A new history festival to celebrate the culture of the 18th Century is coming to York this summer.

York Mansion House is collaborating with historic York sites - including Fairfax House and the Bar Convent - and historians to bring the first ever Georgian Festival to the city from Thursday, August 3, to Sunday, August 6.

Highlights of the festival include solving the mystery of Dick Turpin's missing corpse in a murder mystery night, behind-the-scenes with York's curators, discovering Georgian family life with Horrible Histories writer Terry Deary, and learning to dance the minuet.

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The intinerary is as follows:

Thursday, August 3:

  • 10am - Fairfax House: Behind the Scenes Curator Tour
  • 10am-4pm - Bar Convent: Secrets of Our Georgian House
  • 1pm - The Terry Deary Georgian Roadshow
  • 5.30pm - The Bar Convent: Private View 

Friday, August 4:

  • 9.30am - Georgian dance lesson
  • 10am-4pm - Bar Convent: Secrets of Our Georgian House
  • 11.30am - Mansion House: Georgian ice cream cooking demonstration
  • 7pm - Murder Mystery 'Stand and Deliver'

Saturday, August 5:

  • 9.30am - Georgian dance lesson
  • 10am-4pm- Bar Convent: Secrets of Our Georgian House
  • 11.30am - Mansion House: Georgian ice cream cooking demonstration
  • 12:30pm - Being a Catholic in Georgian York
  • 2.30pm - Mansion House: Fan language
  • 7pm - Murdery Mystery 'Stand and Deliver'

Sunday, August 6:

  • 11:30 - Mansion House: Georgian ice cream cooking demonstration 
  • 11:30 National Centre for Early Music (St Margaret's Church, Walmgate): Tea Dance
  • 2.30pm: Mansion House: Fan language 
  • 4pm: Poisonous Plants

Throughout the festival, visitors can benefit from the 'Georgian Trio 20 per cent off', which gives visitors to Mansion House, Fairfax House, or Bar Convent during the festival a loyalty card to receive 20 per cent off general admission to the other two.