What's On?
Events & Activities – Winter 2025
NORTH YORK MOORS NATIONAL PARK (MULTIPLE VENUES)
North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales National Parks’ Dark Skies Festival: 14 Feb– 2 Mar, www.northyorkmoors.org.uk
North Yorkshire Moors Railway: half-term events, Sir Nigel Gresley Services, Pullman Dining Services, and more: www.nymr.co.uk
Beacon for the Arts Festival: April, See www.northyorkmoors.org.uk for more events, workshops and guided walks.
ESK VALLEY & MOORLAND VILLAGES
Vi’s Community Cafe, Grosmont: every Thursday, 10.30am–2.30pm, St Matthew’s Church, homemade soup, cakes, butties, drinks; jigsaw swap; dogs welcome
Grosmont Fellowship Space – Time for Cake, Music & Friendship: first Sunday of month, 4–5.30pm, Hollin’s Institute, Institute Row, walk then refreshments
Meet & Eat at Commondale Village Hall: 12 noon–2pm every Tuesday
Upper Esk Valley Gardening Club: first Monday in month, 7.30pm, Ley Hall, Lealholm, 01287 660137
Exhibition – ‘Dark Skies & Nocturnal Life’: 15 Feb–23 Mar, Inspired by… Gallery, Danby Lodge National Park Centre, www.northyorkmoors.org. uk/things-to-do
Sleights Recorder Consort Session: 20 Feb, noon, St Matthew’s Church, Grosmont, Medieval to Baroque
Scarborough to Whitby Railway talk: 21 Feb, 7pm, St Matthew’s Church, Grosmont, by Neil Williamson, photography curator at Whitby Museum, £3
Piano Concert – Peter Lyth: 22 Feb, 3pm, St Matthew’s Church, Grosmont, classics and dances, £5 inc. refreshments
Pancakes and Soup: 4 Mar, 11am–2pm, St Matthew’s Church, Grosmont
Fylingdales Folk Choir: 14 Mar, 7pm, St Matthew’s Church, Grosmont, £5 inc. refreshments
Exhibition – ‘The Art of Being’: 29 Mar–11 May, Inspired by… gallery, Danby Lodge National Park Centre
Easter Island Talk by Dan Kjelldahl: 11 Apr, 7pm, St Matthew’s Church, Grosmont, £3 inc. refreshments 01947 895309
Piano Concert with Jill Crossland: 12 Apr, 5pm, St Matthew’s Church, Grosmont, international pianist, works by Bach, Schumann and Chopin, £5 inc. refreshments
Lore of t’ Moor Community Play: 24 Apr, 2pm, Danby Lodge National Park Centre, original play inspired by folklore of North York Moors, outcome of collaborative workshops, part of Beacon for the Arts Festival. See https://3-minutearts.uk/workshops
Mini Arts Festival: 31 May, Robinson Institute, Glaisdale, performing arts festival presented by 3-Minute Arts (https://3-minutearts.uk), day and evening band sessions, prize-winning drama, stories and songs, ‘Lore of t’ Moor’ community play, poetry, art workshops, storytelling, stalls, local catering
Photos & Talk – ‘Curiosities of the North York Moors’: 15 Aug, 7pm, St Matthew’s Church, Grosmont, by Jane Ellis
WHITBY & SANDSEND
Exhibition: ‘Our Lasses, Inspirational Women of Whitby’: Until 15 June (extended dates), https://whitbymuseum.org.uk
Mini Exhibition: ‘Life of Frank Meadow Sutcliffe’: Until 15 June, Whitby Museum, https://whitbymuseum.org.uk
Jazz Friday at Chapel on the Hill: 28 Feb, 12.30pm, Alastair & Band, Brunswick Street, YO21 1RB
Moorlands Blues Jam Session: 8 Mar, 5–9pm, Whitby Brewery’s monthly session, www.whitby-brewery.com
Fast Katz: 14 Mar, 7.45pm, playing at Rifle Club, Whitby (www.whitby-rifle-club.co.uk), donations on door, raffle to support Alzheimer’s
Locals’ Weekend at Marine Discovery Centre: 15–16 Mar, 10am–5pm, 9 Pier Road, Whitby, YO21 3PU, aquarium and lobster hatchery, free entry for YO21 & YO22 residents, https://marinediscoverywhitby.co.uk
The Swamp Stomp String Band: 21 Mar, 7–9pm, Whitby Brewery, www.whitby-brewery.com
Jazz Friday at Chapel on the Hill: 28 Mar, 12.30pm, Alastair & Band, Brunswick Street, YO21 1RB
Hana Piranha, Hot Rockets, Rocketsmith: 28 Mar, 6–9pm, Whitby Brewery, punk rock night – three bands, www.whitby-brewery.com
Mick McConnell & ‘Blue Thunder’: 4 Apr, 7.30–9pm, Blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Mick McConnell and band, www.whitby-brewery.com
The Rogues: 5 Apr, 7–9pm, Whitby Brewery, Indie Rock N’ Roll band from South Wales, www.whitby-brewery.com
Goth Weekend: 25–27 Apr, bands, alternative culture, Bizarre Bazaar alternative market at Chapel on the Hill and Whitby Leisure Centre, www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk
Whitby 60s Festival: 6–8 Jun, Whitby Pavilion, https://whitbypavilion.co.uk
Charity Variety Show at Chapel on the Hill: 28 Jun, Brunswick Street
St Hilda’s Festival Chorus & Orchestra: 18 Oct, 7pm, St Hilda’s Church, Whitby, Cherubini – Requiem in C minor & Popular Oratorio Choruses, https://sthildaschorus.co.uk
Whitby Lit Fest: 6–9 Nov 2025, new literature festival, https://whitbylitfest.org.uk
EAST CLEVELAND – Loftus, Saltburn, Staithes, Redcar
Guided Walks and Health Walks: Loftus Accord walking group, free walks, no booking needed: www.facebook.com/LoftusAWG
Loftus Library Creative Writing Group: Monthly on Saturdays (last Saturday of month except for Feb), 10.30am–12 noon, Loftus Library, TS13 4PR
Carlin How Singers: Mondays, 7.15–9pm, Jubilee Hall, Carlin How, new voices welcome, harmony-singing, enquiries: Tim 07896 534302
East Cleveland Young Singers Group: Tuesdays in term time, 5–6pm, Jubilee Hall, Carlin How, enquiries: Tim 07896 534302
Saltburn Cinema – The Critic: 6 Mar, 2pm & 7pm, Ian McKellen as feared theatre critic, https://saltburnarts.co.uk
Saltburn Jazz: 7 Mar – The Jake Leg Jug Band; 4 Apr – Ruth Lambert Quartet, 7.30pm, Saltburn Arts, https://saltburnarts.co.uk
Bootleg Eagles: 15 Mar, 7.30pm, Saltburn Theatre, https://saltburnarts.co.uk
NT Live ‘Dr Strangelove’: 27 Mar, 7pm, Steve Coogan in premiere stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s comedy, Saltburn Cinema, https://saltburnarts.co.uk
Fylingdales Folk Choir & The Marigolds: 28 Mar, 7.30pm, fundraising for Mary Thompson Fund, Saltburn Theatre, https://saltburnarts.co.uk
Take Me to the Forest Festival: 3/4/5 & 10/11 May, time slots 11am–6pm, Errington Wood near Saltburn, see www.takemetotheforest.org.uk
ROBIN HOOD’S BAY, RAVENSCAR
Bay Folk Weekend: 6–8 Jun, Robin Hood’s Bay
SCARBOROUGH
Exhibition – ‘A Sense of Place’: until 7 Mar, Woodend Gallery & Studios YO11 1HX, works by eight northern artists, scarboroughmuseumsandgalleries.org.uk
Exhibition – ‘Picturing Pride’: until 26 Apr, Scarborough Art Gallery, new photographs by Aidan Brooks, captured at Scarborough Pride 2024, scarboroughmuseumsandgalleries.org.uk
National Theatre Live – ‘The Importance of Being Ernest’: 20 Feb, 1.45pm, Stephen Joseph Theatre, https://sjt.uk.com
Lady Maisery and O’Hooley & Widow: 28 Feb, Stephen Joseph Theatre, double-header folk gig, https://sjt.uk.com
Shrove Tuesday ‘Pancake Day Bell, Race & Skip’: 4 Mar, 12 noon pancake day bell on North Street, races at Aberdeen Walk, skipping on the Foreshore
Exhibition – ‘Last Train to Whitby’: 6–7 Mar, Scarborough Library, Vernon Road, YO11 2NN, marking 60 years since last passenger train operated to Whitby
‘Romeo & Juliet’: 17–18 Mar, Stephen Joseph Theatre, modern theatre adaption set on streets of Belfast in 1998, https://sjt.uk.com
Scarborough Theatre Co presents ‘Sunset Boulevard’: 19–22 Mar, Scarborough Spa, musical directed by Alex Weatherhill, from same team that brought ‘The Addams Family’, ‘Kinky Boots’ and ‘White Christmas’, www.scarboroughspa.co.uk
The Picture of Dorian Gray’: 8 Apr, Stephen Joseph Theatre, original adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s haunting story, https://sjt.uk.com Scarborough Food & Drink Festival: 12–13 Apr, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, YO12 6PF
Sci-Fi Scarborough 2025: 26–27 Apr, Scarborough Spa, www.scarboroughspa.co.uk
Blackeyed Theatre presents ‘Dracula’: 1–3 May, haunting theatrical adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, https://sjt.uk.com
Scarborough Symphony Orchestra Concert: 10 May, 7.15pm, Methodist Central Hall, YO11 1HQ, Elgar –The Wand of Youth Suite No.2; Haydn – Cello Concerto In D; Samuel Coleridge-Taylor – The Bamboula; Adolphus Hailstork – Three Spirituals; William Grant Still – ‘The Sunday Symphony’, www.scarborough-orchestra.org
RYEDALE, DALBY, MALTON Exhibition – The River Project: Until 23 Mar, Courtyard Exhibition Space, Low Dalby, Dalby Forest, www.forestryengland.uk/dalby-forest
1812 Theatre Co presents ‘Art’: 26 Feb–1 Mar, 7.30pm, dazzling comedy by Yasmina Reza, Helmsley Arts Centre, https://helmsleyarts.co.uk
Ryedale Folk Museum Reopens: March 2025, www.ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk
Malton Monthly Food Market: 8 Mar, 9am–3pm, Market Place
Evening with Edwina Hayes: 9 Mar, 7.30pm, The Milton Rooms, Malton, https://themiltonrooms.com
1812 Youth Theatre & National Theatre Connections present ‘Brain Play’: 12–14 Mar, 7.30pm, by Chloe Lawrence-Taylor & Paul Sirett, Helmsley Arts Centre, https://helmsleyarts.co.uk
Friday Rehearsal Orchestra: 28 Mar, 7.30pm, Kirkbymoorside Methodist Church, YO62 6DQ, all welcome (donations); Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture
1812 Theatre Co presents ‘The Mirror Crack’d’: 23–26 Apr, 7.30pm, adaptation of Agatha Christie’s famous Miss Marple mystery, Helmsley Arts Centre, https://helmsleyarts.co.uk
Exhibition – ‘Threaded Landscapes’: 15–11 May, Nunnington Hall, www.nationaltrust.org.uk
GREAT AYTON, GUISBOROUGH, STOKESLEY, MIDDLESBROUGH, TEES VALLEY
Classical Cafe: 2 Mar – Young Musicians Showcase; 13 Apr – Mezzo-Soprano Sophie Iliaifar; 4 May – Vox Populi; all at 2pm, www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk
Shine Festival: 9 Mar, Middlesbrough Town Hall, TS1 2QJ, inclusive all-day choral festival celebrating local music making; open stage and feedback for singing groups across North East. Join Dalesmen Singers MVC at 1pm. Schools Festival on 10 Mar.
RNS Moves with Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno: 16 Mar, 2pm, www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk Cleveland Philharmonic Choir: 12 Apr, 6.30pm, www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk
Teesside Apollo MVC & Dalesmen Singers MVC in Concert: 26 Apr, 7pm, Church of St Peter & St Paul, Stokesley, TS9 5AD
Stockton-on-Tees Environment Fair: 14 Jun, free entry, high street Stockton, part of national Great Big Green Week