Charter Weekend – celebrating exactly 800 years since York was granted its Royal Charter by King John on 9 July 1212 – is here. There are many special events in York from Saturday 7 to Monday 9 July for residents and visitors alike.
These are the details of the weekend programme:
Saturday 7 July
Ebor Vox taster session at 1:30pm in Deans park (behind Minster)
• ‘Flash’ choirs will be springing up in the city centre at cafes, shops and visitor attractions between 2 and 5 pm
• MOR Music Festival: Parliament Street : 800 minutes of live music of many different types, from 10.30 am to midnight. Full details of the schedule are on www.mormusic.co.uk
• Meet the King: Clifford’s Tower : meet King John in full regalia, ready to receive his subjects and anyone who wishes to petition him. 11am -5pm. Normal admission charges apply.
• York Minster: tower trips from 9.30am to 5pm, and the York Minster 8 Wonders Tour : 2.30 pm.
Sunday 8 July
• Simply Vintage Market: Parliament Street : from jewellery to furniture, from vinyl to hair makeovers, clothing and more, plus vintage lambrettas : 10am to 5pm.
• Choral evensong: York Minster : a special evensong to celebrate York 800 : 4pm.
Monday 9 July
• York 800 market: Parliament Street : specially decorated stalls and traders in celebratory attire: 10am to 6.15 pm.
• York 800 cake giveaway: Parliament Street : a free treat of tea and cake made by students at York College : 3pm until they’re gone!
• Clifford’s Tower: late opening until 9pm. Normal admission prices apply.
• Ebor Vox (the voice of York) present ‘This York’: choirs will process from York Minster (leaving at 6pm) to the Eye of York (near Clifford’s Tower), accompanied by drummers. The city centre streets will be alive with music. Hundreds of singers will reach the Eye of York at 6.30pm, joined by hundreds of schoolchildren, giant puppets, dancers and the Shepherd Group Brass Band. They will perform ‘This York’, written by Benjamin Till and directed by Stephen Burke. The evening will finish at approximately 8pm.
Full details of the weekend’s events are on www.york800.com