Enchanted Parks – Gateshead

Alice Hiley

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Enchanted Parks – Gateshead

Saltwell Park, Gateshead

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

enchanted parks gateshead
Enchanted Parks Gateshead by Light Up the North.
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Returning for its eighth year in 2021, Enchanted Parks is a highlight of Gateshead’s Winter Festival. See Saltwell Park transformed into a winter wonderland with a series of sculptures, installations, performances and interactive works. The spectacular illuminations cast a light on the grandeur of this Victorian country house and its expansive 55-acre garden. Thousands of people young and old from across the country flock to the nighttime art trail every year.

Organisers Magnetic Events invite artists from the North East and across the UK to create new large-scale pieces with playfulness at their heart –  the artworks on display encourage you to let your imagination run wild.

The event is always tied together with a theme to harness the magic of the festive season. In previous years Enchanted Parks has told the story of Ursula Wailes, the heiress of the Saltwell Estate; guests were invited to attend Ursula’s ‘Inventors’ Ball’ and witness her wacky illuminated inventions. Following along with the story as you wander around the park helps turn the event into a real after-dark adventure, which kids and adults will love equally.

Music is a huge part of Enchanted Parks and you’ll get to hear the best local brass bands play as you’re exploring the grounds. You won’t get hungry thanks to food and drink stalls by local vendors, and you can even buy gifts from local artists at the miniature Christmas market.

There’s plenty more to do in Gateshead if you fancy extending your trip –  there’s a food and wine fair at music venue Sage, and at Ouseburn Open Studios you can buy goods from local artists, printmakers, jewellers and furniture makers. The Winter Festival is topped off with a New Year’s Eve Carnival, one of the biggest events in the country.

Where to go near Enchanted Parks – Gateshead

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Gallery
Shipley Art Gallery

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Trakol
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Restaurant
Trakol

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Sachins
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Restaurant
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Crowne Plaza Newcastle
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The Side Gallery
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Gallery
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Newcastle Castle
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Tourist Attraction
Newcastle Castle

Discover the castle that gave Newcastle its name, taking in a 12th-century fortress that has been added to over the centuries.

Live Theatre
Newcastle
Theatre
Live Theatre

The Live Theatre has a fantastic reputation for developing, writing and producing new plays and shows every year. The Live Theatre started in 1973. It was at first a traveling theatre company, which started by telling stories that were relatable to daily life in the North East of England and presented these plays to local people – which it has continued to do to this day.

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