Events coming up this weekend and beyond

Rothbury Traditional Music Festival kicks off the weekend on Friday 15th July and runs through Saturday and Sunday. It's a weekend of traditional music and dance and the line up this year includes: Tyneside Maritime Choir, Hielen Toe and Friends, Gary Forrest and Roddy Matthews, High Spen Blue Diamonds, Hexham Morris, Hexham Lasses, Benny Graham, Bash the Haggis and more. Tickets are on sale from Rothbury Family Butchers or the Coquetdale Centre, Church House, Rothbury or call 01669 620887 for more information.

Also running over the weekend is the Northern English Springer Spaniel Rescue Fun Weekend at Druridge Bay. It's running both days (Saturday and Sunday) and is an excellent day out with dog shows, displays, birds of prey and many stalls, all in a wonderful location. It's for a good cause as well so make sure you visit at some point over the weekend!

Alnwick Castle has a Theatre of Alchemy Dragon Show between 11am and 4pm on Saturday 16th July, great for the kids and includes a dragon procession! Also on at the Castle this weekend is a medieval crafts demonstration. While we're in Alnwick, The Playhouse has Light Classics for a Summer Evening, Jazz in the Studio and a Youth Band Night over the weekend. Saturday 15th and Monday the 18th July sees a guided tour of the Alnwick Garden's roots and shoots gardens with a member of the Alnwick Garden Staff, 12 midday to 1pm. Also in the Garden on Sunday is the Dansons Music Group and Choir between 11am and 4pm and an Images of Northumberland Exhibition in the Retail Gallery (admission free).

Saturday and Sunday (16th and 17th July) also sees the return of the Otterburn Festival with loads of stalls, motorcycle stunts and things to do for all the family. Elsewhere and worthy of a mention is the Seahouses Car Boot Sale at the Golf Club 10am to 12 midday and the Castle's Triathlon Challenge kicks off from Bamburgh beach on Sunday 17th July which is always a spectacle.