Become a patron
PLEASE support us - help fund the 58th Gathering 10th to 10th April 2026
Can you help us to keep the Gathering going now and in the future?
You can download our Patrons Form here (PDF)
We face growing challenges this year in planning and delivering our well-regarded regional festival of traditional music and culture.
Costs continue to rise, and we’ve had new problems over our venues, not least the loss of the Town Hall for our events and admin hub on the Sunday (we are still seeking to have this reversed for the future, but have had to alter much of the usual pattern across the three days in order not to disappoint our audiences).
To save some expenditure we are adapting the style of winners’ plaques, but in other cases we cannot make savings – for instance, to ensure crowd safety we cannot shrink our Saturday showcase procession by avoiding the now hugely-expensive road closure or relocating its route.
Yet again we are hoping that the generosity of the public will help us to stage the type of events that people have come to expect at the Morpeth Gathering.
This year includes some amazing events with special Vanbrugh Revisited activities for the 300th anniversary of the death of Town Hall architect Sir John Vanbrugh (nationally known for Castle Howard, Delaval Hall and Blenheim Palace).
This year we are delighted to announce the launch of the Alex Swailes Memorial Award for the best performance in speaking/reciting; and our clog dance competitions return after a gap after Covid.
Events Patron
For a minimum advance donation of £70 (or £110 per couple) you can receive a free pass to all the weekend’s events (though seats are not guaranteed at the Chantry after an event starts thanks to size limits).
Plaque Patron
For a minimum donation of £20 you can support the Northumbrian competitions by paying towards the cost of one of the many winners’ shields and certificates that we provide each year.
Can you help us to keep the Gathering going now and in the future?
You can download our Patrons Form here (PDF)