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Around 200,000 people are expected to descend on Durham city centre on Saturday for the 133nd Durham Miners’ Gala.

This year’s event is set to be the biggest yet, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn scheduled to speak on the day.

Known as the ‘Big Meeting’, the Miners’ Gala is the biggest annual celebration of trade unionism in the UK and will be held on Saturday July 8.

What happens on the day?

Well, the Durham Miners’ Gala is an unusual event, part-trade union meeting, part-community day. Traditionally colliery bands march through their villages early in the morning, before making their way to Durham City Centre.

The bands and groups with 75 banners will parade through the packed out streets of the city in a spectacular show of alliance, past the County Hotel, before gathering at the racecourse.

On the afternoon, speakers will give talks at the Racecourse and Durham Cathedral will host a Miners’ Service.

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Durham Miners’ Gala timings

It’s quite tricky to predict the exact timings of the day but a rough guide is;

8am: Banners and bands begin marching

1pm: Speakers on the Racecourse: including Ken Loach, Angela Rayner MP and Jeremy Corbyn MP.

3pm: Cathedral Service: Banners being blessed are Trimdon Colliery, Pelton Fell and South Moor.

Roads in Durham city centre will be closed from 7am, and people are expected to start to gather from 8am.

The procession itself takes three to four hours to pass through the city centre.

At 3pm the Miners’ Service is held at Durham Cathedral where banners are blessed and the brass bands provide the accompaniment for the hymns.

Who will be speaking?

So on the day, all eyes will be on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who is the big name speaker for the event this year.

Buoyed by Labour’s successes in the election the Labour leader is expected to receive a hero’s welcome and draw in thousands of people who’ve never been to the Gala before.

The Islington MP is a regular face at the event and last year addressed the crowds as Labour party leader for the first time.

Despite the trade union links to the event, relations between past Labour leaders and Gala organisers have been somewhat frosty at times.

Ed Miliband only addressed the huge trade union event once as leader in 2012, while his predecessors Tony Blair and Gordon Brown never made it.

Blair was slammed as ‘the devil’ by the late Davey Hopper as his Sedgefield constituency was just 12 miles south of the city, and he still didn’t bother to show up.

Speaking of which the late general secretary of the Durham Miner’s Gala will be a huge miss at this year’s event.

The 72-year-old died last July, just one week after he oversaw his 32nd Miners’ Gala where he threw his support behind the-then-under-fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in a rallying speach.

What is there for families?

It’s not all about the politics though. On the racecourse there will be several marquees with food stands run by the Durham Labour Party.

There will also be a funfair, while the march itself is more of a parade with a family-friendly fiesta atmosphere.

How can I get there?

To be honest, it’s best not to drive if you are travelling withing the North East and can help it.

If you do drive there are a number of road closures in the city centre and your best option is the park and ride but be warned they fill up fast.

Trains run regularly between Newcastle Central Station and Durham Station and the journey takes around 15 mintutes and costs £7.70 for an off-peak return.

The trains start running at 6am for the really eager and the last train home is 23.50pm.

Which roads will be closed?

No vehicles – not even pedal cycles – will be allowed pretty much anywhere in the city centre between 6am and 8pm:

South Bailey, North Bailey, Bow Lane, Dun Cow Lane, Palace Green, Owengate, Saddler Street, Market Place, Silver Street, Framwellgate Bridge. Pelaw Leazes Lane. Elvet Bridge, New Elvet Bridge, New Elvet, Church Street, Hallgarth Street, Court Lane, Elvet Crescent, Old Elvet, Prison Green, Territorial Lane, Elvet Waterside, North Road, North Road, Milburngate, Crossgate and Claypath.

Parking is banned from 6pm on Friday, July 8 in New Elvet, Old Elvet, Prison Green and Green Lane and these roads need to be kept clear of vehicles until 8pm on the Saturday.

Be warned that any cars left in restricted areas after 6pm may be towed away by police.

Where can I park?

Well, the easiest way to get into the city on Gala day is by using one of the three park and ride sites.

The car parks are located at; Belmont, DH1 1SR, Howlands Farm, DH1 3TQ and Sniperley, DH1 5RA.

It costs £2 per person and you can park until 7pm. Under 16s are free if accompanied by an adult over 21. Concessionary pass holders travel for free all day on Saturdays.

What about camping or staying over?

The event is set to be so popular that there’s hardly an affordable hotel room left in the city.

However for the first time ever there will be camping at the gala - listening to Jeremy Corbyn speak and sleeping in a tent, it will be just like Glastonbury.

Camping is now available Friday 7 to Sunday 9 at Houghhall College - ten minutes from the Gala field - at £15 per person a night, (half price for children under 16) including flush toilets, showers, running water and on site parking.