Live music, storytelling, comedy and quizzes are lined up for a new festival this weekend.
The inaugural YorkLife Festival will see more than 30 local performers and organisations come together on Parliament Street on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 April.
And you’ll even be able to see the fabled Game Wheel from the YorkMix Radio breakfast show in action – with presenters Ben and Laura ready to give away great prizes!
Organised by Make It York, with support from the City of York Council’s post-pandemic funding, the weekend will showcase a programme of family friendly workshops, as well as stellar line-up of musical performances from the likes of The Howl and The Hum.
So here’s what’s on…
Workshops and quizzes
Saturday 2 April
- 11.00 – 11.45: Drumming with Mark Barfoot–[EB1] A fun and inclusive drumming session for children and families using a mixture of djembe drums and hand percussion.
- 12.00 – 12.45: Storytelling with Mud Pie Arts – Meet Jenna, author of Cloud Tales, as you hear stories of lonely dragons and desperate dogs mixed with plenty of dressing up and fun improvisation activities.
- 13.00 – 13.45: Thunk-it Theatre – Explore the process of creating your own dream city through drama, singing and crafting, perfect for anyone aged 4-11.
- 14.00 – 14.45: York Wire Skylines with Gemma Wood York – Join Gemma Wood, a York-based visual artist, as you’re immersed and transformed into the depths of your curiosity.
- 15.00 – 15.45: YorkMix Quiz – Ben and Laura will be bringing their much-loved Game Wheel live to YorkLife, giving you a chance to win some incredible prizes.
- 16.00 – 16.45: The Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts – A fun taster session for young budding singers, dancers, actors or filmmakers in this PQA session.
- 17.00 – 17.45: The JORVIK Viking Takeover – A 45-minute interactive presentation about various aspects of Viking life in the 10th century.
- 18.15 – 19.45: Burning Duck Comedy Club Presents –Stepping out of The Crescent, Burning Duck Comedy brings you 90 minutes of Live, back-to-back comedy.
Sunday 3 April
- 11.00 – 11.45: York Wire Skylines with Gemma Wood – Join Gemma Wood, a York-based visual artist, as your immersed and transformed into the depths of your curiosity.
- 12.00 – 12.45: Ukulele Workshop with Christian Topman – Join Christian Topman[EB1] [LF2] , co-founder of the arts barge project and bass player, to learn how to play fun tunes on the Ukulele.
- 13.00 – 13.45: Thunk-It Theatre – Explore the process of creating your own dream city through drama, singing and crafting, perfect for anyone aged 4-11.
- 14.00 – 14.45 York Festival of Ideas – Prepare to be inspired as you enjoy a preview of York Festival of Ideas, one of the largest free festivals of its kind in the UK. From mind-reading to crime and punishment, and the bass guitar to plasma, don’t miss a range of interactive talks.
- 15.00 – 15.45: Say Owt Poetry Workshop –Meet Henry Raby, a York-based performance poet, as he teaches you how to make quick and fun poetry and become craftier with your words.
- 16.00 – 16.45: Beatboxing with Matty Groove – In this exclusive workshop, Matty will share his knowledge and secret techniques into the unusual art of beatbox.
- 17.00 – 18.00 – London Magician and Card Reader, Chris Wall – Be amazed with a 60-minute performance from Chris Wall and his mind-reading magic!
- 18.15 – 19.45: Say Owt Back-to-Back Performance – Say Owt present a back-to-back poetry slam from their collective of ‘gobby northern poets’.
Live music
Saturday 2 April
2.30pm – Marnie Glum
3.30pm – Pennine Suite
4.30pm – Wounded Bear
5.30pm – Flatcap Carnival
6.30pm – Kitty VR
7.30 – Huge
Sunday 3 April
3pm – Bargestra
4pm – Floral Pattern
5pm – Hyde Family Jam
6pm – Trueman & The Indoor League
7pm – Bull
8pm – The Howl & The Hum
Full details on the VisitYork website.