York 800 celebrations news and events | York Press
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York is gearing up for a massive celebration in 2012 to mark 800 years since the granting of its city charter.
Details of York 800 events can be found at yorkfestivals.com
If you are planning an event that you wish to publicise, let us know at newsdesk@thepress.co.uk, or submit it to our online events section.
Shrove Tuesday celebrated with pancake races in York
9:37am Wednesday 22nd February 2012
SHROVE Tuesday was celebrated throughout the region with pancake races through the streets of North Yorkshire’s towns and cities.
In good voice for York 800 celebrations
9:35am Monday 20th February 2012
HUNDREDS of singers in York will join voices for a huge community choir this summer – and rehearsals are about to get under way.
Dear sir, your train nearly blinded me!
9:17am Wednesday 15th February 2012
IT will be a familiar story for many passengers – a railway journey isn’t all it should be, and an angry letter to the train company follows.
Search on for York 800 poems
7:55am Wednesday 15th February 2012
HUNDREDS of choristers from across York will come together this summer to perform music specially written for the city.
Charity Gala Concert revived for York 800 celebrations
9:18am Monday 13th February 2012
IT was last staged in the early 1980s – but now the Lord Mayor of York’s Charity Gala Concert is being revived as part of the York 800 celebrations.
International Women’s Week events lined up
7:58am Wednesday 8th February 2012
WOMEN have “pulled out all the stops” to stage a record 78 events in York to mark International Women’s Week during the city’s 800th anniversary year.
Bid to bring learning to fore in York 800 festivities
8:01am Thursday 2nd February 2012
ADULT learners are being urged to get involved in the York 800 celebrations.
David Cameron urged to celebrate York 800
9:05am Thursday 26th January 2012
THE Prime Minister has been invited to visit York as it celebrates the 800th anniversary of being granted a Royal charter by King John, which allowed it to take charge of its financial affairs, trade freely and create a council led by a mayor.
Tourist attractions gear up for Residents Festival
8:48am Tuesday 24th January 2012
TOURIST attractions across the York area are gearing up for the city’s best-ever Residents Festival this weekend.
Minister’s support for York 800 celebrations
8:59am Monday 23rd January 2012
CULTURE Secretary Jeremy Hunt has thrown his support behind the York 800 celebrations.
Thousands expected to attend Railfest 2012
8:50am Saturday 21st January 2012
THE organisers of “Britain’s biggest rail celebration” say they are expecting many thousands of people to attend the summer event at York’s National Railway Museum.
Do you have a York Story to tell?
8:10am Saturday 21st January 2012
Calling all York residents who have a story to tell about the city; York 800 wants to create an archive of audio and video stories about the city - ‘York Stories’ - as part of the celebrations, to record why York has played such an important role in people’s lives.
York 800: Festival of the Rivers starts the celebrations
8:00am Saturday 21st January 2012
York’s Festival of the Rivers 2012 will start on Saturday 7 July – and its opening will mark the first event of the York 800 Charter Weekend Celebrations.
York 800: Digging for secrets beneath York’s corridors of power
7:50am Saturday 21st January 2012
Summer 2012 will see, as part of York 800, an archaeological dig for the first time in the Guildhall yard, basements of the Mansion House, and the south side of the Guildhall.
York 800: Join in the Jubilee!
8:00am Saturday 21st January 2012
In June, many people across the country will be celebrating the 60 year reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
York 800: Chocolate heritage
8:00am Saturday 21st January 2012
Once known as the “Chocolate City”, York has long been at the heart of the chocolate and confectionery industry.
York 800: Buskival comes to the city in June
7:50am Saturday 21st January 2012
The streets of the city will come alive with entertainment as buskers from far and wide perform for residents and visitors alike.
York 800: Charter Weekend 7th 8th and 9th July
7:50am Saturday 21st January 2012
York city centre will be alive with events connected with the 800th anniversary of the granting of the City Charter.
York Cycle of Mystery Plays returns to the Museum Gardens
7:50am Saturday 21st January 2012
One of the undoubted highlights of 2012 in York will be the return of the medieval cycle of York Mystery Plays to the Museum Gardens for the first time since 1988.
York 800: Mystery in the Minster
7:50am Saturday 21st January 2012
The Big City Read is coming again in July, courtesy of the council’s libraries and archives service.
Celebrate York 800 on the city’s streets with York’s Run For All 10k
7:40am Saturday 21st January 2012
August will once again see York's streets come alive with runners, walkers and wheelers as the annual Jane Tomlinson Run For All takes over the city.
York 800: Science and Innovation to the fore this summer
7:30am Saturday 21st January 2012
This summer, one of the highlights of York’s special year will be the York Science and Innovation Grand Tour – a stunning celebration and promotion of York’s achievements in science and innovation.
York 800: Be enchanted by Illuminating York
7:40am Saturday 21st January 2012
The annual Illuminating York festival will take a journey down the rabbit hole this year to deliver a wonderland of delight in York’s Museum Gardens.
Yorkshire Museum unveils brand new gallery for York 800
7:40am Saturday 21st January 2012
A new exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum, 1212:The Making of the City, will mark the 800th anniversary of York’s Charter, telling the story of medieval York and celebrating the people, places and events that have contributed to the city’s medieval heritage.
York 800: Get involved in Ebor Vox!
7:40am Saturday 21st January 2012
Ebor Vox, one of the key highlights of York 800, will be a truly ambitious community event for York, bringing together hundreds of York residents in joyous song.
More York 800 stories>>
York 800 what’s on
February 2012
January - February: Speak Up, Speak Out
A programme of events reflecting York and its diverse communities, built around Holocaust Memorial Day (27 January), asking us all to speak up and speak out against injustice and hatred today for a
safer, better future. For full details, visit www.york.gov.uk
February - September: The Eight Mysteries of York Minster
Over these eight months the Minster will celebrate eight centuries of mystery, through talks, tours, trails and activities.
Organised by City Centre Churches.
March 2012
March: York Stories launch
A chance for residents to record their stories about their home city for posterity.
April 2012
1 April - 31 August: Views of York: Portrait of a City – 1610 to the Present Day
An exhibition at Fairfax House of paintings, drawings, photographs, watercolours and prints of the city.
6-9 April: York Chocolate Festival
Celebrating our traditions with York's first chocolate festival.
7 April: Opening of the new medieval gallery at the Yorkshire Museum ‘1212: The Making of the City’
11-12 April: York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre present Missing Mysteries
Performances of some of the Mystery Plays not included in the summer production, in six York churches over two days.
May 2012
6 May: York 800 Youth Football Gala
Organised by Hamilton Panthers Football Club on the Knavesmire.
12-16 May: York 800 Adult Learners Week
Learn about your heritage and skill up for your future.
24 May: Mayor Making as part of the Annual Council meeting
May-July: York Science and Innovation Grand Tour 2012
Showcasing York’s innovative past, present and future around the city.
June 2012
2-10 June: Railfest, National Railway Museum
Get fired up at Britain’s biggest rail celebration.
2-3 June: Buskival
The streets of York will be alivewith entertainment as buskers from far and wide perform for your delight. From the weird to the wonderful, York has them all and the streets will be packed with
performers over the two days to celebrate our first Buskival, to commemorate York 800.
2-3 June: Celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Watch out for special events at York’s Explore Centres.
15-17 June: ‘Spirit of Adventure’ flower festival, Merchant Adventurers Hall, 10am - 4pm
Celebrating the York Guilds, present and past, the wonderful setting of the medieval Merchant Adventurers Hall will be the backdrop to a stunning display of summer flower art.
16-30 June: Festival of Ideas and Innovation
This year’s theme ‘Metamorphosis and Transformation’ at venues across the city.
16 June: York Carnival: Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square
19 June: Olympic Torch Relay and Knavesmire Concert
A wide range of sports demonstrations that you can take part in. Knavesmire concert: 16.00 to 19.30.
19 June - 9 September: Sports participation activity across the city
Creating our Olympic legacy with voluntary sports clubs across the city.
30 June: Heworth 800 Golf Open Tournament
A York 800 open tournament to celebrate over 100 years of golf at this wonderful course.
30 June - 1 July: Brassed On: Rowntree Park
York 800 Brass Band Showcase.
July 2012
2 July: Script Factor AllWinners Final, York Theatre Royal
The winners of each heat of Script Yorkshire’s York Branch Script Factor events pitted against each other for the final, to win the Script Factor Champions Trophy. The theme will be York 800.
3 July - 2 September: The Glory of York: Blue Tree Gallery, 23 Bootham, York
Works by Colin Carruthers on the rivers and gardens of York; Richard Burel on York city life; Giuliana Lazzerini on the architecture of the city; Graham K Cook on the Doors of York.
6-14 July: Early Music Festival
Reflecting the Olympic ideals of excellence and aspiration with music from the Renaissance, and music from South America.
7-22 July: Festival of the Rivers
Annual celebration of the Rivers Ouse and Foss, featuring a flotilla of boats on the River Ouse.
7-8 July: Meet the King: Cliffords Tower 11am-5pm
King John returns to the centre of York Castle for one weekend only.Come and see the King on his throne in full regalia.
9 July: Charter Day
800 years to the day since York was granted its City Charter by King John. Evening: Climax of Ebor Vox at the Eye of York, featuring York choirs and musicians, after a procession across the city.
Unveiling of York 800 schools tapestry.
14 July: One Voice York, Tower Gardens, Skeldergate bridge 2pm - 4pm
Performance by the One Voice Gospel Choir - members from churches all across York.
21 July - 2 September: Time Travellers Go Royal, Cliffords Tower 11am - 5pm
Become King for a day - children can dress up as medieval nobles.
July: Youth Charter
The young people of York will create and present a new Charter for the city.
Late July: Archives Exhibition, York Explore
The best archives outside London open their doors to the public whose histories they hold - part of York’s Medieval Summer.
25 July - End September: Big City Read
Featuring a specially commissioned medieval murder mystery novel set in the Minster, by Susanna Gregory.
End July: Archaeological dig, Mansion House
For at least the last 700 years the Guildhall and Mansion House have been the seat of local democracy in York. The six week archaeological excavation led by York Archaeological Trust will hope to
unlock the secrets that lie hidden.
August 2012
2-27 August: York Cycle of Mystery Plays
The magnificent Mystery Plays return to their outdoor setting in the Museum Gardens for the first time since the 1980s.
4-12 August: Yorkshire Medieval Festival
For the first time, York Archaeological Trust will join forces with partners in York and the region to bring you the Yorkshire Medieval Festival. The programme will combine falconry, archery,
thrilling re-enactments, activities for children, dramatic performances and guided visits to a host of medieval sites in gorgeous settings - plus traditional medieval merriment with banqueting,
jesters and minstrels. Visit www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk.
5 August: Jane Tomlinson 10k and kids’ 2k run
This year the races will be themed York 800.
September 2012
8 September: Traditional Dance Festival
Morris Dancers from all over England, including teams from York, perform at various locations in the city centre, with a grand finale at St Sampson’s Square.
21-30 September: Festival of Food and Drink
Ten days of markets, events and activities with a York 800 ‘foodie’ theme.
October 2012
October: Launch of Stories in Glass and Stone
New interactive galleries in the Minster allowing visitors to reflect on the scale and craftsmanship of the Great East Window.
October: Local Democracy Week
Events in and around the Guildhall.
1-5 October: 50+ Games
Fun and games for the over 50s at sports clubs across the city.
24-27 October: Illuminating York
York transformed into a wonderland.
November 2012
November: Inter-Faith Festival
A celebration of the different traditions, beliefs and values represented across the city.
1-4 November: Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF)
A celebration of short films from around the world, presented in unique venues across the city.
12-16 November: York Business Week
29 November - 2 December: St Nicholas Fayre
December 2012
Early December: A York Christmas/Festival of Angels
31 December: Community New Year’s Eve
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