EVENTS

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.

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 Glimpse, Inspired by… gallery, Danby
21 – 23 Coastival, Scarborough

March

22 Mother’s Day, Nunnington Hall
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
4 – 19 Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt, Nunnington Hall
4 – 19 Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt, Rievaulx Terrace
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 1940s Living History Easter Bank Holiday Weekend, 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
30 – 31 Lockton Artist Open Studios, Lockton

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 Lockton Artist Open Studios, Lockton
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
11 – 12 Whitby Ahoy!, Whitby
17 – 19 SeaFest Maritime Festival, Scarborough
18 The Ancient & Honourable Guild of Town Criers Championships 2020, Helmsley (hub Helmsley Walled Garden)
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
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 Folk Week, traditional music and dance with workshops and street entertainment
29 – 30 1940s Living History August Bank Holiday Weekend, Eden Camp

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 at Helmsley Walled Garden)
12 – 13 Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage, Staithes
12 – 13 Festival of Thrift, Krkleatham
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
24 – 27 Autumn Harvest Festival, Castle Howard
25 – 27 Annual Steam Gala, North Yorkshire Moors Railway
25 – 27 Whitby 60’s Music Festival (30th anniversary weekend), Whitby Pavilion
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
From 14 Castle Howard at Christmas: experience this magnificent house decked out and lit by candle and firelight
20 – 21 Whitby 70’s Big Weekend, Whitby Pavilion
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

December

1 – 13 Christmas Opening, Burton Agnes Hall
4 – 6 Robin Hood’s Bay 27th Victorian Weekend, Robin Hood’s Bay
5 – 6 Christmas through Time, Ryedale Folk Museum
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

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