Durham Miners’ Gala: Thousands soak up sun at Big Meeting

But any controversy that lingered over the 139th Durham Miners’ Gala subsided as tens of thousands hit the streets for the annual trade union gathering and celebration of heritage.

With temperatures hitting highs of 25C, a summer party atmosphere filled the roads of Durham with brass bands blasting hits and favourites. Energetic brass covers of Waka Waka by Shakira, YMCA by Village People and Shut up and Dance by Walk the Moon, got families dancing through Elvet and up towards the Racecourse.

Sunglasses and hats were as prevalent as banners and trade union flags as traditions played out between friends and strangers alike.

(Image: Stuart Boulton) Just like Trudy from Murton, who sat in the same spot she has sat in for years, with friends she has had for years, to watch the banners head towards the County hotel.

“I’ve been coming since I was five, my dad used to carry me on his shoulders,” she said.

(Image: Stuart Boulton) Or traditions like 83-year-old Clive Lawson from Quarrington Hill, who has been coming to the gala for 70 years. 

Clive left school at 15 and was down a pit “by the next week” – he proudly stood next to his village’s banner, the history of it he carried with him in his pocket, ready to relay to anyone who was curious.

(Image: Stuart Boulton) Or, TikTok star Liam Lavery, who has only missed one Big Meeting since he was born – when he accidentally booked a summer holiday forgetting the date. The 31-year-old from Ashington, who has nearly 35,000 followers on the video sharing app said: “It’s an event full of hope.

“It’s a great working class event. Everyone comes together.”

(Image: Stuart Boulton) As the pilgrimage progressed to the stage to hear from trade unionists and politicians, the mood remained jovial.

(Image: Stuart Boulton) In the weeks before the event, newly elected Reform UK politicians had criticised organisers of the Gala for not formally inviting the new council administration to the platform and for inviting the Palestinian ambassador to speak.

It sparked a war of words between Reform and the Durham Miners’ Association after Cllr Darren Grimes said he was ‘hurt’ by the decision not to invite him. The DMA said they would ‘never’ invite Reform politicians as they do not ‘share the values’ of the Gala.

Alan Mardghum reignited a war of words with Reform UK’s Darren Grimes. (Image: Stuart Boulton) That war was reignited on stage as DMA secretary Alan Mardghum called Cllr Grimes a ‘keyboard warrior’ and accused him of being divisive. Cllr Grimes posted on X that Mr Mardghum was ‘rattled’. 

The fallout might continue, but the sense from the crowd was that the gala was here to stay.

(Image: Stuart Boulton) Thousands remained on the Racecourse, tucking into street food, pulling out picnics and enjoying some music.

(Image: Stuart Boulton)

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‘We’re Still Here’ was the theme of the day, adorning banners and pin badges.

This very much felt like an act of defiance as well as a significant cultural day in the Durham calendar.

But, with communities coming together to run activities further down the field and stories of galas past being shared between young and old during the march, this is a cultural event looking to be part of the calendar for a while to come.