Chinese New Year, Jan or Feb, Newcastle's China Town (around Stowell Street) is turned in to a carnival of colour and noise as the city celebrates the Chinese New Year, festivities culminate with an impressive fireworks display (website: www.newcastlegateshead.com)
Orange Evolution, 10 days in May, this is the biggest music festival in the northeast with performances taking place in various venues throughout NewcastleGateshead (website: www.orangeevolution.co.uk)
Newcastle Community Green Festival, Jun, the UK's biggest free community environmental festival, Leazes Park (website: www.newcastlegreenfestival.org.uk)
Whitley Bay International Jazz Festival, Jul, a festival with an exciting programme from the world jazz music scene (website: www.whitleybayjazzfest.org)
Newcastle Mela, late Aug bank holiday, a two-day multicultural event including a blend of popular Asian art, drama and music (website: www.newcastle.gov.uk/mela)
Great North Run, Sep, thousands of runners take part in the Great North Run in what is the biggest half-marathon in the world (website: www.greatrun.org)
Tyneside Irish Festival, Oct, celebration of all things Irish (website: www.tynesideirish.com)
Guy Fawkes Night, Nov, big bonfire and fireworks display at Saltwell Park to celebrate the foiling of Guy Fawkes' plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament on 5 November 1605 (website: www.newcastlegateshead.com)
Winter Festival, each winter, NewcastleGateshead comes alive with a packed programme of events ranging from an outdoor ice skating rink outside the Baltic to spectacular pyrotechnic displays on the Tyne River (website: www.newcastlegateshead.com)