Art Outdoors: Make a Splash Thursday 23 July 2026 Drop in between 11am – 4pm Free* Suitable for all ages  Join us in the Artist Garden, directly behind York Art Gallery, for an outdoor play activity, inspired by York Art Gallery’s exhibition, Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print. Experiment with mark making techniques, play and create! *Please […]

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Creative Families: Sea Monsters Friday 24 July 2026 Drop in between 10.30am – 3.30pm  Included in general admission  Suitable for all ages   Create your own printed sea monster inspired by the strange and wonderful creatures found in Japanese woodblock prints. You’ll experiment with simple relief printing techniques to design and print your monster in this family workshop. 

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Meet Me at the Yorkshire Museum: Mary Anning Friday 24 July 2026   Drop in between 11am – 4pm (Performances at 11am, 12 noon, 1.30pm and 2.30pm) Included in general admission Suitable for all ages  HistoryRiot return to the Yorkshire Museum with another interactive storytelling experience, centred around Mary Anning, a renowned fossil hunter. Hear stories of her Jurassic […]

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Sounds of the Sixties  Saturday 25 July 2026  Performances throughout the day  Included in general admission  Suitable for all ages  Take a trip back to the swinging sixties as live music fills the Sixties Street with the soundtrack of a generation. From folk favourites to chart-topping classics, experience the music that defined a decade. 

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Creative Families  Saturday 25 July 2026  Drop in between 10.30am – 3.30pm  Included in general admission  Suitable for all ages  Join artist Lendita, for a fun, family workshop inspired by the Victorian York Gala. Surrounded by a themed paper-cut installation, created by Yorkshire artist Pippa Dyrlaga, you’ll make a colourful hot air balloon creation. 

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Castle Kitchen  Saturday 25 July 2026 Drop in between 10.30am – 4pm Suitable for all ages | Included in general admission Come watch our cookery demonstrations throughout the day of Mrs Beeton’s picnic recipes including Balmoral tarts, Sponge Cake, Tea Cream and Apple Cheesecake. There’s a sweet treat to satisfy everyone’s palate and there’ll be […]

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Open Studio: Make and Play Every Saturday and Sunday from 18 July – 6 September  except 25 July and 8 August 2026 10am – 4pm Included in general admission  Suitable for all ages   Discover family friendly stamp and ink activities inspired by the Making Waves: The Art of Woodblock Print exhibition in The Studio. Experiment, collaborate and create! 

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Gala Street Performance  Tuesday 28 July 2026  Performances throughout the day  Included in general admission  Suitable for all ages  The spirit of York Gala arrives on Kirkgate with live entertainment and performances. Expect fun, laughter and Victorian-inspired acts! 

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Paddle in the Surf: Mokuhanga Printmaking  Wednesday 29 July 2026 10am – 4.30pm (Sessions run every 25-minutes)  £15 per person, tickets available to purchase on the day * Suitable for all ages and abilities   Join printmakers, Andy and Naomi to watch a live demonstration of Mokuhanga printmaking, a traditional Japanese woodblock printing technique. You’ll be guided through a short session creating 4 beautiful, printed designs inspired by ‘The Great Wave’ using rich Prussian blue […]

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Gallery Tales  Wednesday 29 July 2026  Session 1: 10.15am – 11am | Session 2: 11.30am – 12.15pm  £7 per child* | Book Tickets Suitable for ages 2-8   Join the award-winning Story Craft Theatre and step into a world of imagination where art comes alive and stories leap off the walls! There’s a new interactive storytelling adventure each week, inspired by the artwork […]

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