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Tees Valley is expected to draw visitors from all over the country this summer, with its offering of music, theatre, and art.

Here are five festivals in 2019 which you won’t want to miss…

Hartlepool Waterfront Festival

Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21

Hartlepool Waterfront

Hartlepool’s founder, Ralph Ward Jackson, always hoped to build a ‘Harbour of Refuge’ – a safe port for ships caught in stormy seas.

By reimagining his dream and making the theme of this year’s festival, ‘Harbour of Refuge’, it’s hoped his ambition will finally be realised.

The Waterfront Festival will be a maritime arts festival for the 21st century, and is expected to be a riot of colour, with plenty of family-friendly arts and crafts, music, theatre, and community arts.

Stockton International Riverside Festival

Thursday, August 1 to Sunday, August 4

Various venues

Performers from all over the world will be putting on spectacular shows across four days at what’s been called ‘the world’s best international festival of outdoor art’.

Theatre, circus, dance, and music is all on the cards, featuring everything from small, intimate pieces, to mind-blowing, large-scale masterpieces!

For more information, visit www.sirf.co.uk.

Middlesbrough Mela

Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18

Albert Park, Middlesbrough

The festival that brings communities together to celebrate the diversity of different cultures in the North-East is back, with a plethora of music and entertainment.

The festival will showcase hip hop music; Bhangra and traditional Asian sounds; a global arts village; a food court with exotic tastes from around the globe; street theatre, and plenty of family fun and entertainment.

For more information, visit www.lovemiddlesbrough.com/mela.

Last Train Home Festival

Saturday, September 7

Various venues around Bank Top Station, Darlington

After making a splash when it debuted last year, this first-class, multi-venue music and comedy festival is back, with more than 50 artists pulling into different venues in and around Darlington’s Bank Top Railway Station.

For tickets or more information, visit www.tracksdarlington.co.uk/index.php/2019/05/24/last-train-home-2019.

Festival of Thrift

Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15

Kirkleatham Museum and Grounds, Redcar

The award-winning upcycling and sustainable living festival returns to Tees Valley in September, with environmentally-friendly activities for all the family.

The festival has won multiple awards since its inception, including Best Event Teesside 2015 and 2017, North East Tourism Event of the Year, and the Observer Ethical Awards for Arts and Culture.

Attractions will include leading and emerging artists, various lifestyle demonstrations, talks and workshops offering thrifty advice, tips and tricks, a host of stalls, and plenty of innovative, tasty food and drink.

For more details and to book workshops visit www.festivalofthrift.co.uk.