Amateur film by Stephen Gray that documents the National Garden Festival in Gateshead held between May and October 1990, comprised of four areas: Norwood, Riverside, Dunston and Eslington Park, and including Dunstan Staiths on the south bank of the River Tyne. The film records attractions such as representations of European landmarks like the Tower of Pisa and Louvre Pyramid, horticultural displays, folk dance entertainment, and the monorail, road train and vintage trams that serve as...

Amateur film by Stephen Gray that documents the National Garden Festival in Gateshead held between May and October 1990, comprised of four areas: Norwood, Riverside, Dunston and Eslington Park, and including Dunstan Staiths on the south bank of the River Tyne. The film records attractions such as representations of European landmarks like the Tower of Pisa and Louvre Pyramid, horticultural displays, folk dance entertainment, and the monorail, road train and vintage trams that serve as transport for visitors. A green double decker bus sporting the sign ‘National Garden Festival Gateshead ‘90’ stands on the Gateshead side, the city of Newcastle in the far background across the Tyne. General view of the Riverside grounds at the festival. People stroll through, passing the turbine fountain. The Gateshead MBC bedding displays are laid out in the Riverside area, once the site of the gas works. A woman lets go of two balloons with messages attached. Families and their children enjoy an adventure playground, Sunderland’s Lambton Worm garden. Various shots record Dunstan Staiths on which sits a Bowes Railway exhibit. A woman poses next to a giant ball of string sculpture on the staiths. General view of the curving staiths from the Riverside grounds. Women perform traditional clog dances on the Riverside. The crowd clap. People stroll by and enter the official souvenir shop. Close-up of the sign for ‘The Human Rights Garden sponsored by Amnesty International’ in Dunston. General view of a modern pavilion installed at the festival. People wander around one of the garden displays. One of the fleet of road trains transports visitors between Riverside and Norwood festival sites. A sign reads ‘Festival Market’. People browse stalls selling plants and flowers in the market along the Boulevard. One of the festival's vintage trams runs along a rail track, a road train running beside it.  Baskets of flowers hang from a lamp post. On the Dunston site, people stroll amongst models of European landmarks, such as a leaning Tower of Pisa. Visitors board an open-topped vintage tram advertising Dewar’s Whisky. As the tram pulls away, a giant Ferris wheel turns in the background on the Dunston site. A pair of feet walking through the site are seen in close-up. A colourful floral display stands next to a barrier. Three flags sporting the British Rail logo fly on masts. The centrepiece of the British Rail exhibition, a glass pyramid stands next to the Eslington Monorail Station. Visitors peer over a bridge across the River Team. General view of the River Team, the 'Dunstan Rocket' tower block seen in the background. A train in the form of a caterpillar passes on an overhead electric monorail system. A clown poses for a photograph with a young boy, who laughs as the picture is taken. People stroll through another festival garden. A sign points to the NFU Festival Farm at the Eslington site where there is a display of farming methods with animals, including pigs, hens and goats. Another sign reads ‘The Allotment and Leisure Garden’. Various shots follow of wooden garden sheds and vegetables growing at the allotments including long beet and pot leeks. The National Dahlia Society holds a colourful display in greenhouses. D.P. Boyd wins best exhibit in Class 6 Small Decoratives and is also the Individual Championship winner.  A reflection of the Ferris wheel can be seen in the glass of the festival Horticultural Halls, where at 6pm the World Giant Vegetable Show takes place, sponsored by Newcastle Breweries. Lots of people are browsing the displays of giant pumpkins, onions, marrows, leeks and weirdly shaped bunches of carrots. The caterpillar train moves by on the monorail. A classic car rally is taking place near the giant Ferris wheel. A pair of fluffy red dice hang in the windscreen of a gleaming red and chrome 1950s American De Soto motor car with fins. Various shots follow of the fairground giant wheel in action. A free range chicken is wandering around along with the festival visitors. The engine driver waves from a steam train on the festival’s narrow gauge railway connecting Dunston to Riverside. Visitors watch a parade of floats through the festival, including one carrying a mermaid, as the monorail winds through the site.   A magnificent firework display explodes in the night sky over the festival grounds to conclude the film. Credit: The End S. Gray 1990