The Christmas build-up is well under way in Sunderland and the rest of the North East.
And a number of festive parades are taking place around the region to help celebrate.
Here are some of the best festive parades still to take place which are in easy reach of Sunderland.
1. Children’s Lantern Parade, Durham
The traditional 'beginning of Christmas' in the historic city takes place on Saturday, December 2, departing from Durham Market Place at 2.30pm. The parade will follow the Chester-le-Street Salvation Army Band up to Palace Green, arriving at Durham Cathedral for the St Nicholas Service at 3pm, escorted by Durham Fire Cadets. Lanterns can be reserved at https://durhammarkets.co.uk/product/festive-lantern/ It is recommended that lanterns are suitable for children up to age 12, but all ages are welcome to participate in the parade and attend the St Nicholas Service. Children take their lantern home with them after the parade.
2. South Tyneside Winter Parade, South Shields
Takes place on Friday, December 8. The parade will make its way along Ocean Road towards the seafront at 5.30pm where people lining the street will be entertained by fantastic parade performers and the Spark! Drumming group. The parade will end with a performance from Spark! and a finale event on Littlehaven Beach, featuring pyrotechnics and fire performers. Photo: STC
3. Allendale Tar Bar'l
The New Year's Eve blazing barrels parade is one of the North East's oldest and most unusual festive customs, dating back at least 160 years, though said to date from the Middle Ages. The Tar Bar’l sees crowds gather from 11pm in the town centre to see the guisers called upon to do their duty. At 11:30pm, the torches are lit and the barrels ignited. Each guiser lifts the flaming barrels up onto the top of their heads and fall in behind a band. At midnight, the procession arrives at the Bar’l fire in the town centre. The barrels are then used to ignite this ceremonial bonfire, as everyone shouts “Be damned to he who throws last”.
4. Christmas Truck Run
Not a parade in the traditional sense, but this procession of trucks takes in a huge chunk of Northumberland, visiting a number of towns and villages. Founded in 2021, it raises money for the Great North Air Ambulance and charitable organisation Santa's Little Helpers. The previous two truck runs have raised more than £8,000 for both charities. The 2023 Truck Run will be held in memory of David Lamb, a big supporter of the event who died in January 2023. The 46-year-old ran an HGV repair business in Acomb. The event takes place on Friday, December 8, due to start from Kielder Village at 5.15pm and finish at Hexham Mart at 6.40pm. Visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/fiona-pattinson?utm_term=vWd4VwV4e&fbclid