Events in Yorkshire 2019

There is never a shortage of things to do and see when you visit Yorkshire. The beautiful countryside of Yorkshire is a hub for all things agriculture and with seven wonderful cities in this county, there are plenty of businesses mastering delicious food and drink for you to try. We’ve assembled a list of some of the best events Yorkshire has to offer in 2019. From drinking free gin with your friends to letting the kids meet farm animals – our list has something for everyone.

THE GIN SOCIETY

Perfect for any gin lovers, The Gin Society is heading to Scarborough on 21^st June. The event has over 120 different gins on offer, including many handcrafted, premium gins available to try. With gin experts on hand to make recommendations and answer any questions that you may have. Attending the event will be local and national distillers that are eager for people to sample their delicious gin. This is a great event for friends and adults to try something new and you may even learn something from the gin masterclasses that are available.

We spoke to The Gin Society about what they hope visitors will get from their event: “Mostly we want our customers to have an unforgettable time, trying new gins, enjoying the music, and learning a bit more directly from distillers.”

YORKSHIRE DALES FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL

This fantastic event is great for families and foodies. Taking place on 20^th and 21^st July, this event attracts people from across Yorkshire and beyond due to the fun and inclusive atmosphere. This year’s chef lineup features The Hairy Bikers, Brian Turner, Mary Berry and more. These kitchen experts will be sharing their cooking and comedy on The Big Top Cookery stage.

We spoke to the organisers of Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival who sum up some of the experiences on offer: “With 200+ exhibitors of street food, artisan produce, homewares and craft and makers, you can find something for then and something to take home. Also, our mini beer tent, tipple talks and tasting tent where traders can explain and show off their wonderful products. After you’ve watched a few demos, you can try your hand at some of our workshops, which include pizza making, flower crown making and woodwork.”

Attending this event is the perfect opportunity to have fun as a family. The adults may enjoy the variety of food and drinks on offer while listening to live music featuring four different tribute acts. The children will not become bored as they can have fun at the vintage funfair, petting farm and be involved in the free kid’s workshops.

When asked what they hope visitors will get from attending the Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival they comment: “We hope our visitors get a filled weekend full of food, drink & fun, and that they have tried or learnt something new over the weekend. It is a family festival and we aim to have something for the whole family to enjoy, whether it be trying to get a picture with The Hairy Bikers or tasting some samples from our exhibitors. It is not one to be missed!”

VICTORIAN WEEKEND

This annual event typically takes place during the first weekend in December, this year it’s on the 6^th to 8^th. Tourists and residents of Robin Hood’s Bay get into the festive spirit of this tradition by dressing up in Victorian costume. You can listen to music as you wander the streets that are lit up by the decorations and explore the art exhibitions and old craft stalls. The Victorian weekend is a great event for the children as there will be guest appearances from some festive characters including the Grinch. Make a weekend of it and stay in a country house in Robin Hood’s Bay to be able to make the most of the great atmosphere.

Family blogger Erin from Yorkshire Tots to Teens says: “My family loved Victorian Weekend in Robin Hood’s Bay. It’s an annual event just before Christmas and the village is dressed up in festive spirit complete with period clothing and carol singing. It’s a great time of year to get away from all the Christmas madness and have a pre-holiday break. The kids enjoyed the costumes, the seaside and the old-fashioned carnival games.”

TOUR DE YORKSHIRE

If you’re a cyclist enthusiast or you want to be a part of a great atmosphere, then attending Tour de Yorkshire is a great event for you. This year’s race is the fifth edition of the men’s race and will take place between 2^nd – 5^th May. The Asda Tour de Yorkshire Women’s Race takes place between 3^rd-4^th May. This year, they are hosting a Best Dressed Competition which honours communities and individuals that take the time to celebrate the race with eye-catching decorations in their location.

We spoke to Tour de Yorkshire to find out what makes this event a memorable experience, they comment: “The stunning Yorkshire backdrop, huge crowds and party atmosphere along much of the route make watching the Le Tour Yorkshire a truly memorable experience. It is so much more than a bike race, as communities come together to decorate their towns and villages to celebrate the race, turning Yorkshire yellow and blue.”

“There are also dozens of huge land artworks to be spotted along the route in fields, school playgrounds, car parks and even building roofs. The people of Yorkshire have truly taken the race to their hearts and offer the warmest Yorkshire welcome to both riders and spectators. As the race finishes on a bank holiday Sunday, it’s also the perfect opportunity to spend an extra day exploring everything else Yorkshire has to offer. From stunning coastline and countryside to vibrant cities, cool market towns and chocolate box villages, the finest food and drink, top heritage and attractions and world-class art and culture.”

SPRINGTIME LIVE

This event is fun-packed and great for people with young families. Springtime Live is hosted by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and it allows adults and children alike to experience food, farming and the best parts the countryside has to offer. Children will be delighted that they will even spot a few animals, including newly hatched chickens, donkeys and dogs.

When asking Springtime Live about why people should attend, they commented: “From mini tractors to live entertainment, all activities and workshops are free once inside. Children can learn about farming and our wonderful countryside in a fun and interactive way, it’s a lovely day out for all the family to experience and see things they may have never seen before.”

This much-loved event takes place on Saturday 13^th April, making it the perfect Saturday activity for the family.

GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW

The 161^st Great Yorkshire Show is taking place on 9^th–11^th July and it is one of the UK’s biggest shows celebrating British farming, food and agriculture. Farming is a massive part of Yorkshire, so this event attracts thousands to enjoy great entertainment, food and the different stalls. The main attraction for this year’s Great Yorkshire Show is the Bolddog Lings Motorbike Display team, who are experts at captivating crowds with their jaw-dropping tricks.

Ahead of their 161^st anniversary, we spoke to one of the organisers of the show who said: “Great Yorkshire Show is an iconic event which has been held in the county since 1837. It really does have something for everyone with the best equine and livestock in the UK competing and is a real celebration of food, farming and the countryside. There are cookery demos, fashion, shopping, live music and first-class entertainment.”

Finally, we spoke to Safiya from In between the Food who shares her thoughts on Yorkshire: “It is packed full of amazing independent businesses and a particular highlight of visiting the towns and cities within it is experiencing some fantastic eateries, bars and coffee shops. It’s a trip for the taste buds!”

What event are you going to attend?