York Festival of Ideas 2025 promises to spark children’s imaginations with lots of FREE and fun hands-on activities. Taking place for two weeks each June, it offers a diverse programme of talks by world-class speakers, performances, exhibitions, guided walks, family activities, workshops and much more. The 2025 Festival will take place from 31st May to 13th June with the theme of ‘Making Waves’. Here are some of the family-friendly highlights:

For Under 5s:

• Spin, Spin a Story (8 June) – Magical, interactive concert with storytelling and music.
• The Fairy Queen (11 June) – Enchanting musical forest journey with OAE TOTS.

For Ages 5–11:

• Explore Space @Discovery Zone (28 May & 8 June) – Hands-on space-themed fun.
• Indoor Archaeological Dig (31 May) – Become a junior archaeologist with Julian Richards.
• Festival Fringe Family Fun Afternoon (7 June) – Crafts, science, puzzles and history galore.
• York Pride Festival (7 June) – Inclusive, family-friendly fun at the Knavesmire.

For Ages 11+:

• Step into Nature with St Nicks (31 May) – Gentle nature walk and environmental activity.
• Hunt for Medieval Masons’ Marks (31 May) – Explore a 500-year-old tower in a historic scavenger hunt.
• Filthy, Beastly Tour of York (1 June) – Wacky walking tour packed with wild tales.
• Curious Minds Discovery Zone (7 June) – Brain puzzles and mind-bending games.

For Teens & Grown-ups (Family-friendly):

• Michael Morpurgo’s “My Heart was a Tree” Concert (2 June) – Poetry and music celebrating nature.
• A Brief History of Mathematics (3 June) – Fascinating journey through early maths.
• How Big Is Space? (7 June) – Discover the scale of the universe through storytelling.
• York World Heritage Walk (31 May) – Riverfront tour highlighting York’s historic bid.
• York Army Museum Family Day (7 June) – Meet living history interpreters and learn about D-Day.

York Festival of Ideas 2025 – 31st May to 13th June 2025 – Visit the York Festival of Ideas website