Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Japanese Gardening Society
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026 
10am – 5pm  
Free
Suitable for all ages

Members of the Japanese Garden Society will be on hand to share their knowledge and expertise in Japanese Gardening from construction and maintenance to restoration.

The Japanese Gardening Society staff is located outdoors, in the Artists’ Garden directly behind York Art Gallery.

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Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Making Waves: A Closing Celebration
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026
10am – 5pm
Suitable for all ages

Join us to celebrate the Making Waves exhibition by marking its closing weekend with a 2-day festival of music, workshops, creative activities, food and drink for all the family in York Art Gallery and York Museum Gardens. 

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Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 10:00 am-4:30 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Paddle in the Surf: Mokuhanga Printmaking 
Sunday 30 August 2026
10am – 4.30pm (Sessions run every 25-minutes) 
£15 per person, tickets available to purchase on the day *
Suitable for all ages and abilities  

Join printmakers, Andy and Naomi to watch a live demonstration of Mokuhanga printmaking, a traditional Japanese woodblock printing technique. You’ll be guided through a short session creating 4 beautiful, printed designs inspired by ‘The Great Wave’ using rich Prussian blue ink and authentic materials to take home with you.   

*Workshop tickets do not include general admission to York Art Gallery.  This session takes place outdoors (weather permitting), in the Artists’ Garden directly behind York Art Gallery.

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Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 10:30 am-4:30 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Sun Ring Making
Sunday 30 August 2026
Drop in between 10.30am – 4.30pm 
Free
Suitable for all ages   

Join artist Seiko Kinoshita for a fun, family-friendly workshop where you’ll create your own colourful woven sun wheel to take home. 

This session takes place outdoors (weather permitting), in the Artists’ Garden directly behind York Art Gallery.

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Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 11:00 am-4:00 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Art Outdoors: Make a Splash
Sunday 30 August 2026
Drop in between 11am – 4pm
Free*
Suitable for all ages 

Join us in the Artist Garden, directly behind York Art Gallery, for an outdoor play activity, inspired by York Art Gallery’s exhibition, Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print. Experiment with mark making techniques, play and create!

*Please note, this activity is weather dependent.  In the case of bad weather, the activity may take place indoors, but general admission charges apply. 

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Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 11:00 am-3:30 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Taiko Drumming Performances
Sunday 30 August 2026
Performances: 11am – 11.30am and 3pm – 3.30pm
Interactive ‘give it a go’ session: 1.30pm – 2pm
Free
Suitable for all ages  

Enjoy an energetic Taiko drumming performance from York-based Taiko group, Kaminari UK.

Taiko, which originated in Japan, is an energetic and dynamic form of drumming combining both rhythm and movement.  The performances incorporate both traditional and contemporary pieces. 

During the ‘give-it-a-go’ session at 1.30pm, participants will have a chance to learn the basics of Taiko drumming and will learn a short piece. 

This session takes place outdoors, directly behind York Art Gallery.

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Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

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Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm
Venue: York Art Gallery

Micklegate Choir Performance: Sound Waves
Sunday 30 August 2026
12 noon
Free
Suitable for all ages  

This year, the Micklegate Choir will be hosting their annual summer concert in York Art Gallery’s Making Waves exhibition.

The choir will be performing excerpts from their programme which explores land, seascapes and choral pieces from Japan amongst the amazing Japanese art on display.

Find out more about the Micklegate Choir via their website.

This session takes place outdoors (weather permitting), directly behind York Art Gallery.

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Date: Sunday 30 August 2026, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Venue: York Museum Gardens

Jiu Jitsu Performance 
Sunday 30 August 2026
2pm 
Free
Suitable for all ages

Enjoy a demonstration of Jiu Jitsu, the unarmed self-defence martial art the Samurai (armoured warriors) used to train for the battlefield, with a modern twist.

This performance will offer an introduction to the sport, showcasing techniques from falling safely to defence against punches, grabs and weapons and grappling techniques.

This session takes place outdoors (weather permitting), in the Artists’ Garden directly behind York Art Gallery.

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Date: Wednesday 2 September 2026, 10:30 am-4:00 pm
Venue: York Castle Museum

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