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Preparations are well underway for the return of the much-loved This is South Tyneside Festival this summer with a packed programme of live music, entertainment and family friendly activities.

The hugely popular event - one of the biggest and best free festivals in the country - will run from June to August.

One of the main highlights of the festival, the Summer Parade, will make a spectacular return on Saturday 1 July. Once again, the whole community will come together to line the streets of South Shields and take part in a colourful carnival as it makes its way from South Shields Town Hall along to Bents Park at the seafront.

The coastal theme for this year's Summer Parade coincides with 2023 being the 'Year of the Coast' and will be delivered in partnership with The Cultural Spring.

The entertainment will continue into Sunday 2 July, with performances along Sandhaven seafront and promenade and the return of the popular Proms in the Park concert featuring classical and contemporary music, in Bents Park.

The extremely popular open-air Sunday Concerts will also return to Bents Park attracting crowds of up to 20,000 spectators on each of the four consecutive weeks on9, 16, 23, 30 July.

This follows on from last year's successful Sunday Concert series which featured big name performers including Will Young, Ella Henderson, The South, Shalamar, The Fizz as well as Whigfield, D:Ream, Phats & Small and Kelly Llorenna.

Artists for the 2023 Sunday Concerts will be announced in due course.

The open-air Amphitheatre at Sandhaven will host live music showcasing North East talent on Thursday and Saturday evenings from 1 to 29 June. The Live Music season is partly delivered in partnership with North East-based support agency Generator, which works with musicians, artists and those working in the creative industries, to reach their full potential.

This will be followed by a series of brass band performances at the Amphitheatre on Sunday afternoons throughout June, July and August. A whole host of children's entertainment will also take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1 to 24 August with the return of Kids Fun Fest.

Organised by the Friends of North and South Marine Parks, there will also be live music in the South Marine Park bandstand on Saturday afternoons from July to September.

South Tyneside's summer parks programme of live music and children's entertainment will also return to parks and open spaces across the Borough throughout August.

Councillor Joan Atkinson, Deputy Leader of Â鶹ÊÓƵ with responsibility for Culture, Leisure and the Visitor Economy, said: "Every year, the three-month summer festival is hugely popular event in the Borough's calendar and attracts thousands of visitors from across the region and beyond.

"It has grown to become one of the biggest and best free festivals in the country, packed with live music from well-known acts and local performers and family friendly entertainment and activities for people of all ages to enjoy.

"We are so excited to be delivering all of the festival's traditional elements including our legendary Sunday Concerts and the spectacular Summer Parade, which is a real celebration of community and civic pride and, this year, our fantastic coastline.

"We are urging people to save the dates for this year's summer festival in their diary to ensure they don't miss out on the superb programme of events we have lined up and to join us in making this year's festival the best one yet. South Tyneside will be the place to be this summer."

Any groups or organisations interested in getting involved in the Summer Parade are encouraged to contact The Cultural Spring via email info@culturalspring.org.uk or call 07469 030 256. Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Events Team can be contacted on (0191) 455 4031.    

Further details about This is South Tyneside Festival events, activities and entertainment will be announced in due course. Residents and visitors are advised to keep checking the festival website at or follow South Tyneside Events on social media: Facebook (South Tyneside Events) and on Twitter @STynesideEvents.