NOVUM Festival 2026

About This Event

NOVUM Festival returns to transform Newcastle city centre into a giant playground from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 August 2026. Streets, squares and unexpected corners of the city burst into life with a free, family-friendly programme of outdoor spectacle, playful installations, creative workshops, live music and unmissable performances. The 2026 headline event is Dominoes Newcastle by Station House Opera (Sunday 9 August, 2.30pm-5pm), in which thousands of breeze blocks form a moving sculpture that cascades through the streets in a spectacular chain reaction. Other highlights include Colour Outside the Lines, a giant outdoor colouring experience at the Civic Centre; The Secret Parade, a family art trail starting at Brunswick Place; A Room in Bloom, a floral-and-paper installation at High Bridge Works; and a drop-in Creative Family Zone packed with hands-on activities. Every listed event is free, and most are family-friendly and drop-in, with accessibility features including audio description and BSL interpretation across the weekend. The festival is delivered by NE1 and Newcastle City Council, supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Download the full programme from the festival website.

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