Whether it’s music, theatre or comedy or perhaps motorbikes, goths or fighter jets that tickle your fancy, Scarborough and the surrounding area has a little bit of everything going on!
The Open Air Theatre and the Spa have a packed itinerary of world class artists and performances throughout the year, just a selection of which are listed below. The YMCA theatre and The Stephen Joseph also have a large choice of touring performances in addition to their major summer productions, which includes the world premiere of the newest Alan Ayckbourn play running at the SJT throughout September.
Our local literature festival, Books By The Beach, returns in June offering many talks, book readings and book signings around the town over the course of the weekend. This was very well attended last year and had a great selection of best selling authors and TV personalities in attendance.
Motorbike racing is due back at Oliver’s Mount road racing track on several dates throughout the year beginning in April. Tickets are on sale. The Goldwing Light Parade will take place on 14th September, raising money for wonderful charities as it does every year and showcasing some incredible motorbikes as they gather on the pier for a fun afternoon before parading around the headland in the evening, bedecked in lights and fancy dress.
County Cricket returns again with Yorkshire playing four games at Scarborough Cricket Club on North Marine Road throughout the summer.
The Spa also hosts Sci-Fi Scarborough in April after a very successful and well attended event last year. Later in the year, both the Jazz Festival and Northern Soul weekend also return.
Smaller venues around the town have an array of regular and one-off events taking place including silent discos at the Tipi Venue at the Open Air Theatre site. Many gigs take place in our pubs ranging from rock bands to jazz, comedy nights to poetry readings – Mojos Music Café has an everchanging set list, The Cask often has live music taking place throughout the week and a number of restaurants and bars seem to be following suit, most advertising on boards outside their premises. Scarborough Market Tavern has a number of shows taking place with a resident DJ keeping the dancing going into the night and Deli Delicious providing food and a bar for the evening. McGinty's Irish pub has a number of comedy nights taking place throughout the year, too.
A short journey into Filey or Whitby will provide even more opportunities to try something new or to catch up with events that have been unable to take place in the usual way over the past few years. Filey hosts regular food festivals throughout the year from April and one of Whitby’s famous Goth weekends falls on the weekend right after Hallowe’en this year, to name just two. Both towns, as well as Bridlington, are easy to access by car or public transport – just ask us for information if you are thinking about attending a particular event whilst staying with us as we can point you in the right direction.
Sustrans have been working on the Cinder Track - a 21 mile old railway line running from Scarborough to Whitby. It makes for a lovely walk or cycle for the more active types. More information can be found here - https://www.savvycycling.co.uk/bike-trails/ "A website for all things cycling related, trails, maintenance, bikes,
clothing and much more."
See below for our current list of events in coming months but keep your eyes on our social media pages as more are likely to be announced in coming weeks.
Feb:
23/24/25 OPO Artspace Open Exhibition
23 Jo Caulfield @ The SJT
24 Clearwater Creedence Revival @ The Spa
March:
8/9/10 OPO Artspace Open Exhibition
9 The Jersey Beats @ The Spa
10 Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea @ The Spa
27 Northanger Abbey @ The SJT until 13/4
30 Scarborough Punk Festival
April:
3-6 Spongebob The Musical @ The YMCA
6 The Overtones @ The Spa
11 The Blow Monkeys : The Spa
13 Jailhouse Blues Brothers @ Market Tavern
13/14 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
19 Tom Allen @ The Spa
20/21 Sci-Fi Scarborough Festival
26 Al Murray @ The Spa
May:
4 Ultimate Killers @ Market Tavern
10/11/12 Savour The Coast Food Festival
17 An Evening With Joe Calzaghe @ The Spa
30 Dexy’s @ The Spa
June:
2 Status Quo @ Open Air Theatre
7/8/9 Books By The Beach Festival
14 Comedy Store on Tour @ The Spa
15/16 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
15 Jess Glynne @ Open Air Theatre
18 Simple Minds/Del Amitri @ Open Air Theatre
20 Richard Hawley @ The Spa
20 Anne-Marie @ Open Air Theatre
21 Deacon Blue @ Open Air Theatre
23-26/6 Yorkshire CCC vs Gloucestershire
26 Tom Jones @ Open Air Theatre
29 Jonny Marr/The Charlatans @ Open Air Theatre
29 Armed Forces Day
July:
1 Gregory Porter @ Open Air Theatre
1 Peasholm Naval Battles resume – Mon, Thurs & Sat until 2/9
3 Dracula: The Bloody Truth @ The SJT until 27/7
5 Rick Astley/Lightening Seeds @ Open Air Theatre
5-7 Staxtonbury Music Festival
6 Fat Boy Slim @ Open Air Theatre
7 Paul Weller @ Open Air Theatre
11 JLS @ Open Air Theatre
12 Madness @ Open Air Theatre
19-21 Seafest
20/21 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
August:
2 The Drifters @ The Spa
2 Brassed Off @ The SJT until 31/8
3 Cirque: The Greatest Show @ The Spa
3 Burniston Rocks Family Festival
4 Sarah Millican @ The Spa
4 Scarborough Spa Orchestra season begins – until 25/9
8 Korn @ Open Air Theatre
15 Milkshake On Tour @ The Spa
22-25/8 Yorkshire CCC vs Sussex
24/25 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
29 Becky Hill @ Open Air Theatre
31 Busted @ Open Air Theatre
September:
5 Show and Tell (Alan Ayckbourn) @ The SJT until 5/10
7-8 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
7 Lipstick on Your Collar @ The Spa
14 Honda Goldwing Light Parade
27-29 Scarborough Jazz Festival
October:
3 Scouting For Girls @ The Spa
6 Heather Small @ The Spa
11-13 Northern Soul Weekend
18 The Whitby Rebels @ The SJT until 2/11
19 Nish Kumar @ The Spa
25 Rita Sue and Bob Too @ The Spa
27 Scarborough Record Fair @ Market Hall
November:
1 Jo Whiley’s 90’s Anthems @ The Spa
2 John Bishop @ The Spa
17 Comic Con @ The Spa
Feb:
23/24/25 OPO Artspace Open Exhibition
23 Jo Caulfield @ The SJT
24 Clearwater Creedence Revival @ The Spa
March:
8/9/10 OPO Artspace Open Exhibition
9 The Jersey Beats @ The Spa
10 Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea @ The Spa
27 Northanger Abbey @ The SJT until 13/4
30 Scarborough Punk Festival
April:
3-6 Spongebob The Musical @ The YMCA
6 The Overtones @ The Spa
11 The Blow Monkeys : The Spa
13 Jailhouse Blues Brothers @ Market Tavern
13/14 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
19 Tom Allen @ The Spa
20/21 Sci-Fi Scarborough Festival
26 Al Murray @ The Spa
May:
4 Ultimate Killers @ Market Tavern
10/11/12 Savour The Coast Food Festival
17 An Evening With Joe Calzaghe @ The Spa
30 Dexy’s @ The Spa
June:
2 Status Quo @ Open Air Theatre
7/8/9 Books By The Beach Festival
14 Comedy Store on Tour @ The Spa
15/16 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
15 Jess Glynne @ Open Air Theatre
18 Simple Minds/Del Amitri @ Open Air Theatre
20 Richard Hawley @ The Spa
20 Anne-Marie @ Open Air Theatre
21 Deacon Blue @ Open Air Theatre
23-26/6 Yorkshire CCC vs Gloucestershire
26 Tom Jones @ Open Air Theatre
29 Jonny Marr/The Charlatans @ Open Air Theatre
29 Armed Forces Day
July:
1 Gregory Porter @ Open Air Theatre
1 Peasholm Naval Battles resume – Mon, Thurs & Sat until 2/9
3 Dracula: The Bloody Truth @ The SJT until 27/7
5 Rick Astley/Lightening Seeds @ Open Air Theatre
5-7 Staxtonbury Music Festival
6 Fat Boy Slim @ Open Air Theatre
7 Paul Weller @ Open Air Theatre
11 JLS @ Open Air Theatre
12 Madness @ Open Air Theatre
19-21 Seafest
20/21 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
August:
2 The Drifters @ The Spa
2 Brassed Off @ The SJT until 31/8
3 Cirque: The Greatest Show @ The Spa
3 Burniston Rocks Family Festival
4 Sarah Millican @ The Spa
4 Scarborough Spa Orchestra season begins – until 25/9
8 Korn @ Open Air Theatre
15 Milkshake On Tour @ The Spa
22-25/8 Yorkshire CCC vs Sussex
24/25 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
29 Becky Hill @ Open Air Theatre
31 Busted @ Open Air Theatre
September:
5 Show and Tell (Alan Ayckbourn) @ The SJT until 5/10
7-8 Motorbike Racing @ Oliver’s Mount
7 Lipstick on Your Collar @ The Spa
14 Honda Goldwing Light Parade
27-29 Scarborough Jazz Festival
October:
3 Scouting For Girls @ The Spa
6 Heather Small @ The Spa
11-13 Northern Soul Weekend
18 The Whitby Rebels @ The SJT until 2/11
19 Nish Kumar @ The Spa
25 Rita Sue and Bob Too @ The Spa
27 Scarborough Record Fair @ Market Hall
November:
1 Jo Whiley’s 90’s Anthems @ The Spa
2 John Bishop @ The Spa
17 Comic Con @ The Spa
This site is listed in the British Towns and Villages Encyclopaedia of Great Britain and we can be found in the entry for Scarborough