Newcastle, and specifically St James’ Park, is no stranger to a sleep-out, having hosted several already. If you’re unfamiliar with the term “sleep-out”, it is a charity fundraising initiative, particularly to tackle homelessness. Participants are challenged to sleep outside, regardless of the conditions, in recognition of homeless people forced to sleep rough. However, participants will generally be in a set location, such as St James’ Park or other parks and stadiums, to ensure safety.
What is the Sleep Out at St James' Park 2026 event?
The Sleep Out event at St James’ Park will be on 26th March 2026 and is run by the Newcastle United Foundation. All participants must be 18 or over and must buy a £30 ticket to take part. As it’s a fundraiser, each participant is asked to raise £100 in sponsorship.
In exchange, participants will be provided with free hot drinks throughout the night, as well as a breakfast in the morning. However, they will need to bring their own sleeping bags.
When is it?
This sleep out event will take place on Thursday 26th March 2026, a week after the end of term 2 and the start of the holidays for most courses.
It will officially take place between 7 pm and 7 am, though it is unclear what regulations will be in place regarding arrival and departure times.
What the event is fundraising for
This event, and others just like it, are aimed at raising money for charities as well as raising awareness about issues, such as homelessness. In particular, this event is run by the Newcastle United Foundation, who have said that the money will go to wellbeing, mental health and homelessness programmes.
Especially, in light of the growing homelessness crisis and the current social climate, this initiative has the potential to do some amazing work. Plus, if you’re still in Newcastle, it could be a great idea to fill your holidays with new experiences.
You can learn more about this event and sleepouts in general by looking at the Newcastle United Foundation’s website and social media, as well as from the following websites: