Here’s some of what we have in store.
5. Kubix Festival, Herrington Country Park
Kubix Festival returns to Herrington Country Park with a whole summer of music. On July 15, a pop and dance day features Blue, Sugababes, N-Trance and more.
Squeeze, The Enemy, Inspiral Carpets and Marc Almond will perform on the rock and indie day on July 22. And Kubix presents N-Dubz plus Bad Boy Chiller Crew and Nathan Dawe on Friday, July 21, 2023. Photo: submitted
6. Sunlun Calling, Sunniside Gardens
SunLun Calling is set to bring three days of live music and entertainment to Sunniside Gardens next summer when it replaces the area’s Sunniside Live festival.
Taking place from July 7-9, 2023, it will feature three whole days of entertainment from noon until 11.30pm. The Sunday will be a day of Sunderland music, with headliners The Futureheads, Tom A.Smith, Smoove & Turrell, The Lake Poets, This Little Bird, Vandebilt, The Voyd and more performing. The Saturday will be Sunderland Pride and the Friday will be a DJ day with acts including Craig Charles. Photo: Stu Norton
7. First stage of new Sunderland train station
With major works ongoing on the transformation of Sunderland Railway Station, the completion of the southern entrance works is scheduled for the end of 2023.
The £100m project will also see the creation of a new northern entrance overlooking Market Square which will include a new ticket office and reception, public toilets, retail space and cafes, waiting areas, as well as a new mezzanine level that will have office space for rail staff.
Major works to the platform-level of the station are included in the future third stage plans, with the ambition to increase connectivity and grow public transport. Photo: submitted
8. Buddha Beat, John Street
Following the success of the award-winning River Beat in Gateshead, owner Andy Drape will open Buddha Beat in John Street in the former D’Acqua site which most-recently operated as Undisclosed for a brief period.
Promising ‘far eastern flavours with a local conscience’, Buddha Beat will have both relaxed and formal dining areas when it opens in the new year. Photo: Elliot Nichol