Northumberland Day in England Date in the current year: May 26, 2024

Northumberland is a historic and ceremonial county in North East England, bordered by Cumbria, County Durham, Tyne and West, and the Scottish Borders. The county takes its name from Northumbria, an early medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom founded in the 650s due to the merger of Bernicia and Deira. Its name derives from the Old English phrase that can be translated as “the people north of the Humber Estuary”.

The south of Northumbria was conquered by Vikings in the late 9th century. In 954, Northumbria was annexed by the Kingdom of England. During the rule of Canute the Great, it became the earldom of Northumbria. However, the earldom ceased to exist some time after the Norman conquest, dissolving into the earldoms of Northumberland and Yorkshire.

Over the next centuries, the Earls of Northumberland actively participated in a number of revolts and rebellions against the government, such as the Rising of the North. After the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy, Northumberland was a major center for Roman Catholicism and Jacobite support.

In the 18th century, Northumberland played a major role in the Industrial Revolution due to its considerable coal deposits. Coal mining, shipbuilding and weapon manufacture remained the cornerstone of its economy well into the 1970s.

Today, the county’s economy is dominated by pharmaceutical, healthcare and biotech companies, as well as multinational corporations such as The Coca-Cola Company, General Electric Company, EGGER, and Dräger. In recent years Northumberland has also had considerable growth in tourism thanks to its scenic beauty and historical sites, including several dozen castles, beautiful gardens, churches, museums, Roman forts and towns, Northumberland Country Zoo, and many others.

Unlike most other county days in England, which were established by local non-profit societies or has been traditionally celebrated for centuries, Northumberland Day is a privately run celebration that was started by Langley Castle Hotel and Catapult PR. They came up with the idea back in 2015 and organized the inaugural Northumberland Day celebration in 2017.

The main goal of Northumberland Day is to promote the history and culture of the county and bring its community together, as well as to attract tourists from all over the UK and abroad. It is marked by various festive events held throughout the county, such as flag raising ceremonies, parades, fairs, concerts, special events at local schools, charity campaigns, etc. The holiday even has its own mascot, a cute teddy bear named — obviously! — Northumbear.

Even the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t prevent Northumberland Day from happening. In 2020, it became the first virtual county day in the United Kingdom, winning its 7th industry award as a result. The 2021 Northumberland Day was virtual as well, but this didn’t make it less fun.