EVENTS

IN SUNDERLAND

Got an idea for a new business or want to know how you can make your existing business more successful? UK Startup & Scaleup Week is a 5-day, multi-venue, citywide festival that will inspire & educate you on how to start, grow & fund your business in Sunderland & the wider North East / North of England.

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Set in the summer of 1984 – Margaret Thatcher is in power, and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support. 
 
But the activists are not deterred. They decide to ignore the Union and go direct to the miners. They identify a mining village in deepest Wales and set off in a minibus to make their donation in person. And so begins the extraordinary story of two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership.

FREE SCREENING

A regional exhibition and award ceremony to showcase and celebrate the amazing, joyous and innovative ideas of school pupils.

Get ready for a weekend filled with delicious food & drink, family fun, live entertainment, music and more!

Sunderland Food and Drink Festival 2025 is a great day out for all the family. From delicious Street Food to Fresh Produce and Local Favourites, to a jam-packed music and entertainment line-up. Plus, kids’ entertainment and much more – expect a fun-filled weekend. 

Save the Date...

A fantastic variety of handpicked artisan local gift shopping stalls located in the Bridges Shopping Centre in Sunderland. 
Stalls include handmade gifts, art, delicious homebakes, gourmet sweet treats, photography, keepsakes, pet accessories, pamper products and so much more! 

Entry is free. 

Artisan food and drink market, in conjunction with Local Heroes, will be held on the second Sunday of each month going forward. Visitors can wander around the many stalls and purchase from a range of local independent traders offering the very best produce, from crafted gifts to specialist breads and cakes, organic vegetables, charcuterie and more!

FREE SCREENING

CLICK HERE to book your free ticket

To commemorate the 25th anniversary since the lifting of the ban on LGBTQ+ people serving in the armed forces, Out North East is proud to welcome Dr Carl Austin-Behan OBE DL to our Summer of Pride. Carl Austin-Behan was born and raised in Manchester. On leaving school he worked in various retail roles before joining the Royal Airforce aged 19. His postings included the UK, Belize and Ascension Island. During active service Carl received a number of awards and recognition for his bravery, including the RAF Safety Centre’s Good Show Award, and the Royal Humane Society’s award for rescuing a pilot from a burning Hawk Aircraft. He was mentioned in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1996, with a Commander in Chief’s commendation. In 1997 Carl was dismissed from the RAF. It was deemed that his homosexuality was 'incompatible with service life' as it was still illegal to serve in The UK Armed Forces for being gay. This was a defining moment, since then Carl has dedicated himself to actively engaging diverse LGBTQ+ communities to ensure that all voices are heard and amplified. 

We’re teaming up with the city’s charity retail sector, which will be proudly turning their shop windows into a Pride display.
It’s going to be a fantastic way for everyone to also support this sector, particularly if you care about disposal fashion, can give a pre-loved item your personal touch or just love a bargain! We’ll keep you posted on the event plans.

Our fantastic Pride Family Picnic is back and we are delighted to be partnering with EDF and Stagecoach to bring you a fun-packed afternoon of free entertainment for all the family.

We’ll have stalls, music, crafting activities and inflatables for the kids to enjoy.

In Chechnya, there are no homosexuals. That is what the tyrannical leader Ramzan Kadyrov has decided. Here we follow a group of activists who risk their lives to save LGBTQ + people who are threatened, detained, tortured and executed. The characters in the film have had their faces digitally altered to remain anonymous.

Through interviews and smuggled video testimony, David France’s documentary shines a light on the dangerous, state-abetted homophobia driving queer men and women out of the Chechen Republic.

FREE TO ENTER!

Win Tickets to Comedy night! Pizzas and drinks, Vouchers and Sweeties

Think Bongos Bingo but Drag! Tickets £10 - Including Bingo Card.

Cash Jackpot & Flash Prizes

FREE EVENT – everyone is welcome

The Pride in Sunderland March this year takes place on International Stonewall Day and it’s also the 55^thanniversary since the first Pride march took place in New York following the Stonewall Riots

Details TBC