The Durham Miners Gala cathedral service in Durham Cathedral is a special moment in the Big Meeting calendar, with a procession of the colliery banners. Here's the information for the 2019 service.

Durham Miners Gala 2019 is not far away now and promises to be bigger than ever as the Big Meeting continues to grow. And one of the highlights is the Durham Miners Gala cathedral service.

What is the Durham Miners Gala cathedral service?

The Durham Miners Gala cathedral service sees a procession of the pit banners, led by the colliery brass bands, up to Durham Cathedral. Here, the mine banners are laid up, and new banners are often dedicated too.

Read next: Staying over for Durham Miners Gala 2019? No hotels? Try camping

When is the Durham Miners Gala cathedral service?

The Durham Miners Gala cathedral service is on Big Meeting day itself, Saturday July 13, at 3pm. The banner procession will begin half an hour earlier at 2.30pm.

Usually after the speeches on Durham Racecourse, four or five selected pit bands and colliery banners march to Durham Cathedral to take part in the Durham Miners Gala cathedral service. It's described by Durham Cathedral as "a vibrant and joyful celebration of County Durham's mining tradition" and a "particular highlight of the cathedral calendar".

Read next: Durham Miners Gala hoping to hit vital fundraising target

Durham Miners Gala organisers are expecting big numbers again as visitors flock into Durham for the 135th Durham Big Meeting. More than 200,000 people headed into Durham for the 2018 event, and 50,000 people followed the banners down to the Durham Racecourse Ground to hear the speakers, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Durham Miners Gala fundraising is also aiming to hit £25,000 to help with rising costs and keep the Big Meeting going in future years.

Ahead of Durham Miners Gala, Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti will be giving the Dave Hopper Memorial Lecture at Redhills - the Pitmen's Parliament - the night before the Big Meeting 2019. You can get all the information on what's happening in our Durham Miners Gala lecture story.

Read next: List of speakers at Durham Miners Gala 2019