YORK'S Ice Trail has become one of the most popular events in the city's calendar, drawing visitors and locals alike to see the frozen works of art across the city centre each year.

It has been a regular fixture since 2015 - barring a one-year break in 2021 because of the Covid pandemic and lockdown restrictions.

Its return last year was hailed a huge success, and this year's event looks to be a match for that with some 36 sculptures earmarked to be on show at selected locations through the city.

The first ice trail look place in December 2015 - as part of the St Nicholas Fair festival. Over December 12 and 13 that year, crowds enjoyed seeing 30 specially-commissioned hand carved ice sculptures, designed by Glacial Art. Each sculpture sponsored by a business from across the city. They also enjoyed watching live ice carvings.

York Press: Ice sculpture in Shambles, York, in 2022Ice sculpture in Shambles, York, in 2022

Each year has a theme and this has led to an array of sculptures - everything from dinosaurs and angels, to Vikings and steam trains.

Some 31,000 people participating in 2020’s Fantastical Fiction and Fairy Tales trail,

This year's event, organised by Make it York, will run during the weekend of February 4-5.

Free trail maps will be available from the Visitor Information Centre on Parliament Street or can be downloaded online at visityork.org/ice

For more information, visit https://www.visityork.org/york-ice-trail. Follow on social media: #YorkIceTrail