York Christmas Festival

17 Nov-23 Dec 2022

The streets of York come alive in the run up to Christmas. Carol singers and buskers flock to perform to thousands of festive shoppers. The St Nicholas Fair has market stalls and wooden chalets on Parliament Street and St Sampson's Square, specialising in gifts, crafts, and local yuletide foods. Elsewhere, the Barley Hall presents a special insight into how people celebrated Christmas in the Middle Ages.

market

Website: visityork.org (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: York, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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More in York

Do
City walls walk
Enjoy the great views, and try to imagine yourself in the role of city watch keeping a lookout for approaching enemy armies. The walls are medieval, built on Roman foundations, though the Station Road bridges are modern. The total walk is around 2 mi: if short on time or energy, the best section is along the western perimeter from to, close to the Minster. There never was a wall to the north-east, as the swamps along the River Foss were sufficient defence, so this is the least interesting section, where you have to walk along busy Foss Islands Road. No dogs, except guide dogs, are allowed on the walls. You can download a map and guide of the walls courtesy of the Friends of York Walls here.
Daily 8AM-duskFree, except the Micklegate Bar, and Monk Bar towers, which are small museums
DoLive music venue
York Barbican
Email via online contact form. A medium-sized venue for touring music and comedy gigs, orchestral performances, opera, ballet, and tribute acts for past pop legends. One of two venues for the Laugh Out Loud comedy club.
Box office Mon-Fri 10AM-2PM, show nights from 5PMWheelchair accessible · Live music
DoTheatre
Grand Opera House
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Box office Mon-Sat noon-4PM, show days until 15 min before start of performanceLimited wheelchair access
DoPark
Rowntree Park
Named for the Rowntree company, which gifted the park to the city, and dedicated to company employees lost during the First World War, this is a 30-acre green flag oasis next to the Ouse. Facilities include tennis and basketball courts, a skate park, children's playground and café. Use the Millennium Bridge to cross over the river and grab something cold from the "ice cream boat" , which is moored on the opposite bank on fine afternoons.
Mon-Fri 8AM-dusk, Sat Sun 9AM-duskFree