The bridge has quickly achieved iconic attraction status, with local, national, and international visitors. During the summer months, non-shipping bridge openings occur daily to satisfy the demand from visitors to Newcastle and Gateshead wishing to see the unique spectacle of the bridge tilting. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge makes regular appearances on television as a backdrop to news items, factual entertainment, and dramas. The bridge is a new symbol for the Northeast and the backdrop for concerts, the Great North Games, and fairs.