The Little Vikings Awards 2023 shortlists announced! Voting is now open
Drumroll, please……We’re delighted to reveal the shortlists of the Little Vikings Awards 2023, sponsored by Bootham School. Now in its eighth year, the Little Vikings Awards is the only awards scheme to reward the very best of family-friendly York, from the best family-friendly attractions in York to the best days out, tours, birthday parties, classes and places to eat.
As always, we’ve handed over the hard part – nominating and voting – to the people who count: you, the families. Thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to nominate your favourites: we had twice as many nominations this year, which is amazing. Those with the most nominations have made it through to the finals – read on to find out who’s made it to the shortlists.
Now it’s back over to you to vote for the winners. The voting ends at midnight on New Year’s Eve, and we’ll announce the businesses that have been crowned York’s best for families in January. Huge thanks to this year’s sponsor, Bootham School, and to each of our category sponsors: Middletons Hotel, Eden Camp, North Yorkshire Moors Railway, En Pointe, York Leisure Centre, The Mount School, Queen Ethelburga’s and Yorkshire Air Museum
THE 2023 FINALISTS
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
These are the people and places that have been nominated by you for going the extra mile this year.
- – Susan Bradley, For Modern Mothers ‘for all her support to expectant mothers and new mothers’
- – Thunk-it Theatre ‘has done so much for my daughters (and me!) they are fab for doing what they do’
- – Louise Mouncey from Shine21 – ‘Louise has set up a ‘well needed’ charity to support parents and children who have Down Syndrome. She has worked tirelessly to help others’
- – Donya Keys from En Pointe ‘her dance school helps so many children achieve their dreams’
BEST ATTRACTIONS – Sponsored by Middletons Hotel
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION IN YORK
Piglets Adventure Farm
National Railway Museum
JORVIK Dig
York Castle Museum
The Web Adventure Park
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (YORKSHIRE COAST)
Sea Life Scarborough
Sewerby Hall
Whitby Abbey
The Deep
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (YORKSHIRE DALES)
The Forbidden Corner
Fountains Abbey
Mother Shipton’s
Bolton Abbey
BEST FAMILY ATTRACTION (NORTH YORK MOORS)
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Dalby Forest
Castle Howard
Woldies Lavender & Nature Farm
BEST EXPERIENCES – Sponsored by York Leisure Centre
BEST RAINY DAY EXPERIENCE
National Railway Museum
The Web Adventure Park
York Leisure Centre
Agility
Rainbows Ceramics
BEST CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE
York’s Chocolate Story
York Cocoa Works workshops
Hot chocolate at Cocoa Joe’s
BEST SPOOKY EXPERIENCE
York Dungeon trick or treat walking tours
The Bloody Tour of York
Dorian Deathly’s Deathly Dark Tour of York
Hallowtween at York Maze
BEST FAMILY FESTIVAL
Baby Band Festival
Deer Shed
Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta
JORVIK Viking Festival
BEST CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE
Piglets Santa’s Sleigh Ride
Castle Howard
North Yorkshire Moors Railway – Santa Specials
Lotherton’s Christmas Experience
Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park
BEST MAGICAL EXPERIENCE
The Wizard Walk of York
Potions experience at The Potions Cauldron
The Hole in Wand
Foss Fairy Trail
Northwood Trail
BEST TOUR OF YORK
The Wizard Walk of York
City Cruises river cruise
Deathly Dark Tours
The Bloody Tour of York
BEST CLASSES FOR KIDS IN YORK – Sponsored by Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate
BEST BABY/TODDLER SWIMMING CLASS
Water Babies
Puddle Ducks
Swimming with Linzi
Pure Swim Yorkshire
BEST SWIMMING CLASS (4+)
Brightwater Swim School
York Sport
Coral Magson Swim School
Bootham Swim School
BEST ACTIVE CLASS
Gymnastics at The Little Gym
Junior triathlon at York Sport
Clip’n’climb at York Leisure Centre
Rugbytots
BEST DRAMA CLASS
Story Craft Theatre
York Stage School
York Theatre Royal Youth Theatre
PQA York
BEST DANCE CLASS
En Pointe
Yorkshire Rose Academy of Dance
The Little Yorkshire Dance Academy
Katie Ventress School of Dance
BEST PREGNANCY CLASS
For Modern Mothers – Pregnancy yoga
For Modern Mothers – Hypnobirthing
Jess Evans Yoga
Puddle Ducks aquanatal
BEST MUSIC CLASS
My Baby Can Dance York
Sing and Sign York
Baby Band
Tiny Toes Music
Moo Music
BEST CREATIVE CLASS
Phonics with Robot Reg
Wild Things Forest School
Thunk-it Theatre
Story Craft Theatre
BEST HOLIDAY CLUB OR CAMP
The Little Gym
United Adventures
Yorkshire Rose Academy of Dance
York City Football Club Foundation
BIRTHDAY PARTIES – Sponsored by Eden Camp
BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY PROVIDER
The Web Adventure Park
Agility
York Leisure Centre clip’n’climb
Rainbows Ceramics
BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY ENTERTAINER
The Wizard Walk of York
Janet & Cassie, Story Craft Theatre
Popolo Ceramico York
Adam from The Woodland Adventure Company
ENTERTAINMENT – Sponsored by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
BEST CINEMA
Vue
Everyman
City Screen
Cineworld
BEST THEATRE
York Theatre Royal
Grand Opera House York
Joseph Rowntree Theatre
PLACES TO STAY – Sponsored by Yorkshire Air Museum
BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION
Novotel York
Middletons
York Marriott
No1 by Guesthouse
The Grand, York
BEST CAMPING/GLAMPING
Baxby Manor
Humblebee Farm
Jollydays
Allerthorpe Lakeland Park
EATING OUT – Sponsored by The Mount School
BEST BREAKFAST
The Balloon Tree
Rise
Robinsons
The Pig & Pastry
BEST LUNCH
The Balloon Tree
Plush Cafe
Laughing Llama
Spark:York
BEST SUNDAY ROAST
Guy Fawkes Inn
No1 York by Guesthouse
The Balloon Tree
Durham Ox, Crayke
BEST ICE CREAM
LICC
Trinacria
Roberto Authentic Italian Gelato
Two Hoots Ice Cream Boat
BEST DATE NIGHT DESTINATION
Spark:York
Ambiente
Sora, Malmaison
Brew York Tap Room
BEST STREET FOOD
Sasa Greek Food (Spark:York)
Yuzu Street Food
Shambles Kitchen
Krep (Shambles Market)
BEST CAFE
Brew & Brownie
Bluebird Bakery, Acomb
Laughing Llama, Acomb
Forty Five Vinyl Cafe
CHILDCARE
BEST NURSERY
York Childcare Nurseries
Muddy Boots
Little Green Rascals
Little Bugs – The Web Adventure Park
