The York Food Festival offers a series of FREE cookery workshops – hands on events, which are designed to provide visitors with an opportunity to learn new culinary skills and understand how food is made. All the activities are available at all times during the opening times – on a roll up and start basis.
Opening times for public:
(also home to our Schools Workshop programme, where we welcome over 1000 children to participate over the weekdays)
Fri 18th introductory session only see below 2pm to 4pm.
Sat 19th & Sun 20th – 10:30-5pm (last entry at 4pm).
Mon 21st to Thurs 24th – 3:30-4:30pm (last entry at 4pm).
Fri 25th – 12pm to 2pm (Last entry 1:30).
Sat 26th & Sun 27th – 10:30-5pm (last entry at 4pm).
Activity: Bread making, pasta making, dairy (including, butter, ice cream and cheese) and preserving (smoking and salting and fermentation and bottling)
The workshops are open to all ages and held at St Sampsons Centre
Due to the technical nature of some of the workshops this activity is most suitable to Adults and Family groups with children over 5, but if you want to bring your little one along there’s still plenty for them to do!
For groups of 10 and more, please email admin@yorkfoodfestival.com
Did you know that the York Food Festival is a not-for-profit organisation?
Any money generated (from trader fees to ticket sales) goes back into the festival to improve it year after year.
During the festivals we run this extensive free food education programme for all visitors to the festival.
Please consider making a donation to support this programme and keep it running.
Explore York on a Kid Friendly Walking Tour, finding hidden letters to spell a secret word and finish by tasting some yummy treats at the St Sampson’s Centre Tasting Hub.
A FREE walking tour orientated towards pre-schoolers. Collect a free activity sheet from the Festival’s Information desk on Parliament Street (In front of Skipton Building Society)
City Centre play cafe for pre-schoolers
Sammie’s is our new Grandparents’ café which is open every Friday morning in the Annexe from 10 AM – 2 PM during term time. We know how difficult it can be to find somewhere in the city centre that is suitable for pre-schoolers, so we are here to help. Sammie’s is a relaxed and safe environment with a low-cost kid’s menu, toys, plenty of space to run around, baby changing facilities, and space for buggies.
Whilst Sammie’s was created with Grandparents in mind, as a familiar place for them to bring their grandchildren, we are here for anyone with pre-schoolers and hope that Sammie’s will become a known, child-friendly hub in the city centre.
The Festival’s Director, Michael opens the Food Factory activities.
The Food Factory opens for the Food Festival 2026, Michael Hjort shows new staff and volunteers what to do and how to learn basic cooking skills in the courtyard of St Sampson’s Centre.
Step inside a working piece of history and experience how wind is turned into flour!
On Wednesdays and Fridays, experience how wind power is transformed into flour.
Arrive early to catch the sails turning and stones grinding (wind permitting).
Families will enjoy hands-on displays, and fresh stone-ground flour may be available to take home.
Entry is £5, under-16s free, with all proceeds supporting the ongoing preservation of the mill.
Please note, access involves steep steps. 45-60 minutes recommended.
City Centre play cafe for pre-schoolers
Sammie’s is our new Grandparents’ café which is open every Friday morning in the Annexe from 10 AM – 2 PM during term time. We know how difficult it can be to find somewhere in the city centre that is suitable for pre-schoolers, so we are here to help. Sammie’s is a relaxed and safe environment with a low-cost kid’s menu, toys, plenty of space to run around, baby changing facilities, and space for buggies.
Whilst Sammie’s was created with Grandparents in mind, as a familiar place for them to bring their grandchildren, we are here for anyone with pre-schoolers and hope that Sammie’s will become a known, child-friendly hub in the city centre.
Step inside a working piece of history and experience how wind is turned into flour!
On Wednesdays and Fridays, experience how wind power is transformed into flour.
Arrive early to catch the sails turning and stones grinding (wind permitting).
Families will enjoy hands-on displays, and fresh stone-ground flour may be available to take home.
Entry is £5, under-16s free, with all proceeds supporting the ongoing preservation of the mill.
Please note, access involves steep steps. 45-60 minutes recommended.
