WizardFest 2025 – York’s Most Magical Festival!
Coming to York on May 24th, 25th and 26th 2025 is WizardFest, a brand new event for York. Prepare to experience the magic with York’s first festival of Wizardry, a city-wide event bringing lots of magical businesses together. WizardFest is hosted by The Wizard Walk of York and you’ll find all the activities over on the website. Events include:
The Wizard Walk of York (Book in advance)
York’s most magical family experience, and WINNER of our Best Tour award three times! Spellbinding magic, comedy and five-star family fun. Add Wizard Wand Kits to learn your own tricks.
– Saturday – 11am, 1.30 and 4pm
– Sunday – 11am, 1.30, 4 and 6pm
– Monday – 11am, 1.30 and 4pm
Tours leave from St. Crux Church at the bottom of York’s iconic Shambles. Book here.
Brick Magic by The Brick Box (Book in advance)
A must for LEGO fans! Journey into imagination and creativity. With tens of thousands of LEGO pieces, bring your cloaks as you enrol in our magical workshops. Wand making, marble mazes and lots of treats to take home!
– Saturday – 10-12 and 1-3pm
– Sunday – 10-12 and 1-3pm
– Monday – 10-12 and 1-3pm
York Medical Society, Stonegate, YO1 8AW – Book here
Harry Potter Films at City Screen Picturehouse (Book in advance)
Join Harry, Ron and Hermione and enjoy the first three films in the franchise. Journey to Hogwarts and experience the magic for yourself.
– BOOK The Philosopher’s Stone
– BOOK The Prisoner of Azkaban
City Screen Picturehouse, 13-17 Coney Street, York, YO1 9QL
‘A Kind of Magic’ Workshops with Story Craft Theatre (Book in advance)
Join Cassie and Janet for colouring in, crafting, scavenger hunts, games, music and an interactive story full of the usual fun and energy, with a magical twist! A wondrously wizardy workshop for 2-8 year olds
– Saturday – 10.15 to 11.30am
– Saturday – 12 to 1.15pm
Upper Foyer Bar, York Theatre Royal, St. Leonard’s Place, YO1 7HD – Book here
Totally Wicked Craft Workshops with Avocado Events (Book in advance)
Get all crafty with Avocado Events in this wickedly fun workshop for WizardFest on Monday 26th May (1pm).
– Make your own wand and decorate an owl
– Pink & Green witch crafting tables
– Colouring and sticker tables
– Decorate a biscuit
– Fancy dress competition
St. Olaves Church Hall, 12 Marygate Ln, York YO30 7BJ – Book here
The Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring (Book in advance)
The Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring has been cursed by his archnemesis, Professor Mortius Darktrix. Help break the curse and save Professor Kettlestring before he is lost falling through dimensions forever…
Seek out the magical familiar faces to break the evil wizard’s curse. Once you have completed your quest, and enjoyed all the mind-boggling illusions, make your way to the gift shop to find out if you were successful and collect your sweet reward.
The Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring, Merchantgate, York YO1 9TU – Visit the website
The Black Cat Quest (Free!)
Collect a FREE map, find the black cats in shop windows and spell a magic word. Then head back to The Cat Gallery to claim a super-mini magic cat of your own. Guess the purr-fect name for the NEW exclusive Wizard Walk cat too. One winner will WIN a Wizard Walk family ticket and an 8cm Wizard Cat worth £24!
York Cat Gallery, 45 Low Petergate, YO7 7HT – Visit the York Cat Gallery website
The Owl Trail (Free!)
A Make it York event. Collect a FREE map from the Visit York Information Centre on Parliament Street, then find the owls hidden around Shambles Market. It’s a HOOT! Prizes include a Wizard Walk family ticket and goody bags from The Shop That Must Not Be Named. You can also pose with magical props around the Market, and even have your face painted 10-3pm (a paid activity)
Shambles Market, YO1 7LX
Magic of Lush Bath Bomb Workshops (Booking required)
Make a big splash creating bathtime MAGIC in this 45 min workshop with LUSH and Avocado Events! Make your own Shoot for the Stars Bath Bomb, get hands-on with LUSH products and take home your own Magic Wand Reusable Bubble Bar and samples!
- Saturday – 10.30 and 12
- Sunday – 10.30, 12 and 2pm
- Monday – 10.30, 12 and 2pm
Lush, 52 Coney Street, YO1 9ND. Pre-booking essential
Fancy Dress Parade and Best Dressed Competition (Free!)
Monday only. Don your best costumes to celebrate WizardFest in style! FREE to participate. Meet at St. Helen’s Square at 3pm for a 3.15pm start. There’s a chance to WIN amazing prizes including…
- Fawkes the Phoenix LEGO set and Wizard Walk family ticket
- Dragon hatchlings from The Society of Alchemists
- Goody bags from The Shop That Must Not Be Named
St. Helen’s Square, YO1 8QN on Monday 26th May at 3pm. The parade will walk up Stonegate and end at York Minster.
Meet a dragon! (Free!)
Meet The Wizard of York’s ROAR-some new pet. Get a photo with this truly Fantastic Beast…don’t worry, he doesn’t bite! Donations are welcome towards dragon food. Why not visit Loopy Scoops opposite to try the NEW Dragon Sundae? The first 20 children each day will receive a FREE bar of The Wizard’s Magic chocolate…dragon fruit flavour, of course!
Outside St. Sampson’s Church, Church Street, YO1 8BG – Daily at 10.45 – 11.30am, 12.30 – 1.15pm and 2 – 2.45pm. Please note that this activity may be cancelled in the event of bad weather.
WizardFest – Across York – May 24th, 25th and 26th 2025 – Visit the WizardFest website
