The York Food Festival offers a series of free cookery workshops, which are designed to provide visitors with an opportunity to learn new culinary skills and how food is made. These workshops are open to all ages and take place at various locations throughout the festival.
At the minimum, there are six workshops available, covering a range of themes including bread making, pasta making, vegan dips, and smoking your own food. New workshop themes will be added in for 2023, ensuring that there is always something new to learn and discover at the festival.
The workshops take place in three locations: the Museum Gardens, Coppergate Centre, and St. Crux Hall. They run every day from 10 am to 4 pm, except for Monday 25th to Friday 29th when the area is reserved for schools. During these days, the public can attend from 3 pm to 4 pm.
The workshops are interactive and hands-on, providing participants with an opportunity to get involved in the cooking process and learn by doing. The workshops are suitable for all ages, and experienced instructors are on hand to provide guidance and support.
The York Food Festival is always on the lookout for talented volunteers to work with the public by delivering workshops. If you are someone who has a passion for cooking and wants to give back to the community, then we encourage you to consider volunteering with us. If interested, please fill out our online form
The York Food Festival features a range of market stands. The markets are divided into two main sections: food retailing and street food.
The food retailing section features stands selling a range of food and drink products that visitors can take home with them. This includes locally produced cheese, meats, baked goods, chocolates, preserves, and much more. Visitors can browse the stalls, taste samples, and purchase items to enjoy later.
The food retail section is supplemented at the weekend with additional stands in the large Market Hall located outside outside of Boots Opticians and at St Crux (Pavement / Shambles)
The street food section offers visitors the chance to sample a variety of delicious dishes from around the world. Here, visitors can indulge in a range of cuisines, including Thai, Indian, Italian, and Mexican, among others. The street food stands are designed to be eaten on-site, allowing visitors to enjoy a range of flavours and dishes as they explore the festival.
Overall, there are around 100 stands at the festival, with a mix of food retailing and street food. The markets are open from 10 am until 5 pm each day, giving visitors plenty of time to explore and sample the various products on offer. Additionally, the street food stands located around the music venues remain open during the evening performances, allowing visitors to continue enjoying the festival’s food offerings well into the night.
The cookie tour is a fun and interactive activity designed for families with children at the York Food Festival. The tour is a self-guided walking tour that starts at the Festival heart on Parliament Street and ends at St. Crux Hall. Participants receive a map/guide leaflet that provides information about the businesses in the area and guides them through the tour.
The leaflet also includes questions about the businesses in the area, encouraging participants to observe and engage with their surroundings. The tour stops at the Museum Gardens, where participants can take part in the Food Factory.
At the end of the tour, participants are given a cookie to decorate and take home. This provides a fun and engaging activity for children, allowing them to express their creativity and take home a fun souvenir of their time at the York Food Festival.
The cookie tour is designed to be family-friendly, with activities and information suitable for children of all ages. It provides a unique and engaging way for families to explore the local food and culture scene, while also having fun and learning new things along the way.
A self-guided walking trail around the city of York and an opportunity to try samples from some of the best York’s food scene by visiting a range of deli’s, restaurants and suppliers.
The Festival’s Taste trail is a popular feature of the food festival, and visitors can explore over 20 different food and drink businesses and sample a small amount of produce at each location.
Participants will receive a map and guide that outlines the various participating businesses, along with a schedule of when each business is open and offering samples. The samples provided on the taste trail vary widely depending on the participating businesses, but may include small bites of food, such as cheeses, meats, breads, and desserts, as well as drinks, such as wine or beer.
Overall, the Taste Trail is a fun and engaging way for visitors to sample a wide variety of local food and drink offerings and experience the unique flavours and culture of a particular York.
Tickets are limited to 100 per day – You can either pre-book online or purchase your booklet at the information point (while stocks last)
Collection of the trail booklet is from the Information Point any day between 10am to 4pm, located opposite the Shambles Market Entrance on Parliament Street.
Featuring live music from 4 bands per night, starting from Friday 22nd to Saturday 30th September, between 5pm to 9pm. The music will take place in the entertainment marquee located in Parliament Street, and it is free for all attendees to enjoy.
We are also proud to be supporting St Leonard’s Hospice as our chosen charity for the festival. This means that when you attend the festival, you are also supporting a great cause.
The York Food Festival also features a school program that offers primary school students in KS2 the opportunity to participate in workshops focused on various themes related to food and cooking.
The school program workshops cover the same themes as those in the main festival, including bread making, pasta making, vegan dips, smoking your own food, and more. The workshops are designed to be engaging and informative, providing students with a fun and interactive way to learn about food and cooking.
Each visit runs for two hours and involves a series of workhops. The workshops can start at either 10 am or 1 pm, depending on the availability and schedule of the school group.
Teachers and school administrators interested in enrolling their classes in the York Food Festival school program can find further information and apply to attend with our online form
In addition to the main festival events, the York Food Festival also features a series of fringe events, which are organized by hotels, restaurants, and retailers throughout the city. These events are open to all businesses in York, allowing them to showcase their food and drink offerings and participate in the festival.
The fringe events can take many different forms, with participating businesses proposing a range of activities, such as special menus, food and drink tastings, workshops, cooking classes, and more. The events are designed to be diverse and inclusive, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Businesses are encouraged to get creative with their proposals, with the goal of showcasing the best of York’s food and drink scene. Whether it’s a special tasting menu featuring local ingredients, a wine or beer pairing event, or a cooking demonstration, there is no shortage of opportunities to get involved and contribute to the festival’s success.
Overall, the fringe events provide an excellent opportunity for York businesses to connect with the festival’s visitors and showcase their offerings. It’s a chance to promote local food culture and engage with the community, while also benefiting from the increased foot traffic and exposure that the festival brings.
If you’re a York business interested in participating in the York Food Festival’s fringe events, you can contact the festival administration team at admin@yorkfoodfestival.com.
We are excited to offer two fantastic bar areas during the York Food & Drink Festival.
The first bar area is located in the lively Entertainments Marquee situated in Parliament Street. Enjoy delicious street food from a range of stands. You can also visit the Real Ale bar and enjoy the exciting atmosphere of the main stage where live music performances will be taking place in the evening.
The second bar area is located in St Sampson’s Square. This area is more open but also provides wet weather provision, so you can enjoy your drinks no matter what. This bar is conveniently situated next to the demonstration area, and features both a gin bar and a wine stand. In the evening, you can enjoy more relaxed music while sipping your favourite drink.
Both bar areas offer a great selection of drinks and a welcoming atmosphere for you to enjoy during the festival. We hope to see you there!
The chef demonstration area is a popular attraction at the York Food Festival, providing a platform for local chefs to showcase their talents and engage with the community, while offering festival attendees the opportunity to learn new recipes and cooking techniques from some of the best culinary experts in the region.
The area will be set up in a marquee on Sampson’s Square and features seating for viewers to watch the demonstrations. Demonstrations typically occur on the hour between noon and 4pm, allowing festival attendees to plan their visit. It is free to enter, and wheelchair assessible. So come and learn more about local cuisine and food culture.
The full program of demonstrations is not be complete, anyone who is interested in demonstrating their culinary skills is encouraged to contact the festival’s administration team at admin@yorkfoodfestival.com.
