Summer in the Square: free Sunderland fun on 23 July
Keel Square will host three hours of free summer activities when Summer in the Square returns to central Sunderland on Thursday 23 July. The community event runs from 11am to 2pm, and no booking is required.
The programme brings together street art, live drawing, emergency-service displays, animals, stories and music. It is open to the general public, giving families and other visitors a flexible daytime activity without an entry fee or advance reservation.
Summer activities spread across Keel Square
Summer in the Square is designed as a varied drop-in event rather than a single performance with a fixed start time. Visitors can expect street art and chalk activities alongside a live sketch artist, creating an artistic thread through the three-hour programme.
A fire engine will also be on display. Police horses and dogs are due to appear, adding another distinctive element to the event’s mix of creative and community-focused activities.
For visitors drawn to quieter entertainment, the programme includes a storytelling corner. Live music completes the line-up, giving people several different activities to explore while they are in Keel Square.
The range means visitors can choose the parts that suit them rather than committing to the full session. Sunderland BID describes the occasion as a “fun-filled few hours”, with all of the listed activities taking place within the same city-centre square.
What visitors need to know before attending
Summer in the Square takes place at Keel Square, Sunderland, on Thursday 23 July 2026. Its opening hours are 11am until 2pm.
Entry is free, and the Sunderland BID event listing states that no booking is required. That makes it possible to attend for part of the programme or remain for the entire three-hour event.
The listing does not provide specific information about transport, food stalls or accessibility arrangements. Visitors who need those details should check the latest information from Sunderland BID before setting out rather than assuming particular facilities will be available.
A mixed programme without an admission charge
The combination of chalk drawing, live sketching and storytelling gives the event a strong creative focus, while the fire engine and police animals bring public-service displays into the programme. Live music provides the final advertised strand.
Each activity is included within the free community event. No separate tickets, booking stages or admission charges are listed in the published details.
The confirmed arrangements are straightforward: arrive at Keel Square between 11am and 2pm on 23 July, with no advance booking needed. The advertised programme comprises street art and chalk, a fire engine display, a live sketch artist, police horses and dogs, a storytelling corner and live music.
Source: Sunderland BID Events
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Source check How we checked the event
The preview was prepared from Sunderland BID’s published event information, with unsupported practical details left out.
- Checked the event date as Thursday 23 July 2026.
- Checked the opening time as 11am to 2pm.
- Checked the venue as Keel Square in Sunderland.
- Checked that entry is free and no booking is required.
- Source
- Sunderland BID Events
- Scope
- Sunderland
- Updated
- 2026-07-20 17:07
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