Events

Green Father Christmas – Wed 26 Nov 2025

Date: Wednesday 26 November 2025, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Green Father Christmas
Wednesday 26 November 2025 | Throughout the day* | Included in general admission – Book Now

Father Christmas returns to York Castle Museum every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 15 November until Christmas Eve, with an array of performances throughout the day.

A figure the Victorians will have known well, Father Christmas will be dressed in his traditional long green cloak greeting visitors on Kirkgate, bringing fun and jollity to all. Come along with friends and family to talk to him about food and feasting, games, dancing and songs, as well as his many different guises, companions and transport across the world!

*Times will be advertised at the admissions desk on the day.

Please note, this is not a meet Santa experience.

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Castle Kitchen: Mince Pies – Thu 27 Nov 2025

Date: Thursday 27 November 2025, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Castle Kitchen – Mince Pies
Thursday 27 November 2025 | Demonstrations throughout the day | Included in general admission – Book Now

Join us in the Castle Kitchen for mince pie making. Demonstrations of Tudor and Georgian mince pie recipes will run throughout the day on Thursdays and Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas.

Recipes will also be available to take home so you can have a go yourself over the festive period!

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Gallery Babies – Thu 27 Nov 2025

Date: Thursday 27 November 2025, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Gallery Babies

Thursday 27 November 2025, 10am-12pm*, Burton Gallery (term-time only)

Free| Sold out

*Please note the session on Thursday 11th December will run from 11am-1pm.Drop-in sensory play sessions for pre-walking babies and their grown-ups in the atmospheric surroundings of York Art Gallery.Using our beautiful sensory toolkit, a collection of colourful squishy sculptural objects, sessions will be gently facilitated, exploring shape, colour and texture.

Gallery Babies is a welcoming and supportive space to relax, bond with your baby and meet other parents and carers, providing a bit of calm and care to your daily routine.

The session starts at 10am and finishes at 12pm, but you can drop in and out at any time. Even after the session has finished, our sensory toolkit will remain on gallery for you to continue to explore with your baby.

These sessions are designed for pre-walking babies, however we understand that you may have your hands full with more than one child! If that’s the case the Studio will be open and can be used as a space to play, read and eat much needed snacks outside of the galleries if needed. Buggy parking and baby changing facilities available.

We are also offering a special offer in Sketch café for anybody attending a session: Hot drink and cake £6.00 and lunch and drink £12.00.

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Green Father Christmas – Thu 27 Nov 2025

Date: Thursday 27 November 2025, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Green Father Christmas
Thursday 27 November 2025 | Throughout the day* | Included in general admission – Book Now

Father Christmas returns to York Castle Museum every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 15 November until Christmas Eve, with an array of performances throughout the day.

A figure the Victorians will have known well, Father Christmas will be dressed in his traditional long green cloak greeting visitors on Kirkgate, bringing fun and jollity to all. Come along with friends and family to talk to him about food and feasting, games, dancing and songs, as well as his many different guises, companions and transport across the world!

*Times will be advertised at the admissions desk on the day.

Please note, this is not a meet Santa experience.

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Scrooge – Fri 28 Nov 2025

Date: Friday 28 November 2025, 12:30 pm-4:30 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol
Friday 28 November 2025 | Throughout the day* | Included in general admission – Book Now

This 25-minute family-friendly performance of A Christmas Carol will run every Friday from 21 November until 19 December, and Tuesday 23 December, with performances throughout the day.

Join Ebenezer Scrooge on Kirkgate for a journey of redemption, generosity and joy, in an immersive one-man show of the classic Christmas tale, A Christmas Carol.

*Times will be advertised at the admissions desk on the day.

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Castle Kitchen: Mince Pies – Sat 29 Nov 2025

Date: Saturday 29 November 2025, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Castle Kitchen – Mince Pies
Saturday 29 November 2025 | Demonstrations throughout the day | Included in general admission – Book Now

Join us in the Castle Kitchen for mince pie making. Demonstrations of Tudor and Georgian mince pie recipes will run throughout the day on Thursdays and Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas.

Recipes will also be available to take home so you can have a go yourself over the festive period!

View event >

Green Father Christmas – Sat 29 Nov 2025

Date: Saturday 29 November 2025, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Green Father Christmas
Saturday 29 November 2025 | Throughout the day* | Included in general admission – Book Now

Father Christmas returns to York Castle Museum every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 15 November until Christmas Eve, with an array of performances throughout the day.

A figure the Victorians will have known well, Father Christmas will be dressed in his traditional long green cloak greeting visitors on Kirkgate, bringing fun and jollity to all. Come along with friends and family to talk to him about food and feasting, games, dancing and songs, as well as his many different guises, companions and transport across the world!

*Times will be advertised at the admissions desk on the day.

Please note, this is not a meet Santa experience.

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Lino Printing: Festive Cards – Sat 29 Nov 2025

Date: Saturday 29 November 2025, 10:30 am-1:30 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Lino Printing: Festive Cards
Saturday 29 November 2025 | 10:30am – 1:30pm | £25 per person* | Book tickets

*All materials and tools are provided – just bring your creativity and Christmas spirit! Refreshments are included. Admission to York Castle Museum is included for the day of the workshop only.

Join experience teacher and artist and teacher Becky Long-Smith for a Christmas card making workshop, where you’ll learn the art of lino printing to create your own unique design. Becky will take you step-by-step through the process. This hands-on session is perfect for beginners and seasoned crafters alike.

No experience is necessary but participants will need to have good hand dexterity.

Ages 16+ (under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult)

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Sunday Sounds: The Ran Tanners – Sun 30 Nov 2025

Date: Sunday 30 November 2025, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

Sunday Sounds: The Ran Tanners
Sunday 30 November 2025 | Throughout the day* | Included in general admission – Book Now

Enjoy live carols and tunes throughout the museum every Sunday from 16 November until 21 December 2025.

Get in the festive spirit with live, energetic performances of carols and tunes throughout the day from The Ran Tanners.

*Times will be advertised at the admissions desk on the day.

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Museum Shop Sunday 2025 – Sun 30 Nov 2025

Date: Sunday 30 November 2025, 11:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue:

Museum Shop Sunday at York Castle Museum
30 November 2025 | 10am – 5pm

We are taking part in Museum Shop Sunday, a day dedicated to celebrating the amazing shops in arts, heritage and cultural attractions around the UK!

Museum Shop Sunday is organised by Cultural Enterprises and is an annual campaign to highlight the vital role of retail in helping arts, cultural and heritage venues to survive and thrive. On Sunday 30 November 2025 over 2,200 visitor attractions worldwide will be coming together to celebrate with special events or promotions in store. Instead of shopping with big business this year, why not visit one of our shops and discover some great gift ideas, wonderful local products, and festive decorations?

We’re excited to be welcoming Hooting Owl Distillery to the York Castle Museum shop on Sunday 30 November, where you’ll be able to talk to their team and try some of their produce!

Please note a Challenge 25 policy (requiring proof of age for anyone who appears under 25) will be displayed and enforced for any sampling.