Major festivals and events

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. Or head into the heart of Dalby Forest for Forest Live, atmospheric summer gigs featuring big names from across the music world, while we play host to a musical programme at the Inspired by… gallery, from chamber concerts to folk-roots rockers.

Major events 2020

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.

January

• 1 – 5 Castle Howard at Christmas: experience this magnificent house decked out and lit by candle and firelight
• 1 – 2 February ‘Uniquely Made’ by Brigantia, Inspired by… gallery, Danby (weekends only from 5 January)
• 25 – 26 Big Garden Birdwatch Weekend, Sutton Bank and The Moors National Park Centres

February

• 7 – 1 March Snowdrop Spectacular, Burton Agnes, near Driffield
• 8 – 9 Whitby Steampunk Weekend, Whitby Pavilion
• 14 – 1 March Dark Skies Festival, events across North York Moors and Howardian Hills
• 15 – 23 Half Term - Vikings, Whitby Abbey
• 15 – 23 March Until the Stars Come Out, Inspired by… gallery
• 15 – 23 March A First Look, Inspired by… gallery, Danby
• 21 – 23 Coastival, Scarborough

March

• 28 – 4 May What the Tide Left Behind, Inspired by… gallery, Danby

April

• 4 – 5 Sci-Fi Scarborough, Scarborough Spa
• 4 – 19 Discover National Parks, annual celebration of National Parks, check out our events programme at Sutton Bank and The Moors National Park Centres
• 10 – 13 Easter Egg Hunt, Sutton Bank National Park Centre
• 10 – 13 Easter Egg Hunt, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
• 10 – 13 Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt, Ravenscar Visitor Centre
• 10 – 13 Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt, Old Coastguard Station, Robin Hood's Bay
• 11 – 12 WWII Living History Weekend - Axis-Allied, Eden Camp, Malton
• 24 – 26 Books by the Beach Festival 2020, Scarborough Library
• 24 – 26 Whitby Goth Weekend, Whitby
• 24 – 26 Tomorrow's Ghosts Gothic & Alternative Festival, Whitby
• 30 – 3 May Tour de Yorkshire

May

• 8 – 10 Festival of Dogs, Castle Howard
• 8 – 9 June Imprints, Inspired by… gallery, Danby
• 10 Rhythm and Brews, Sutton Bank National Park Centre
• 16 World Fish Migration Day, Nunnington Hall
• 16 – 17 Fish & Ships Festival, Whitby
• 16 – 5 July British Wildlife Photography Awards Exhibition, Nunnington Hall
• 16 – 17 Yorkshire Game & Country Fair, Scampston Hall
• 22 – 25 Great North Folk Festival, Botton: Folk festival, concerts, workshops and special events
• 23 – 24 Malton Food Lovers Festival, 150 food stalls and street food, cookery theatre, Festival Bar, live music and more
• 23 – 25 WalkFest!, Across the North York Moors National Park
• 23 – 25 Castle Howard Traction Engine Rally, Castle Howard
• 25 – 29 Ryevitalise! Sutton Bank National Park Centre and other locations
• 29 - 31 The Secret Garden Weekend, Helmsley Walled Garden and Helmsley Arts Centre

June

• 4 – 6 Diesel Gala, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• 5 – 7 Robin Hood’s Bay Folk Weekend, a free weekend of relaxed music sessions and singarounds
• 5 – 7 Whitby 60s, Whitby Pavilion, a full weekend of sixties music, with some of its biggest names
• 6 – 7, 13 – 14 North Yorkshire Open Studios, artists open up their studios across North Yorkshire
• 7 Open Farm Sunday, visit one of a number of farms across the North York Moors
• 14 Bunny Run, Sutton Bank National Park Centre
• 13 – 20 July Paintings from Wild Places, Inspired by… gallery, Danby
• 14 – 20 Scalby Fair, Nr Scarborough: one of the few remaining village street fairs in north England (Fair Day is 20 June)
• 20 – 21 Rosedale Walking Festival, Rosedale Abbey
• 26 – 27 Forest Live, Dalby Forest, Music gigs featuring top artists in the forest
• 26 – 29 The Brideshead Festival: 75 Years of Print and Screen, Castle Howard
• 27 – 28 British Falconry Fair, National Centre for Birds of Prey, Helmsley
• 27 National Armed Forces Day, Scarborough Seafront

July

• 2 – 4 Staxtonbury Music Festival, Manor Farm, Staxton, family friendly festival
• 4 – 5 Duncombe Park Steam Rally, Helmsley
• 4 – 5 60s Fest, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• 10 – 26 Ryedale Festival: Concerts and arts events in spectacular and historic venues
• Date TBC Whitby Sea Festival, Whitby
• 17 – 19 SeaFest Maritime Festival, Scarborough
• 18 MeadowFest, Malton
• 24 – 27 The Lost Words: Told in Gold, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
• 25 – 26 Wood Life Festival, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
• 24 – 1 September, Wood Life, Inspired by… gallery, Danby
• 25 – 31 Ryedale Jazz Festival, Pickering
• 31 – 2 August Staithes RNLI Lifeboat Weekend
• 31 – 2 August Whitby Traction Engine Rally, Hawsker, Whitby

August

• 2 Anglo Saxon Day, Sutton Bank National Park Centre
• 6 – 9 BBC Countryfile Live, Castle Howard
• 9, 16 Sutton Bank Sundays, Sutton Bank National Park Centre (family days out themed around woodland and the power of trees)
• 9 – 22 North York Moors Chamber Music Festival: Renowned classical musicians from around the world gather in some of the North York Moors' most remote and beautiful historical buildings
• 14 – 16 Saltburn Folk Festival, Saltburn
• 15 – 17 Whitby Regatta, watch yacht and rowing races, Navy displays, fireworks and more set around this ancient port
• 22 Castle Howards Proms, Castle Howard
• 22 – 28 Whitby Regatta, traditional music and dance with workshops and street entertainment

September

• 1 – 30 Mindful Month, across the North York Moors
• 5 – 5 October Land of Iron – Back to Nature, Inspired by… gallery, Danby
• 5 – 6 Yorkshire Traction Engine Rally, Scampston Hall
• 11 – 13 World Jam Festival, Helmsley (hub Helmsley Walled Garden)
• 12 – 13 Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage, Staithes
• 13 All Services Parade & Remembrance Service, Eden Camp, Malton
• 17 – 20 The International Sheep Dog Society World Trials, Castle Howard
• 19 – 20 Yorkshire Fossil Festival, Scarborough
• 25 – 27 Annual Steam Gala, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• 25 – 27 Whitby 60’s Music Festival (30th anniversary weekend), Whitby Pavillion
• 25 – 26 Trackrod Rally Yorkshire, Cropton, Dalby and Langdale forests NB: walk and cycle trails in Dalby are closed for the day

October

• 4 MoorsRun, North York Moors National Park in partnership with Hardmoors Race Series present the Turnpike Trot 10k and the Rabbit Run 5k
• 9 – 11 Railway in Wartime, North Yorkshire Moors Railway: turn the clock back to 1940s for this popular event with street parades, vehicle displays and re-enactments along the line. Special events at Pickering Castle and Beck Isle Museum too.
• 10 – 9 November, A Portrait of Place (Gillies Jones 25th anniversary), Inspired by… gallery, Danby
• 23 – 25 Musicport Festival, Whitby Pavilion: the UK's biggest indoor world music festival (21st anniversary)
• Dates TBC Illuminated Abbey, Whitby Abbey
• 30 – 1 November Whitby Goth Weekend, Whitby
• Date TBC Halloween: Fear in the Forest, Dalby Forest

November

• 6 – 30 Christmas Opening, Burton Agnes Hall
• 14 – 15 Christmas Craft Fair, The Moors National Park Centre, Danby
• 14 – 24 February 2021 Brigantia’s Box of Delights, Inspired by... gallery, Danby
• 20 – 21 Whitby 70’s Big Weekend, Whitby Pavillion
• 21 – 22 Christmas Shopping Weekend, Sutton Bank National Park Centre
• 28 – 29 Santa Specials, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• 28 – 29 Northern Lights Express, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• Dates TBC Castle Howard at Christmas: experience this magnificent house decked out and lit by candle and firelight

December

• 1 – 13 Christmas Opening, Burton Agnes Hall
• 4 – 6 Robin Hood's Bay 27th Victorian Weekend, Robin Hood's Bay
• 5 – 6, 12 – 13, 19 – 20 Santa Specials, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• 5 – 6, 12 – 13, 19 – 20 Northern Lights Express, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• Date tbc Christmas Lights, Thornton le Dale
• Dates tbc Christmas at Dalby Forest
• Dates tbc Christmas at Nunnington Hall
• Dates tbc Helmsley Christmas Tree Festival, All Saints Church, Helmsley
• Dates tbc A Victorian Christmas, Ryedale Folk Museum