32 things to do in York this weekend, May 7-8 2016
There’s more to this weekend than Primark opening. Try live music, new exhibitions or shopping of a much more genteel and old fashioned kind. The whole city, meanwhile is in our What’s On Guide.Poppleton Live Festival
Poppleton is bouncing as it hosts its second music festival weekend, from Friday to Sunday. The Saturday Spectacular includes the likes of King Courgette, Fake Thackray and Blackbeard’s Tea Party, and the Poppleton Proms on Sunday is a real flag-waver – more here.
| Event | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| York Spring Music Festival | York University | Till Sunday |
| Larrakia | Fibbers | Sat @ 7.30pm |
| Concert: With a spring in their step | Fairfax House | Sat @ 7.30pm |
| Bangarang | Woolpack | Sat @ 8pm |
| The 5.15s | Acorn Rugby Club | Sat @ 9pm |
| Music for Refugee Action York | Winning Post | Sun @ 7pm |
| Steve Cassidy Band | Jo Ro Theatre | Sun @ 7.30pm |
| Glamrockz | Roman Bath | Sun @ 9pm |
York Does Vintage
More than 40 stalls are packed into the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall selling everything retro. You can glam yourself up at the beauty bar too. On Sunday from 11am-4.30pm – more here.
| Event | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Primark opening event | Monks Cross | Sun @ 10am |
| Free Comic Book Day | Travelling Man, Goodramgate | Sun @ 11am-4.30pm |
New Treasurer’s House exhibition
A new display opens at Treasurer’s House this weekend, Demolition And Restoration. It reveals the fate of some of the lost mansions of York, as well as explaining how Treasurer’s itself has been bashed about over the years – more here.
| Event | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1914: When The World Changed Forever | Castle Museum | Daily |
| Life Stills | Lotte Inch Gallery | Till May 28 |
| Stunts, Speed And Style | NRM | Ends Sun |
| Lions – art exhibition | Pyramid Gallery | Till May 16 |
Arts cabaret night
Live music, spoken word performances and theatre are on a varied bill at the Basement on Sunday from 7.30pm. It is a curtain raiser by York Mind for Mental Health Awareness Week – more here.
| Event | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Family Fundraising Disco | Crescent | Sat @ 6.30pm-10.30pm |
| Christian Aid week coffee and stalls | St Saviourgate | Sat @ 11am-1pm |
| The Great Big Pay-per Chain Event | Strensall & Huntington | Sat @ 10am then £2.30pm |
| Becca’s Walk and Fun Day | Rowntree Park | Sat @ 11am-3pm |
| Quiz Night – Friends of Dunnington Library | Dunnington Reading Rooms | Sat @ 7.30pm |
| St Leonard’s Challenge Walk | Haworth | Sat |
HMS Pinafore
An award-winning team bring their all-male interpretation of Gilbert & Sullivan’s first blockbuster to the Grand Opera House. Set in the hold of a Second World War ship, the cast belt out the infectious tunes. Till Saturday – more here.
| Event | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Flare Path | Theatre Royal | Till Sat @ 7.30pm |
| Vincent: A Portrait of Van Gogh | Upstage Theatre | Till Sat @ 7.30pm |
| Saturday Night Lounge | Duchess | Sat @ 8pm |
Costume exhibition
Found in the heart of York, the Northern College of Costume turns out graduates who go on to work creating dramatic costumes for stage, TV and film. You can see the work of the current students till 8pm on Friday and Saturday from 11am-4pm– more here.
| Event | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| A Century of Shoes | Fairfax House | Sat & Sun |
| Shaping The Body | Castle Museum | Till Sep 30 |
| The History of York Cemetery | York Cemetery | Sun @ 2pm |