshire – the circular earthworks known as henges were the cathedrals of Stone Age Britain. At Thornborough, three giant henges where built 5,000-years-ago to form a single ritual complex, making Thornborough Henge one of Britain’s most important prehistoric sacred sites. Each year we gather in this special place to celebrate the festival of Beltane that marks the beginning of summer. Beltane at Thornborough is an opportunity for people to join together in celebration, and connect with the rich spiritual and folk traditions of this ancient land. For up to date information about the next gathering check out their Facebook page. This year’s celebrations are Friday 2nd May – Monday 5th May 2025
Take Me To The Forest – Take Me to the Forest is an outdoor, immersive theatrical experience inspired by the ancient festival of Beltane, or the start of summer! Enter a world where nature takes control, and you’re invited to join in with rituals, dance, music and wonder! Complete a set of challenges as you pick your way through the forest – locate six forest glades and gather everything you need to gain entry and take part in a glorious Beltane celebration. Jump over fire, and into rituals that welcome a new season as summer arrives. Craft costumes from the forest around you, learn to dance and take part in rituals as they unfold around you. The experience is deeply rooted in the Tees Valley’s unique coastal, woodland, and moorland landscapes, and celebrates the area’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. It’s a chance for both residents and visitors to reconnect with the beauty of the Tees Valley through local folklore, nature-based storytelling and performance. Dates: 3rd – 5th May and 10th – 11th May 2025. Time: 11am – 6pm. Location: Errington Wood (near Saltburn), TS11 8HW. Tickets £25 and some late afternoon and evening shows already sold out!
Summer Solstice at Sentry Circle – welcome the dawn of solstice. Join others at this friendly gathering where we gather at the Sentry stones and watch the sunrise. Bring your drums, instruments and voices, as all are welcome at the circle and especially around the campfire. We are waiting for details of this year’s gathering, we will update here as soon as we get them.
Oakleaf Camp – top pagan camp in the north, takes place every summer at Lime Tree Farm near Masham. This year’s dates are July 25th – July 28th 2025. For up to date information check out their Facebook page.
Tees Cottage Pumping Station Steampunk Weekend – this year’s dates are September 13th and 14th 2025.
Mabon at Thornborough Henge – an annual gathering to celebrate the Autumn Equinox at Thornborough Henges, all paths are welcome in friendship and peace. We will update here with dates for 2025 as soon as we get them.
Northumbrian Gorsedd – run by Victor Ball and Marc Johnstone, who also run the Coventina Seed Group, our sister OBOD seed group based in the Corbridge area. The Northumbrian Gorsedd is a Community Interest Company (CIC) which runs seasonal events and ceremonies throughout the wheel of the year at Dilston Physic Garden, such as the yearly Wassailing ceremony in January. Many of their events are now no longer publicly advertised as they are so heavily over-subscribed (the willow circle at Dilston Physic Garden where they are held only holds a maximum of 35 people). Please email them at northumbriangorsedd@btinternet.com for information about upcoming events and how to book.
Online events
Ronald Hutton – The Return of the Horned God. Until the nineteenth century, the favourite ancient pagan gods in Western culture were those related to human qualities and activities. During that century, especially in Britain, attention switched to a horned divinity associated with the countryside and wild nature, often personified as the Greek Pan. This lecture explores how and why this happened, and the impact on British culture, when the full subversive potential of this deity as a force for personal liberation became realised. It also shows how the image subsequently evolved from a classical god into an archetype. Wednesday, 19 Feb 2025 6.00pm. Register to watch online FREE
Welcome to the Tarot with Liz Dean – Event by The Newcastle Theosophical Society. Join us this spring as we explore the deeper, transformative aspects of the Tarot. The Tarot is so much more than a fortune-telling game. It is a mystical and magical system that opens one up to the unconscious. It is a book of archetypes that spans cultures across time and space. It is also a meditative tool that unveils the mysterious. Tuesday 25th Feb 2025 7:00pm. Join Zoom Meeting – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6734628568?omn=84529646028 FREE
Philip Carr-Gomm – The Ancestral Practices of the British Isles, Ireland & Brittany Across the British Isles, Ireland and Brittany, ancient traditions have long woven a sacred connection between people, the land, and the unseen realms. In this webinar Druid and author Philip Carr-Gomm will explore the ancestral practices that continue to inspire spiritual seekers today. Drawing on the teachings of Druidy, folklore, and the rich traditions of Celtic spirituality, Philip will guide us through the ways in which these streams of inspiration can help us engage more profoundly with the world and each other —through ritual, storytelling, plant and tree lore, and deep communion with nature. How did they honour the cycles of life, the spirits of place, and the rhythms of the earth? And how can we integrate these ancestral teachings into our modern lives for greater connection and meaning? This session will include an immersive meditative journey, a discussion on the enduring power of these traditions, and a live Q&A with Philip Carr-Gomm. Whether you are new to Druidry or looking to deepen your practice, this webinar offers a unique opportunity to learn from one of the most respected voices in modern Druidry. Friday March 7, 2025 6:00 PM GMT – FREE