Industry News

Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Destination is set to support Visit County Durham’s Year of the Coast campaign with a free seaside themed Ice & Waves Trail event during February half term.

Five stunning sculptures will be placed around the centre on Monday 20th February and there will be an awe-inspiring live carve of a giant ice-cream taking place in the main entrance outside Adidas from 10am.
All the pieces will be related to the stunning local coastline and will include a starfish, a seagull, a wave and a lighthouse.

Families can collect a map and track down the sculptures and everyone that takes part in the trail and hands their completed sheet back to the customer service desk will be entered into a prize draw to win a marine goody bag and a £20 Dalton Park gift card.

Manned throughout the day by fisherman’s friends, each installation will be a sight to behold with fun fact sheets, created in partnership with Climate Action North, giving more information about each one.
Experts from Climate Action North, Dalton Park’s green partners, will also be on hand to talk to guests about protecting the local coast and marine ecosystems.

The Year of the Coast 2023 campaign is led by the National Coastal Tourism Academy and will be delivered in partnership with destination management organisations, including Visit County Durham.
The year-long celebration will promote the coast as a sustainable destination that can be enjoyed at any time and coincides with the completion of England’s Coastal Path, which, at 2700 miles, is the longest marked walking route in the world!

Richard Kaye, Centre Manager at Dalton Park, said: “We’re really excited about Visit County Durham’s Year of the Coast celebrations and, as a coastal business, we wanted to get involved with the programme of activities.

“What better way to kick off than with a series of ice sculptures dedicated to the nearby breathtaking Durham Heritage Coast?

“With the promise of spring just around the corner our parkland is starting to wake up too, giving families the opportunity to get out in the fresh air, enjoy some quality time together and take in the views from our Skygate vantage point.

“We can’t wait to welcome everyone and see the sculpture take shape during the live carving too - it’s the perfect way to kick off our calendar of free events during our 20th anniversary year!”

Michelle Gorman, managing director at Visit County Durham, added: “We’re delighted that Dalton Park is supporting Year of the Coast, which provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase our incredible coastline nationally and internationally. Events like the Ice & Waves Trail form an important part of the campaign, inspiring people to visit.”

The Ice & Waves Sculpture trail will be open from 11am until 5pm on Monday 20th February. Maps can be collected from, and returned to, the customer service desk throughout and the winner of the prize draw will be announced on Friday 24th February. Full terms and conditions can be found on our website.