Major festivals and events

Due to COVID-19, this section of our website may not have the latest updates regarding externally-run events. Some events are now able to go ahead following Government guidance.

We will endeavour to remove cancelled events and add new dates where events are rearranged as soon as we are made aware of changes. If an event you are due to attend is not run by the National Park Authority, please contact the event organiser directly.

If you're visiting the North York Moors, please follow our guidelines for accessing the National Park responsibly.

From Railway in Wartime to music, food and art festivals, join in one of the many events held throughout the year across the North York Moors and Yorkshire Coast.

Traditional Yorkshire country shows are an integral part of summer, one of the finest being the Ryedale Show, Kirkbymoorside, always held on the last Tuesday in July. We’re talking sheep-dog trials, shire horses, champion cattle, ferret roulette and improbably large vegetables – with similar events at another dozen or so local shows to follow throughout August and September.

More art than agriculture? Then head to Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage in September, where picturesque fishing cottages become pop-up galleries and cafés for the weekend while we play host to a series of popular creative workshops at the Inspired by… gallery throughout the year. Or head into the heart of Dalby Forest for Forest Live, atmospheric summer gigs featuring big names from across the music world.

Guided walks 2021

Our popular guided walks programme resumed in June 2021. Pre-booking is essential.

Major events 2021

Outdoor challenge events are not included below; you'll find walking, cycling and mountain biking, and fell and road running events listed in our Enjoy Outdoors pages. Do also take a look at the monthly farmers' markets in and around the North York Moors, and Food & Beer Festivals for more foodie ideas.

See Discover Yorkshire Coast for more major events in Scarborough, Filey, Whitby and along the coast.

July

• 1 – 18 Paintings from Wild Places, Inspired by... gallery, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
• 2 Mr Stink, Outdoor Theatre at Kirkeatham Museum Grounds
• 8 – 9 The Comedy of Errors, Outdoor Theatre at Kirkeatham Museum Grounds
• 11 The Flanagan Collective & Gobbledigook Theatre present - Orpheus, Helmsley Walled Garden (outdoor theatre)
• 14 – 5 September The Great Ryedale Maze, Sherburn
• 16 – 24 Big Ideas by the Sea, Scarborough
• 16 – 1 August Ryedale Festival
• 17 – 22 August (Saturdays and Sundays only) Dracula Season at Whitby Abbey
• 18 The Great Gatsby, Outdoor Theatre at Kirkeatham Museum Grounds
• 24 – 30 August Wood Life, Inspired by... gallery, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
• 24 – 5 September Kane Cunningham's Northern Eutierria, Ryedale Folk Museum
• 25 Lovel Local at Nunnington Hall
• 31 Meadowfest, Malton
• 31 – 21 August Filthy Trash, Shandy Hall Gallery, Coxwold

We've also got family treasure hunts, nature adventure days and plenty of fun activities for children to do throughout the summer holidays at our two National Park Centres based at Sutton Bank and Danby. Drop in any time to find out more and pick up a trail. Some activities may need pre-booking.

August

• 1 Anglo-Saxon Day celebrating Yorkshire Day, Sutton Bank National Park Centre
• 1 Yorkshire Day, Nunnington Hall
• 1 Treasure Hunt on the Cleveland Way, Hayburn Wyke
• 5 A Midsummer Night's Dream, Pickering Castle (outdoor theatre)
• 5 – 28 Willy Russell's Shirley Valentine, Esk Valley Theatre, Glaisdale, near Whitby
• 7 – 21 North York Moors Chamber Music Festival, Welburn - with renowned classical musicians from around the world
• 7 – 8, 14 – 15 Ryedale Open Studios
• 8 2021 Tour Series Cycle Race, Guisborough
• 12 – 15 Saltburn Folk Festival, Saltburn
• 13 – 14 The Three Inch Fools Present: Robin Hood, Helmsley Walled Garden (outdoor theatre)
• 15, 22 and 30 August, family-friendly 'Discovery Days' at Sutton Bank National Park Centre with the Ryevitalise project team (free, drop in)
• 21 Castle Howard Proms, Castle Howard
• 21 – 23 Whitby Regatta, watch yacht and rowing races, Navy displays, fireworks and more set around this ancient port
• 21 – 27 Whitby @Home 2021, Whitby Folk Week
• 22 The Two Frida's, Outdoor Theatre at Kirkeatham Museum Grounds
• 28 – 30 Vikings! at Whitby Abbey

September

• 3 – 5 The Castle Howard Dog Festival, Castle Howard
• 4 – 4 October Responses to Nature, Inspired by... gallery, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
• 10 – 19 Heritage Open Days
• 10 – 12 Yorkshire Fossil Festival, The Rotunda Museum, Scarborough
• 18 – 14 November In the Open: an open art exhibition, Ryedale Folk Museum
• 23 – 26 Annual Steam Gala, North Yorkshire Moors Railway (with additional events at Pickering, Goathland and Levisham)
• 24 – 25 Trackrod Rally Yorkshire, Cropton, Dalby and Langdale forests NB: walk and cycle trails in Dalby are closed for the day
• 25 – 26 Apple Weekend, Helmsley Walled Garden
• 25 – 26 Festival of Thrift, Kirkleatham

October

• 9 – 8 November Reflections on Landscape, Inspired by... gallery, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
• 17 MoorsRun, North York Moors National Park in partnership with Hardmoors Race Series present the Turnpike Trot 10k and the Rabbit Run 5k. Enter online.
• 22 – 31 Dark Skies Fringe Festival, with a stellar line-up of speakers, including top astronomers and scientists
• 25 – 29 Youth Conservation Residential, Rosedale Abbey
• 29 – 31 Tomorrow's Ghosts Festival, Whitby

November

• 13 – 3 January 2022 Christmas in Narnia, Castle Howard. Journey through the grand state rooms and experience installations inspired by the C.S. Lewis novels, as the historic house is turned into the wintery, magical land of Narnia.
• 13 – 16 January 2022 Brigantia's Bounty, Inspired by... gallery, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby (weekends only from 5 January)
• 27 – 28 November Christmas Shopping Weekend, Sutton Bank National Park Centre

December

• 3 – 5 Robin Hood's Bay Victorian Weekend
• 4 – 5, 11 – 12, 18 – 19 and 20 – 24 Santa Specials, North Yorkshire Moors Railway (from Pickering and Grosmont