A cinema screen showing classic York film footage, a giant deckchair, floral displays and a Yorkshire pudding-themed competition…
These are just some of the activities lined up to make this Yorkshire Day the liveliest York has seen.
The York BID has teamed up with partners to stage a series of free special events in the city centre which reflect Tyke spirit and celebrate the year-round offering from local businesses.
They include a giant screen in St Sampson’s Square which will show an hour-long compilation of archive footage from the city created by the York-based Yorkshire Film Archive (YFA).
The YFA team have curated a selection of footage from their vaults which includes:
- York City playing at Bootham Crescent in the 1950s
- the story of Jorvik in the 1980s
- images of York’s chocolate and railway heritage
- rare shots of First World War soldiers
- the arrival of a new bell “Great Peter” to York Minster in 1927
- the open-air swimming pool in Rowntree Park
- and the River Ouse frozen so solid you could cycle across it!
The big screen will also show Aardman family favourite Chicken Run. The screenings will take place between 10am and 7pm and are free.
Giant deckchair
Other Yorkshire Day treats include the chance to take a selfie in an enormous Yorkshire deckchair, with prizes awarded for the best picture – including a Sunday to Thursday stay for two at The Grand Hotel.
An impressive Yorkshire Rose floral tribute measuring three feet by five foot, made from real white roses, will be on display in St Sampson’s Square.
Also in the square will be a mobile bar created by the team behind the city’s Botanist restaurant, and The York Roast Co. serving up free samples of the world-famous YorkyPud Wrap.
The York Roast Co is also running the Great Yorkshire Pudding Challenge.
Aspiring chefs and foodies from across the country are invited to submit their best sweet and savoury concoctions all centred around the famous Yorkshire pudding.
The most creative will compete in a live cook-off in The Cookery School at The Grand Hotel from 3pm. The winner will win an overnight stay at The Grand, a Cookery School experience, £100 worth of The York Roast Co vouchers and have their recipe featured as a special dish on The York Roast Co menus.
Carl Alsop, operations manager at York BID, said:
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York is the historical capital of Yorkshire, which used to be called the County of York. This year, we’re teaming up with Visit York to create a host of free family-friendly events in St Sampson’s Square and a market featuring local young traders in Parliament Street, to celebrate both heritage and modern aspects of our proud city, and encourage people to join us in the beating heart of the city.
We’ll be highlighting the remarkable ranges of local products that are available from businesses in the city, including locally-produced food and drink and Yorkshire-themed jewellery.
Market competition
On Parliament Street, Make It York and NMTF (National Market Traders’ Federation) will be hosting the regional final of the Young Traders Market, which aims to nurture young market traders aged 16 – 30 to continue the proud tradition.
The best traders from the regional events will then compete at the National Young Traders Market at the end of August.
Yorkshire Day is a civic occasion in York, too, with members of the Yorkshire Ridings Society – which founded Yorkshire Day in 1975 – joining members of York’s civic party in walking the city walls and reading a declaration of integrity of Yorkshire at the four Bars (gates) of the city. The declaration is made in Latin, Old English, Old Norse and modern English to reflect the different languages spoken in the city since the Romans.
More information on Yorkshire Day celebrations in and around York, please visit the York BID website.