Visitors to Northumberland Miners’ Picnic invited to join Woodhorn Community Band parade

The event returns to Woodhorn Museum on Saturday, June 14 and people are being invited to create their own musical instruments and join a Woodhorn Community Band as it parades through the museum grounds.

Led by picnic favourites Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, the community band and parade celebrate the culture and traditions of the Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, which is the North East’s largest celebration of mining history and heritage.

Bringing together music, performance, and arts and culture, the event is a day of remembrance and celebration of the region’s mining communities and proud mining industry.

Keith Merrin, director of North East Museums, said: “The Northumberland Miners’ Picnic is one of the longest running events in our region. It’s a poignant reminder of an important part of our shared history, and it’s also a fantastic celebration of the people and communities that created our coal mining legacy.

“The traditions and community spirt of the early Miners’ Picnics is still alive today and we’re expecting thousands of people to join us at Woodhorn Museum this year to celebrate our mining heritage.”

As is tradition, the day begins with the miners’ memorial service and wreath laying, commemorating those who died in the coal mining industry.

Ashington Colliery Brass Band and Ashington & District Male Voice Choir will perform during the service, before the brass band takes to the main stage later in the day.

Traditional brass bands will perform throughout the day. Starting the proceedings will be the Brass Marras – a group of local South East Northumberland brass bands - Jayess Newbiggin Brass Band, Bedlington Community Band, and Ashington Colliery Brass Band. All the brass bands will come together to lead a joyous finale with an audience singalong of ‘Walking on sunshine’.

Returning to the Miners’ Picnic this year is Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, a New Orleans-inspired marching band that combine 90s rave, techno and club classics for a technicolour burst of music from the glory days of the Hacienda.

Completing the line up on the main stage will be Northern Proud Voices Community Choir, performing an uplifting set of pop and rock hits. Northern Proud Voices is the North East’s largest and longest-running LGBTQIA+ choir.

In addition to performances on the main stage, there will be lots of pop-up performances and family-friendly activities throughout the day. Artists Molly Barrett and Lottie Smith will lead a musical instrument and costume workshop for people taking part in the Woodhorn Community Band parade. And Axial Dance will be performing ‘The Tea Club’ - an outdoor, strolling piece of dance theatre, celebrating Britain’s passion for tea and all things vintage.

In the Cutter Building, Woodhorn Museum’s STEM team will be hosting interactive sessions looking at the science of bubbles, and at the Stables, Age UK Northumberland’s gardening volunteers - the Woodhorn Weeders – will be selling seasonal plants and providing free gardening tips.

The volunteers from the Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway will also be there to talk about the progress restoring the railway that runs from Woodhorn Museum around the QEII Country Park.

At The Cage Shop, artist Paul Merrick will be leading creative workshops where picnic-goers can decide what goes in their own miners’ bait box.

For visitors interested in learning more about how Woodhorn Museum cares for its collections - including the famous mining banners - the Collections Team and some of the museum’s volunteers will be sharing a behind the scenes look into the recent mining banner conservation project, which is delivering vital preservation work to eight banners.

Supported by funding from the Drapers' Charitable Fund, the museum’s precious mining banners are being conserved by local textiles conservator, Laurie Endean-Olsen. Laurie will be doing live demonstrations on the North Walbottle banner at this year’s picnic.

And keeping audiences entertained throughout the day with their unique and interactive street theatre will be Bread & Butter Theatre Co.

In addition to the food and drink on offer at the Winding House Café at Woodhorn Museum, there will also be pop up food and drink stalls from some of the North East’s best independent companies, including: Piggy Blinders; Truly, Madly Pizza; Ciccarelli Gelato; and Anarchy Brewery.

The 2025 Northumberland Miners’ picnic takes place from 10am to 5pm. The event is free to attend, but onsite car parking is £5 per vehicle. A free shuttle bus will also be operating between Ashington Leisure Centre and Woodhorn Museum.

To find out more about this year’s Northumberland Miners’ Picnic, visit www.woodhornmuseum.org.uk