Quayside Carnival

We’re so excited to be returning to Newcastle’s Quayside on Saturday 22^nd August with our action-packed free family fun day: NE1’s Quayside Carnival!

Taking over the riverfront from 11am-4pm, all the way from NE1’s Newcastle City Marina to past Pitcher & Piano, there’ll be tonnes of family-friendly activities to explore.

What to expect

Start your day with a boogie at Freight Island’s Silent Disco in front of the Guildhall or hop on-board at the electric vehicle at the Day Out By Bus Zone from the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority for some adventure storytelling. Parents will also be able to find out more about family days out by bus in the Newcastle area, making this the ideal spot to get some inspiration for the summer holidays!

Another exciting addition for 2026, Newcastle Card Show will be taking over Kaefer with the brand-new Card Trading Zone. Whether you're looking to pick up some new cards with a lucky dip, trade with fellow collectors, or simply soak up the atmosphere, it's the perfect place to connect with the community.

Whilst you explore the Quayside Carnival, you’ll pass roaming performers, face painting stations, glitter artists, circus acts and bubble artists. Don’t forget to catch our roaming caricature artist and have your portrait drawn!

At the heart of the carnival, you’ll find the Circus Stage – complete with performers, workshops and an incredible aerial act to enjoy throughout the day (see below for a timetable of who'll be performing and when!). There’ll also be Live Stage Entertainment featuring plenty of family favourite characters including everyone from Moana and Mirabel to Woody and Jessie!

Then, head over to the Make & Take Zone and get crafting. There’ll be all sorts of crafts and activities including festival badge making, friendship bracelet making and shell painting. No bookings needed, just head over and get making.

Ready for more of a competitive challenge? Over on the other side of the Quayside past the brilliant Pitcher and Piano, why not enjoy some crazy golf by the pavilion, and earn those all-important bragging rights. And hey, if you score a hole-in-one, then you can always celebrate with some free candy floss by The Swirl!

The more adventurous Quayside Carnival explorers can reach dizzying new heights with a trip up the climbing wall (situated in-between The Pavilion and The Blacksmiths Needle), take on the army’s Hang Tough challenge (by the Play Pavilion), or the Royal Air Force Air Cadets CPR challenge. For those who prefer to keep their adventures at ground level, the Cadets will have paper plane making classes.

To top it all off, Tyne Cruises, the rivers newest attraction will be running free boat rides from NE1’s Newcastle City Marina from 11am-3pm. These will be bookable and on a first come first served basis, but it’s the perfect opportunity to take a trip down the Tyne with the family and see the sights of the Quayside from a whole new perspective. Just remember that all children under 18 in each group must be accompanied by a responsible adult, and all children under 12 must wear a life jacket. Book up for a Tyne Cruises tour via Eventbrite.

Book-ahead activities

In the Active Zone, visitors can work up a sweat with yoga and dance classes. These will be bookable, so make sure you've got a place reserved:

11:00 – 11:30am: Dance City (book here)
11:45am – 12:15pm: Samba (book here)
12:30pm – 13:00pm: Yoga (book here)
13:15pm – 13:45pm: Zumba (book here)
14:00pm – 14:30pm: Yoga (book here)
14:45pm – 15:15pm: Dance City (book here)

Or for something a little different, why not head over to Gino D’Acampo for a spot of mocktail making? Their talented bartender will be running bookable sessions introduce guests to the world of mocktails, helping them explore different flavours, ingredients and textures. Then, they’ll complete a fun activity sheet to design their very own mocktail which they can bring to life! And with Gino’s kids eat free offer running in the restaurant, it’s a great chance to enjoy some good grub together too. You’ll have to pre-book this one, so get your space here!

Circus Act Timetable

Felicity Footloose Street Act - 11:15am & 2:15pm
Circus Skills Toy Library & Workshops - 12pm-2:15pm & 3pm-3:45pm
Wheelnuts Walkabout Act -11am-11:45am, 1pm-1:45pm & 3pm-3:45pm
Aerial Acts - 12pm, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2pm, 3pm & 3:45pm

Gear up for the Quayside Carnival!

Now for the stuff that’s a bit more boring… but super important, since we’re expecting it to be a busy day! It’s set to be a scorcher on Saturday, so make sure you bring plenty of water and sunscreen with you. There’ll be crepes, coffee, donuts and a pink lemonade stand from Malmaison hotel, and there are plenty of places to eat nearby, including DOOD, Pitcher and Piano, Head of Steam, Fork Café Bar, Greggs, I Scream for Pizza and Tesco. Lastly, we also ask that you kindly use the on-site toilets provided for the event – two of which are accessible/baby-changing friendly, should you need them.

We’d always recommend that you travel by public transport where possible, but there’s parking at the Quayside Multi-Storey, Sandgate, and Merchants House nearby if you’re driving in.

It’s set to be a great day out for the whole family – and best of all, it’s free!

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