A POPULAR street food venue in the heart of York is about to celebrate its fifth birthday.

Spark:York turns five on Thursday (May 4), and is celebrating with a series of events across five days of festivities running until Bank Holiday Monday, including games, DJ sets, guest pop ups, and more.

The food, drink and retail space, housed in shipping containers in Piccadilly, first opened in May 2018 and throughout the weekend, will be welcoming back previous traders, such as Tricolor York, Flori Bakery, and Melk who will be serving their delicious treats.

Thursday will see a special birthday edition of Quingo - a light-hearted combination of trivia and bingo, testing everyone's general knowledge, with a bonus round on the story of Spark and big prizes to be won.

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Paulina Lewicka, Spark's marketing and communication coordinator, said: "We have also invited DJ Boon and Upside Your Mind who will provide our guests with a great dose of music.

"Moreover, on Monday, May 8, kids and big kids alike will enjoy having their faces painted by Alex from Face Paint York.

"In addition to those, there will be the launch of the inaugural resident art exhibition produced by Dominic Brooks, Leon Francois Dumont, Jake Moore, Lucy Topham, and Kai West who work in our MAKE studio every day. You will see a diverse collection of their 2D artworks in oils, acrylics, mixed media, pen, and digital."

York Press: There will be fun and games throughoutThere will be fun and games throughout (Image: Spark)

Leon François Dumont, a York artist and co-host of the exhibition, said: "The show is an opportunity to signpost the creativity that occurs in Spark cultivated by their studio spaces allowing the freedom to create, make mess, and foster community. Art is a powerful communication device and it’s been a lifeline for many in the last few unprecedented years when we’ve had to respond to new challenges and realities. We hope that the artworks or themes will resonate, generate discussion, and maybe become much loved treasures for collectors.''

The exhibition starts on Friday, incorporating Creative Drinks by York Creatives, and finishes on Sunday. Entry is free, but if you wish to take part in the ticketed private view on Thursday, May 4 at 7pm.

Gemma Spivey, General Manager: "We've been squirrelling away to put on a packed weekend to celebrate every single person who has helped us become who we are. We can't wait to welcome you all into the venue and say thanks to everyone who has contributed to our growing community over the past 5 years – here's to many more.''