It has been immortalised in song and its words known to every true Geordie - but what do we really know about the Blaydon Races?We know it was on the 9th of June, eighteen hundred and sixty two, on a summer’s afternoon when a bunch of lads and lasses set off from Newcastle to see the event.
The song, written by Geordie Ridley, mentions Geordie celebrities of the time and real locations. And the Blaydon Races became a Geordie anthem with a well-deserved place in the life of the region. See the full lyrics here. Ahead of this year’s event, we take a look at the origins of the famous lyrics and things you might not have known about the song.
