York Events 2026: The Ultimate Guide to Festivals, Markets & Live Shows
Planning a trip to York in 2026? From historic festivals and food markets to world-class sports and live music, the city offers something for everyone. In this guide, we’ve compiled the best events in York 2026 to help you make the most of your visit.
York Ice Trail 2026
York Ice Trail turns the historic streets into an open-air gallery of ice sculptures. In 2026 the theme is “Enchanted”, with trails of sculptures, live ice carving, and family-friendly activities spread across the city centre. You can wander at your own pace, follow the official trail map, and enjoy food-to-go from the Shambles Food Court along the way. Related activity around the same weekend includes the York Ice Village and Ice Trail Carving Masterclasses, offering markets, food, and the chance to carve your own sculpture as a paid, bookable experience.
Location: York City Centre
Dates & Times: 7–8 February 2026 (10:30am - 4:00pm)
🔗 visityork.org/events/york-ice-trail-2026
JORVIK Viking Festival 2026
One of Europe’s largest Viking festivals, the JORVIK Viking Festival fills York with living-history encampments, battle re-enactments, walks, talks, family activities, evening entertainment and more. It celebrates York’s Norse heritage with costumed performers, craft demonstrations, and special events at sites across the city.
Location: York City Centre
Dates: 16–22 February 2026
Dark Skies Festivals 2026
First launched in 2016, this North Yorkshire collaboration has grown into a well-established and highly anticipated event. The North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authorities work together to celebrate the region’s exceptional dark skies and the wonders of the night sky. The festival reaches its 11th edition in 2026, following its 10th anniversary celebrations in 2025. Each year, it highlights the unique quality of the area’s dark skies while continuing to feature popular returning activities alongside new experiences. Visitors can take part in a varied programme of events designed to make the most of night-time environments, including night runs, canoeing and night navigation, astrophotography workshops, stargazing safaris, children’s daytime trails, art workshops and mindful experiences.
Location: North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales
Dates: 13 February - 1 March 2026
🔗 www.darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk
Living North LIVE Yorkshire 2026
Living North LIVE 2026 returns as Yorkshire’s premier showcase for homes, gardens, shopping, food, and lifestyle. Featuring curated shopping, live demonstrations, expert talks, and tastings, the event offers fresh inspiration for your home and garden, distinctive gifts, exceptional food, and one-of-a-kind accessories unavailable elsewhere.
Location: York Racecourse
Dates: 20 - 26 March 2026
🔗 www.livingnorth.com/event/living-north-live-yorkshire-2026
York Open Studios 2025
Peek inside local artists’ workspaces, chat with creatives, and even purchase original artwork. Perfect for art lovers and anyone wanting a unique cultural experience.
Location: Various studios across York
Dates: 18-19 and 25-26 April 2026
WizardFest 2026
Think potion-making, wand decorating, and spellbinding treats—a must-visit for Harry Potter fans and families.
Locations: Various independent venues
Dates: 23-25 May 2026
York Festival of Ideas 2026
Held over two weeks each June, the York Festival of Ideas offers a wide-ranging programme of more than 200 in-person and online events, most of which are free to attend. The festival is led by the University of York and supported by a range of sponsors, bringing together world-class speakers alongside performances, exhibitions, guided tours and family-friendly activities. Recognised as one of the largest free festivals of its kind in the UK, the programme is designed to appeal to all ages and interests. Topics span a broad spectrum, including art, archaeology, history, health, politics and psychology. The festival’s Patron is the acclaimed children’s author Michael Morpurgo.
Location: North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales
Dates: 30 May - 12 June 2026
York Pride 2025
York Pride returns with an unforgettable celebration of love, equality, and togetherness. Gather with thousands on the Knavesmire for a vibrant day of music, colour, and community spirit as the rainbow once again flies proudly over York.
Location: York Knavesmire
Dates: 30 May 2026
2026 York Early Music Festival
The 50th edition of the York Early Music Festival takes place from 3–11 July 2026, marking a major milestone for one of the world’s leading celebrations of early music. Building on the success of the 2025 programme, the festival returns with a rich and varied lineup honouring five decades of exceptional performance.
Location: National Centre for Early Music
Dates: 3–11 July 2026
York Georgian Festival
Dates for the York Georgian Festival in 2026 are yet to be confirmed. Visit the festival’s website for the latest announcements and updates.
🔗 www.mansionhouseyork.com/yorkgeorgianfestival
York National Book Fair 2026
York Book Fair is one of the UK’s most celebrated gatherings for book lovers, collectors and dealers. Held over two days at York Racecourse, it brings together around 200 leading booksellers offering a vast and varied selection of rare, antiquarian, second-hand and out-of-print books, as well as maps, prints and ephemera. With over 100,000 books on offer — from inexpensive reads to centuries-old treasures — the fair welcomes visitors of all ages and interests.
Location: York Racecourse
Dates: 11-12 September 2026
York Food and Drink Festival 2026
A food lover’s paradise with local producers, street food vendors, and live cooking demos.
Location: Parliament Street and City Wide
Dates: 18-27 September 2026
Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2026
A world-renowned film festival, showcasing the best in short films, animation, and experimental cinema.
Location: Various cinemas in York
Dates: 4-8 November 2026
UK Championship Snooker 2026
The world’s leading snooker players are set to return to York for the UK Championship, one of the most prestigious tournaments on the global snooker calendar. The championship will see the world’s top 16 players joined by 16 qualifiers, all competing for one of the sport’s most coveted titles. First staged in 1977, the tournament is a cornerstone of snooker’s Triple Crown Series, alongside the Masters and the World Championship.
Location: York Barbican
Dates: 28 November - 6 December 2026
🔗 www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/snooker-2026
There’s always something happening in York, and 2026 is shaping up to be a fantastic year. If you’re thinking of visiting, we recommend booking your accommodation early, especially during the bigger events.
Looking for a place to stay? Check out holiday cottages, Daisy, Poppy, Sunflower, and our dog-friendly and disabled-friendly, Rose Cottage, for a cosy home-from-home while you enjoy everything the city has to offer.
