SOME of the coolest photographs will be taken in York this weekend as a popular event returns to the city.

Thirty-three ice sculptures will be dotted all around the city centre in The York Ice Trail 2024, which takes place from 10 am to 4pm on Saturday February 3 and Sunday February 4.

The theme of this year’s event is ‘City of Dreams’.


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Organisers Make It York have come together with local sponsors to commission incredible statues that will feature alongside some of York’s more permanent landmarks, mainly within the city walls.

Sculptors Icebox, who said that The York Ice Trail is ‘certainly the largest ice trail in the UK’, hand-carve duplicate pieces to cover the weekend.

The first of these was revealed last month.

Visitors can see the handiwork for themselves as sculptors will be ‘live carving’ works of ice in St Sampson Square.

One of the local businesses participating is Bradley’s Jewellers in Low Petergate.

The business said its six-foot tall ice sculpture is inspired by their collaboration with the world famous Fabergé company.

Visitors can see the sculpture just outside the premises – number 28 in a list of 33 statues which can be ticked off on a checklist that visitors can download or collect from Make It York’s visitor centre.

York Press: Kay Bradley, owner of Bradley's Jewellers York, with the business' ice sculpture for 2023Kay Bradley, owner of Bradley's Jewellers York, with the business' ice sculpture for 2023 (Image: Supplied)

Seven standing statues are lined up from St Sampson’s Square to Parliament Street and Middleton’s Hotel is the home for sculptures number 14 to 17.

Paying homage to the heritage of the city’s chocolatiers, visitors throughout the weekend will be invited to guess the number of Terry’s Chocolate Oranges featured within one of the statues to be in with a chance to win a prize.

Sponsors have told visitors to keep their eyes peeled for the Himalayan Yeti, the terrifying Kraken and a nine-headed Hydra.

Sarah Loftus, the managing director of Make It York, said: “York Ice Trail is a beautiful event loved by residents and visitors alike.

“We’re incredibly thankful to all the brilliant local businesses who support the event and to all our sponsors - their support makes it possible for us to keep running these free events in the city.

“Our ice partners, Icebox, have also done an incredible job at creating these ice sculptures and bringing the ideas to life.”

Last year’s event saw more than 40,000 visitors enter York to see the 36 ice sculptures which lines the streets, said the organisers.