Picnic celebrates lives of miners

For over 150 years Northumberland mining communities have gathered annually to celebrate their industry, bonds, history and heritage.
The Northumberland Miners' Picnic at Woodhorn.The Northumberland Miners' Picnic at Woodhorn.
The Northumberland Miners' Picnic at Woodhorn.

And this year, the Northumberland Miners’ Picnic will take place on Saturday, June 9, at Woodhorn Museum near Ashington.

The event will feature a programme of music, family entertainment, dance and children’s activities, as well as regional arts, crafts and food suppliers.

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This year organisers are thrilled to announce that the event will also feature Martin Stephenson and The Daintees — a band known for its great music and playful humour.

Martin Stephenson was born in Durham in 1961, forming The Daintees in his teens and intending to showcase a broad range of musical styles.

The debut single Roll On Summertime was issued by Newcastle’s Kitchenware Records in 1982, becoming single of the week in Sounds magazine. Successful and critically acclaimed albums Boat To Bolivia, Gladsome, Humour And Blue, Salutation Road and The Boy’s Heart followed.

After that, Stephenson released a succession of self-produced albums, such as Yogi In My House, The Lilac Tree, Collective Force, California Star and the 2015 classic, Haunted Highway.

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2016 saw the re-recorded release of The Daintees’ critically acclaimed 1986 debut Boat To Bolivia, celebrating the 30th anniversary of their classic debut album and including a sold-out tour throughout the UK and Ireland.

In 2017 there was a new album, Bayswater Road, and The Dainteess will tour again this year to mark the 30th anniversary of Gladsome and Humour and Blue.

Stephenson and his Daintees have played thousands of concerts over the past 35 years and continue to have a busy schedule so picnic organisers are delighted that the band has been able to add the historic event to its plans.

This year’s picnic also coincides with a celebration of Ashington’s famous Pitmen Painters.

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Woodhorn Museum’s activities team will be putting the famous Ashington Group of Artists at the heart of its programme, giving visitors the opportunity to see and experience even more.

Full details about the Miners’ Picnic, the performers, timings and how to visit Woodhorn, can be found on Woodhorn Museum’s website at www.experiencewoodhorn.com and through its social media channels.

Woodhorn Museum incorporates the original colliery buildings into its experience, alongside permanent displays and events.