All year-round Gala spirit can now be enjoyed thanks to the release of a short film created at the 2022 Durham Miners Gala. After a three-year absence due to Covid 19, the Gala returned in style. It was the biggest Big Meeting in decades – and film crews were there to capture it all. More than 200,000 people packed the streets of Durham and almost 70 Durham miners banners paraded, accompanied by more than 50 brass bands – the most at any Gala since the 1960s.
The Gala was dedicated to all our keyworker who got us through the pandemic. Keyworkers were the Durham Miners Association’s guests of honour, taking pride of place on the balcony of the County Hotel and the speakers platform on the Racecourse. In a Gala first, two rank and file key workers spoke alongside the leaders of trade unions representing key workers.
Commissioned by the Durham Miners Association and the Friends of Durham Miners Gala, the short film captures the sights and sounds throughout Gala day. Filmed in an observational style, it features the bands, the banners, the people, the speeches, and the Cathedral service. It reminds us why Gala day is the greatest day of the year.