This February, the much-loved York Ice Trail returns for another unforgettable weekend, as Legends Unleashed takes over the city.
Over the weekend of 6 and 7 February 2027, the trail will bring legendary stories and characters to life through a spectacular collection of ice sculptures across York.
Inspired by history and folklore, each sculpture brings a new story to life, inviting you to discover more as you explore the city. Free and family-friendly, the trail is a fun way to see York.
The ice sculptures, curated by Make It York and partners, are created by Icebox, the UK and Europe’s leading ice sculpture specialist.
Trail maps will be available from 1 February 2027 online and from the Visit York Visitor Information Centre, where the team will be on hand to help visitors make the most of their York Ice Trail adventure.
Along the way, York’s cafés, restaurants, shops and attractions offer plenty of places to relax and warm up between sculptures.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said:“The York Ice Trail is always a special moment in the city’s winter calendar. It’s a brilliant opportunity for families, residents and visitors to explore York, discover incredible ice sculptures and enjoy a little winter magic along the way. This year’s legends theme and the new added experiences are set to make it extra special!”
Film. Games. Virtual Reality. Comedy. Music. Podcasting. Masterclasses. World Premieres – and even a Fringe.Here’s what to expect at Aesthetica Film Festival 2025.
This autumn, York pulses with cinematic energy as the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival (ASFF) celebrates its 15th anniversary. Running from 5–9 November, the festival transforms the city into a cultural powerhouse, offering a vibrant, city-wide celebration of film and media on a scale seen nowhere else in the UK.
Aesthetica is no longer just a film festival — it has become the UK’s most significant screen and media event, standing shoulder to shoulder with international trailblazers such as SXSW. From film and comedy to games, VR, music, podcasts, and live performance, this is where the future of storytelling is happening, and where audiences, industry, and artists come together to shape it.
A Global Screening Programme
At its core is an ambitious programme of over 300 films, spanning Animation, Comedy, Dance, Drama, Documentary and more. These screenings showcase new and established voices from around the world, with many titles going on to secure BAFTA and Academy Award success.
With filmmakers attending in person, audiences are invited to watch, discuss and connect directly with the people shaping global storytelling today. Conversations spill from cinemas into York’s streets and cafés, creating a truly open and accessible cultural atmosphere.
Masterclasses with Industry Giants
One of ASFF’s most celebrated elements is its award-winning masterclass series. In 2025, the festival welcomes some of the biggest names in film and television, including:
Peter Straughan (Conclave; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
Alex Lawther (The End of the F**ing World; Black Mirror*)
Jasmin John (Adolescence; Boiling Point)
Mick Audsley (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
Alongside them, leading organisations including Aardman, BBC, Film4, Framestore, The New York Times, Industrial Light & Magic, ITV, and Ridley Scott Associates will share insights across directing, screenwriting, visual effects, production, distribution, and more.
These sessions are designed to be open to all, offering rare access to world-class expertise beyond professional circles.
Beyond the Frame: Comedy, Music & Performance
Aesthetica pushes beyond traditional cinema with its Beyond the Frame programme at York Theatre Royal. Highlights include:
Comedy Night with Sophie Duker & Friends — Taskmaster champion Duker joins Eleanor Tiernan and Bella Hull for an evening of fearless stand-up.
Silent Cinema with Live Score — The 1928 classic Beggars of Life is reimagined with live rockabilly from The Dodge Brothers (featuring film critic Mark Kermode) and silent-film accompanist Neil Brand.
Mark Kermode in Conversation — The UK’s leading film critic explores the craft of film music with Jenny Nelson.
The New Music Stage — Ten breakthrough British acts perform live, with representatives from Universal Music A&R and Jack Savoretti (on the Jury). Emerging artists could be signed on the spot — and audiences will be there to witness it.
City-Wide Celebration
From City Screen and York Theatre Royal to NCEM, the Yorkshire Museum, and partner hotels, restaurants and bars including The Grand, York, The Ivy, Malmaison and Thor’s — the entire city becomes the stage for Aesthetica. York’s historic streets are transformed into a living, breathing cultural hub, where screenings, talks, music and performances happen around every corner.
Immersion: VR, Games & Podcasts
Aesthetica is home to the UK’s only VR & Games Lab within a film festival, blurring boundaries between cinema, art and play. Audiences can explore 360° films, interactive installations, and independent games pushing the limits of storytelling.
The Podcasting Lounge celebrates audio storytelling as a powerful art form, offering communal listening sessions, panels and Q&As with creators. Genres span audio fiction, investigative journalism and experimental sound, reinforcing podcasts as one of today’s most intimate mediums.
UNESCO Creative City & Next-Gen Talent
York’s status as a UNESCO City of Media Arts shines through ASFF’s EXPO, showcasing cutting-edge digital media and design. The festival also invests in the future, with workshops for children aged 7–14 in filmmaking, stop-motion animation, and coding — inspiring the next generation of creators.
The Aesthetica Fringe
Playful, unexpected, and free to discover. Across York, the Fringe fills spaces with installations, pop-up exhibitions, printmaking sessions, and sound art, ensuring the festival’s creative spirit extends well beyond traditional venues.
A Meeting Point for the Industry
For professionals, the UK Film Production Summit at The Grand (6–7 November) is a national event of serious significance, bringing together 150 leading production companies including BBC Films, Film4, Working Title, Paramount, Clerkenwell (Baby Reindeer), Warp Films (Adolescence) and more. With commissioners and investors in attendance, this is where future-defining projects and collaborations are forged.
Beyond a Festival: Aesthetica’s National & International Impact
ASFF is part of a wider cultural ecosystem driven by Aesthetica Magazine, one of the UK’s leading publications in art and design, distributed worldwide.
Alongside the Aesthetica Art Prize, which attracts thousands of entries annually from international artists, and its ongoing work in sector development, Aesthetica has become a platform of influence and ambition. By situating York at the centre of this national conversation, the festival is redefining the UK’s creative geography and setting a new benchmark for what a cultural event can be.
A Festival for Everyone
Ultimately, Aesthetica is about more than films – it is about York coming alive as the UK’s leading media arts city. Residents, visitors, students, families and industry alike are invited to explore, discover and participate in an inclusive celebration of creativity.
Practical Information
Dates: 5–9 November 2025 (Online until 30 November)
Following the success of The Little Vikings I Spy Trail (as recommended by The Sunday Times!), Little Vikings (York for kids) are thrilled to launch a brand-new family walking adventure: The Snickelways & Silly Street Names Trail.
This fun, free, self-guided adventure takes families through York’s maze of magical snickelways – those narrow, winding passages that are easy to miss. We’re actively encouraging families to wander off the beaten path and discover the quirky corners that make York so special!
From the little-known Little Peculiar Lane to the world-famous Shambles and the tongue-twisting Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, you’ll uncover hidden gems, have a go at silly activities and maybe even pick up a historic fact or two along the way (don’t tell the kids!). Snort like a pig along Swinegate, count as many fruits as you can on Grape Lane and giggle your way through York’s most ridiculously named streets.
With lovely independent shops and cafés dotted along the route, it’s easy to turn the trail into a lovely morning or afternoon in York. Whether you’re visiting the city for the first time or you’re lucky enough to call it home, it’s a fun way to explore one of the best cities in the world! Anyone who completes the trail can receive a free sticker from the Visit York Visitor Information Centre.
Free Chocolate Orange for the first 50 families to complete the trail!
Little Vikings are giving away a Terry’s Chocolate Orange – the classic York treat – to the first 50 families to complete the Snickelways and Silly Street Names Trail. Starting on 25th October, you just need to return to the Visit York Visitor Information Centre and let the team know you’ve finished the trail. If you’re one of the lucky first 50, you’ll receive a Chocolate Orange to share with your family!
Polly Bennett, Founder of Little Vikings, said:
“Little Vikings walking trails are an important part of our mission to help local and visiting families enjoy York together. Drawing on our extensive local knowledge – and our experience of raising our three children in our hometown of York – we create trails that are fun, free and memorable.
This one celebrates the legendary snickelways that make York unforgettable, guiding families through hidden gems and curious corners that you won’t find in the guidebooks. Along the way, you’ll discover the independent cafés and shops that make this city special, and even get to play in the pocket park next to York Minster. If you’re really lucky, you might meet Paddington Bear too…”
Key details:
The Snickelways and Silly Street Names Trail is free and available all year round.
Sponsored by the Visit York Pass, the city’s official sightseeing pass.
Launched in 2021, The Little Vikings I Spy Trail was the first Little Vikings Trail, and the first permanent walking trail of York focused on children. It was recommended by The Sunday Times and is still available in print and online
About Little Vikings
Little Vikings – York for Kids is an independent, award-winning, trusted guide to the best of York for kids. Founded by a local family on a mission to help local and visiting parents make the most of the city, Little Vikings reaches thousands of families each week through its website, weekly newsletter, print publications, social media, family trails and campaigns. From seasonal what’s on guides to the Little Vikings Family Card and Little Vikings Awards, Little Vikings is the go-to resource for families in North Yorkshire. https://little-vikings.co.uk
About The Visit York Pass
The Visit York Pass is the city’s official sightseeing pass, which gives entry to 35+ attractions in York and beyond, plus, extra offers to enjoy along the way. Buy online or from the Visit York Visitor Information Centre. https://yorkpass.com
About Visit York Visitor Information Centre
Based on in the heart of the city at 21 Parliament Street, is the first stop for any visitor. The friendly and knowledgeable team can help with making the most of your time in York and beyond the city. As well as expert advice, it’s the place to pick up attraction and travel tickets, guides and maps, and locally made souvenirs and gifts. https://visityork.org/vic
York Trailblazers is an exciting new sculpture trail by York Civic Trust and Make It York, co-curated with organisations, community groups, schools and universities, made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This unique sculpture trail celebrates York’s unsung heroes.
The Trailblazers project provides opportunities for York’s residents to discover these lesser-known people, many of whom are from their own neighbourhoods, who have made a difference to people’s lives either locally or globally.
Members of the public and community groups nominated their trailblazers. A co-created final list of these stories were then researched by partner organisations, highlighting their invaluable contributions. To honour these remarkable individuals, artists, working with community groups, created the tansy beetle sculptures representing them.
The tansy beetle, an emblematic symbol of York, was chosen due to its unique connection to the city. York is one of only two places where tansy beetles are found. This vibrant and resilient beetle mirrors the spirit of the Trailblazers – each sculpture not only pays tribute to these changemakers but also brings their stories to life along the trail.
The York Trailblazers Project is a partnership between York Civic Trust, Make It York and a wide range of community and heritage groups, artists and residents of York funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Andrew Morrison, Chief Executive Officer of York Civic Trust said:
“The York Trailblazers project has revealed a fantastic range of people from York, many of whom we did not know of before. With Make It York, it has been fantastic to collaborate with so many local artists and communities. We hope that this is the first of many such celebrations.”
The sculpture trail has been designed to be as sustainable as possible. The materials used are recycled, repurposed or recyclable and the sculptures and the reused bases will be repurposed or recycled after the trail has ended.
Each sculpture has been produced by local artists and crafters working with local people to create something unique and meaningful to them. The choice of sustainable materials and artwork and the decoration of each sculpture has been developed by the partnership of the artist and local communities. It is this process of sustainable co-production that is as important as the finished product.
Commissioned to create the beetle structure, Tom Springett Metalwork Creations drew upon his rich background of experiences, from working within set-construction, visual merchandising, architectural metalwork and art fabrication industries, to create these magnificent metal works of art.
Some of the sculpture artwork may only exist for a few weeks but the beetle structure itself and an accessible digital record of the artwork will be able to continue to celebrate York’s Trailblazers.
There will be 17 sculptures throughout the city, with each reflecting a different trailblazer designed to capture the legacy of these inspirational people, including these three in focus:
‘The Luddites’ sculpture was collaboratively created by a small group of people affected by homelessness with the Good Organisation.
Rather than celebrate an individual ‘trailblazer,’ it serves to commemorate 64 Luddites who were tried in the court in York in 1813. The Luddites were a group of early 19th-century workers who protested against the introduction of machinery that they believed threatened their jobs.
The movement began in the textile industry, where mechanised looms and knitting frames were replacing traditional hand-weaving methods, leading to job losses and reduced wages for skilled workers.
Although the Luddite movement did not stop the process of industrialisation, it highlighted the social and economic challenges faced by workers during a period of unprecedented change, and many of their underlying concerns still resonate today with the rapid rise of AI and digital technology.
The ‘The Luddites’ sculpture is designed by Alex Gray, a recent graduate in Theatre and Performance Design, is an aspiring theatre designer, and currently a stagehand at the Darlington Hippodrome. The sculpture is situated at Eye of York.
‘Delma Tomlin’ was researched by the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall and York Centre for Early Music. Delma Tomlin MBE is a living trailblazer, and her achievements and energy are rarely matched. Delma came to York in 1984 to administer the York Festival Mystery Plays and loved the city far too much to ever leave – championing the move to return the Mystery Plays to the streets of the city and was CEO of the Millennium production in York Minster.
As the founder of the National Centre for Early Music, based within the medieval church of St Margaret’s in Walmgate, Delma has been a pivotal figure in music making – focusing her energies on supporting young professional musicians locally, nationally and internationally – and flying the flag for York whenever possible.
A member of the York Merchant Adventurers Company, in 2022 Delma became the first woman to be Governor since the Company’s inauguration over 650 years ago in 1357. She doesn’t plan to be the last!
The ‘Delma Tomlin’ sculpture is designed by HazardOne, who is recognised as one of the top five female graffiti artists in the UK [The Guardian] and the top 25 female street artists worldwide [The Huffington Post]. The sculpture is situated at Merchant Adventurers’ Hall.
‘York Young Carers’ was researched by unpaid Young Adult Carers aged 16-25 from the York Carers Centre worked with artist Zoe Phillips to represent unpaid carers in York, including both identified and hidden carers.
The group reflected that carers share similar experiences and circumstances but have unique stories in their own right. Therefore, it would be difficult to find one Trailblazer to represent them all. They felt the sculpture would be impactful if it enabled carers to recognise themselves as Trailblazers for the roles they hold, sacrifices they make and difficulties they go through for the love of the person they care for. They said, the sculpture design “should be not what it appears – with lots going on underneath”. The group were taken by the grace of the tansy beetle’s exterior, also the power and resilience of the driving legs and inner workings underneath the shell. They felt this gave a perfect metaphor for a carer.
The ‘York Young Carers’ sculpture was designed by Zoe Phillips, an inclusive mixed media artist who explores our connections with objects and the narratives they hold. The sculpture is situated at The Principal.
Reflecting on her journey, artist Zoe Phillips, said,
“Working with the Young Adult Carers group has been important to me both personally and professionally. Finding a way to share the identity and voice of this incredible group of individuals for whom time and space for themselves may be sparse, but also find a way to draw connections and share how important community is, was key. The beetle exposes all the hidden workings, those background details that are often overlooked or taken for granted but are so important to the running of things. With huge thanks to all those who shared their thoughts and experiences with me, you really are one-of-a-kind trailblazers!”
The trail launches in one week, on Thursday 1 August and runs until Monday 30 September 2024, where the city will also be celebrating Yorkshire Day in heart of the city, with a series of exciting activities and events, including a Yorkshire themed market on Parliament Street.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said,
“York Trailblazers is an inspiring tribute to the pioneers whose courage and vision paved the way for our community’s future. This project not only celebrates their legacy but also creatively highlights the humble tansy beetle, reflecting York’s ongoing commitment to its conservation in the city.”
Find full details on our York Trailblazers hub page including, ‘meet the trailblazers’, ‘meet the artist’, download the trail map, a cycle trail for exploring the trail by bike, and minimising your environmental footprint by using public transport.
The river Ouse has the largest population of tansy beetles in the UK.
Tansy beetles rarely fly; they find new food-plants and habitats by walking.
Tansy beetles are being monitored and bred in captivity to ensure that the populations do not disappear.
Trailblazers project facts:
National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant: £249,999.
Over 40 community groups have been involved.
Over 1,000 schoolchildren participated in school workshops.
£30,000 of community grants awarded to 23 local groups.
Over 150 workshops have been delivered.
39 York Trailblazers have been researched and celebrated.
17 Tansy Beetle Trailblazer Sculptures have been created.
The project has only been made possible by the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and players of the Lottery. To date the project has delivered:
A community workshop programme to allow local communities and residents to research and uncover new trailblazers for York.
A community grants programme to enable heritage organisations, voluntary and community groups to contribute to the project especially those groups who have not accessed heritage activities before.
A digital arts project to help celebrate York’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts.
A heritage trail around the city working with local artists and local communities inspired by York’s lesser-known heritage stories.
A school workshop programme and resource packs providing opportunities for young people to learn more about their local heritage and in particular the trailblazers that will be part of the sculpture trail.
About Make It York
Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. Its mission is to grow the economic prosperity and wider wellbeing of York and its citizens. In practice, this means delivering a range of projects and programmes based around our corporate strategic priorities. These are: City positioning and profile-raising; Ensuring an exciting city centre; Delivering the city’s ground-breaking Cultural Strategy. makeityork.com
About York Civic Trust
York Civic Trust champions the heritage of York in all of its diversity. Thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the work of York Civic Trust we have been able to work with partners across the city to celebrate people from our communities who expand what heritage means in York.
For nearly 80 years the Civic Trust has installed over 150 blue plaques, conserved and restored historic buildings and places and helped develop the city in ways that maintain what is special about York. Anyone can become a member of the Civic Trust and be part of our celebrations of York’s heritage through our events programme, publications and our museum at Fairfax House and influence how our beautiful city develops for the future. yorkcivictrust.co.uk
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