There are lots of Easter events in Durham, and sometimes it's difficult looking through them all and finding something you actually fancy doing.

A lot of events listings focus on child-friendly Easter events in Durham, which is great - but not if you're an adult. Or there are lists of big ticketed events - but what if you want something simple that you don't need to pay for?

So below, ExplorAR has picked out a couple of events for each category. From family activities to events more for adults, and from outdoor activities to theatre events, we hope there's something for everyone.

If you feel we've missed out an important category that you'd like to see for future Bank Holidays - or if you'd like to have your event included in our listings - then let us know on hello@explorar.co.uk

Top Durham Easter family events

Beamish Easter Fun, Beamish Museum

We've picked Beamish because there's a lot going on across the site for the whole Easter Bank Holiday weekend. Between Friday and Monday April 19-22 there's Beamish Easter fun at Beamish Museum, where you can find out how Easter was celebrated in the 1820s, 1900s and 1940s.

You can use your unlimited pass or Friends of Beamish membership; otherwise an adult year-long ticket is £19.50, senior and student £14.50, family ticket one adult two children £36.50, family ticket two adults two children £51, and family ticket two adults and one child £44.50.

Tanfield Railway: An Edwardian Easter

This one is another weekend-long activity that should have enough to keep the family entertained for a day. This Tanfield Railway Easter event takes place across a whole weekend, Friday to Sunday April 19-21. There's plenty going on, which you can read about in our Tanfield Railway Easter events story.

Tanfield Railway tickets cost £27.50 for a family ticket (two adults, two children), £10.50 for adults, £6.50 for children's tickets (under fives go free) and senior citizens £8.50. This allows unlimited travel for a day. You can also buy unlimited tickets here.

For more ideas see our Durham family Easter events story, or take a look at our Easter egg hunt roundup.

Top Adult events

Maybe calling it 'adult' events gives the wrong impression... Before anyone gets the wrong idea, we just mean events that aren't aimed at children. They're better suited to head along to with your friends.

Crafts in Durham, Durham Marketplace

This Durham craft event will have a variety of crafted items for sale from stalls in Durham Marketplace. It takes place on Sunday April 21.

Hamsterley Forest stargazing

An event that's not suitable for young children. Perfect. Head out at night on Saturday April 20 to enjoy a night of gazing at the stars in one of County Durham's many dark sky areas. The night will start with an introductory indoor session to show a software-based representation of everything to see in the night sky in real time, and then the group will head outside to use binoculars and a telescope to take a look at the real thing.

Tickets for the Hamsterley Forest stargazing cost £5 and booking is essential. Call 01388 529154 for more information.

Take a look at our Durham Easter events for adults story for more ideas.

Top Free events

Animal Encounters, M&Co

The Prince Bishops Family Funland Area inside M&Co is hosting Animal Encounters, where you can get up close to their collection of exotic animals. Taking place from Thursday to Saturday April 18-20, the petting zoo will features animals such as a giant tortoise, crested geckos, an African bull frog and an African pygmy hedgehog.

Durham Animal Encounters is free and there's no need to book. It's suitable for all ages and runs 10am to 4pm each day.

Designer Makers Market, The Witham

The Witham Arts Centre in Barnard Castle is hosting a free craft fair: two halls showcasing approximately 30 designers, artists and craftspeople from around the region and beyond. Meet the makers and buy or commission handcrafted goods of gallery quality, with original work and a strong upcycled theme.

It's on Friday and Saturday, April 19-20, from 10am to 4pm.

Durham Cathedral Easter services

As you might expect, there are several Durham Cathedral Easter services taking place across April. There's a Palm Sunday Eucharist on Sunday April 14 at 11.15am; on Thursday April 18 at 11am there'll be Maundy Thursday Sung Eucharist and Blessing of the Oils; later that day at 7.30pm is Maundy Thursday Sung Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar; on Good Friday, April 19 at 12 noon there's a focus on the cross in the Liturgy of Good Friday (The Three Hours). Then finally on Easter Day, Sunday April 21, there's a series of services throughout the day, to which everyone is welcome:

5am: Dawn Liturgy with Initiation and the First Communion of Easter

8am: Holy Communion

10am: Matins

11.15am: Sung Eucharist

3.30pm: Evensong

Find free events each week in our Durham free events story, which is updated each week.

Top Theatre events

An Evening of Eric and Ern, Durham Gala Theatre

Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel perform as Morecambe and Wise, with some of their most famous comedy sketches, best-loved routines, songs and sketches. And of course, a musical guest.

An Evening of Eric and Ern comes to Durham Gala Theatre on Friday and Saturday April 19-20, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £20.50 and can be booked on the Gala site.

For more ideas, bookmark our live music and theatre story, which we update weekly.

Top outdoor events

There are two great County Durham guided walks this Easter Bank Holiday:

St John's Hall and the Weardale Way, Sunday April 21

The theme of this walk is local history. It covers seven miles in four hours. It's led by David Butler and is suitable for people with a reasonable level of fitness (walking boots needed). Meet at 10.30am on the roadside at the top of Wear Bank, Wolsingham. The postcode is DL13 3NX, grid reference 073356, and the relevant OS maps are Lr92 and ExOL31. Take a packed lunch.

Read next: Take a Durham bird watching course

Tale of Three Viaducts, Monday April 22

This walk is about fitness, local history and nature. It covers 10.5 miles in roughly five and a half hours. It's led by Ian Gray and is suitable for people with a reasonable level of fitness (walking boots needed). Meet at 10am at the Post Office, Galgate, Barnard Castle. The postcode is DL12 8BE, grid reference 049166 and the OS maps are Lr92 and ExOL31. Take a packed lunch.