Summer in the City

As the event has grown over recent years NE1 has expanded into collaborating with a range of city centre businesses to host a varied programme of free events centred around Newcastle’s Quayside that appeal to a range of different age groups, from storytelling sessions and dance workshops for young people to tours of local landmarks and yoga classes for adults. Since its inception, NE1’s Summer in the City has grown year-on-year and in 2024, NE1 worked with 24 local businesses to host over 75 events across six weeks which were attended by more than 3,000 people.

Alongside the varied schedule of events, classes and tours, Summer in the City is also supplemented by a range of public artworks which enliven the Quayside throughout the summer season. These have included a piece on the historic King Street staircase by French artist Florence Blanchard in 2022 and a 90-metre-long mural, the biggest of its kind in the UK, by Dutch artist OFLINES on the former Quayside bus lane in 2023.

NE1 has also added further interventions in the area including our Relaxation Stations, Play Pavilion, dichroic seating and loungers.

As Summer in the City becomes cemented in the city’s calendar, NE1 continues to adapt and grow the programme to bring even more people into Newcastle over the summer holiday season.