Several road closures are in place across Sunderland this weekend, with a programme of events set for the city centre. To help facilitate Sunderland City Council's latest One Big Summer offerings, a number of roads have been closed in the area around Keel Square.
Weekend events at Keel Square
Starting today, Friday, August 21, George Michael tribute Rob Lamberti will kick-off the Square Summer Series, and Saturday's Love the 90s Festival will continue the weekend in a nostalgic fashion. Then, the Girlypop Festival, featuring tributes to the likes of Beyonce, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift, will bring things to a close on Sunday.
This is the first of two weekends of events in the city, The Bootleg Beatles, a day of house music, The Road to Nashville country event, and K-Pop Live all taking place. To ensure that these events can happen, the council has closed the traffic routes which would otherwise prevent this.
Road closures and timings
A statement on the council website reads as follows: "To facilitate the events, a number of roads will be closed, including St Mary's Boulevard, Paley Street, Eden Street West, Garrison Field Road and Plater Way. Motorists are advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow extra travel time where necessary."
The closures will be in place during the following periods:
- From 12 noon on Thursday 20 August 2026 until 6am on Monday 24 August 2026.
- From 12 noon on Thursday 27 August 2026 until 6am on Tuesday 1 September 2026.
Council comment and advice
Councillor Ciera Hudspith, Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Heritage at the council, added: "We're looking forward to welcoming thousands of people into the city centre for what promises to be two fantastic weekends of live music and entertainment in Keel Square."
"The In the Square Summer Series offers something for everyone, from iconic tribute acts and nostalgic festival favourites to world-class DJs, country music and family-friendly fun. These events are a fantastic opportunity to showcase Sunderland as a vibrant destination for live events, while also bringing additional visitors into the city centre to support local businesses."
"With the August Bank Holiday weekend and Sunderland AFC's first home match of the season also taking place during this period, we're expecting the city to be particularly busy. We'd encourage visitors to plan their journeys in advance, make use of public transport where possible and allow extra time for travel so they can enjoy everything the city has to offer."
