A Date with History

Discover the Tudor Heart, a 24-carat-gold pendent linked to Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon. Explore a medieval guide to healthy living and the history of the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Arts and Creativity

Experts discuss the Hollywood history of art, illuminated manuscripts, and sound and conservation. Join us for a bookbinding, printing or dance workshop and view inspiring exhibitions.

Eoforwic: Anglian-era York

Find out the extraordinary experimental Sutton Hoo ship, Early Medieval Northumbria (AD 367-867), and enjoy puzzles and Anglo-Saxon poetry and prose in the pub.

Evolving Society

Why not join us at our Festival Focus sessions to discuss building jobs and prosperity in York and North Yorkshire and creating a more equal society. Don’t miss Clive Myrie’s African adventure.

Exploring York

Enjoy walking tours of the city on a variety of themes, learn about York Minster Precinct and the city’s medieval walls, and find out about exciting future plans.

Fun for Families

Spark children’s imaginations through interactive activities, workshops and self-guided trails. Don’t miss Songs of Nature: An evening of songs and music with Michael Morpurgo.

Health and Wellbeing

Discover the benefits of cold water swimming, how to manage middle age and the menopause, and the evolution of maternity care in York. Explore how much vision we can save in the future.

Natural World

Step into nature with St Nicks, meet our campus trees at the University of York and discover the history of Askham Bog. Look out for immersive installations and exhibitions.

Of Women

Writer Sally Wainwright discusses the hit BBC series Riot Women while historian Kate Williams delves into the lives of queens, empresses and ladies in waiting. Find out why certain women become icons for evil.

Performances

Enjoy an array of concerts, films and plays, including music from Elgar, Pearsall and Britten. Don’t miss performances by Carnatic vocalist Supriya Nagarajan and singer-songwriter Olivia Chaney.

Power of Politics

Has democracy outlived its usefulness? Join our citizens’ jury as we put our system in the dock. Don’t miss former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon in conversation.

Revealing the Ancient World

Learn about Babylon, Athens and Sparta, and the crucial role played by women during Rome’s violent transition from a republic to the dictatorship of the Roman Empire.

Science and Technology

Explore how we ensure AI systems are safe, discover more about the cosmos and take a whirlwind trip through the history of mathematics. Look out for Soapbox Science in the city centre.

The Mind and the Brain

Discover the wonders of the human mind and brain as experts discuss topics including the power of anxiety, how we protect our free will and why anger drives the world.

Way with Words

Join authors Alexander McCall Smith and Tina Makereti, go behind the scenes of All Creatures Great and Small and explore why we are fascinated by the places writers live and create.

Watch again

Missed an event that sounded fantastic? Want to see a talk you enjoyed once more? Good news - we are recording many of our festival events. Watch these as well as previous years' content on our YouTube channel.