until13Oct
Willow & Walter's Stuck Trail Family
A drop-in children's trail at Danby Lodge: help Willow the weasel find her missing walking kit
What's on
Events in the North York Moors
Steam galas, agricultural shows, guided walks, workshops, stargazing and Christmas markets. The moors have a calendar worth planning around.
On now
until21Oct
Staging the Baroque: Vanbrugh at Castle Howard Arts, exhibitions & workshops
Exhibition on Vanbrugh's use of scale, shadow and light, curated by the architect Roz Barr
until31Oct
Vanbrugh 300 at Castle Howard Arts, exhibitions & workshops
A year of celebrations marking 300 years since the death of Sir John Vanbrugh, the architect of Castle Howard
until31Oct
Playshapes: Castle Constructors Family
A giant, colourful building-block installation inspired by Vanbrugh, for children and adults to build with
until31Oct
Pick your own apples at Ampleforth Abbey Family
Saturday apple picking in the monks' orchard, one of the largest in the north
until1Nov
Forest Through Your Eyes Arts, exhibitions & workshops
An exhibition of visitors' own artwork inspired by Dalby Forest, in the Forest Arts space at Low Dalby
until15Nov
Autumn colour at Castle Howard Arboretum Family
Oaks, beeches and maples turn bronze, gold and crimson across the Arboretum
until29Nov
Making a Meal of It Arts, exhibitions & workshops
Exhibition on food, cooking and the moorland kitchen at Ryedale Folk Museum
until5Mar
Stargazing evenings in Dalby Forest Dark skies
Scarborough & Ryedale Astronomical Society's free public stargazing, first Friday of most months through winter
until28Mar
The 2026 Turner Prize at MIMA Arts, exhibitions & workshops
The Turner Prize exhibition comes to the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art
until31Mar
Constellation Rubbing Trail Family
Find ten constellation plaques around the grounds and take home your own star chart in crayon
until31Mar
Explorer Experience at Danby Lodge Family
Hire an explorer pack and discover the wildlife around the grounds of Danby Lodge
until31Mar
Orienteering Trail at the National Park Centres Family
Navigate the grounds to find the orienteering markers, for all ages
September 2026
11Fri
YHA Festival of Walking Guided walks
A month of guided walks from youth hostels, including routes from YHA Whitby with National Trail rangers
19Sat
Landshapes: exhibition at the Inspired by... gallery Arts, exhibitions & workshops
Sculpture, painting, photography and drawing by three generations of one family of artists
October 2026
1Thu
Pesky Pumpkin Trail in the House Family
Find the mischievous pumpkins hiding around the house through October
3Sat
Pendennis Castle visits the steam railway Festivals & shows
The Great Western Railway's famous Castle-class locomotive No. 4079 Pendennis Castle hauls trains on the NYMR
9Fri
Pickering 1940s Weekend Festivals & shows
Pickering turns back the clock to the 1940s with period dress, vintage vehicles, big-band music and dancing in the streets.
10Sat
1940s Lindy Hop classes at Pickering station Arts, exhibitions & workshops
Beginners' swing-dance classes on Platform 2 during Pickering's 1940s Weekend
10Sat
Back to the 1940s at Eden Camp Festivals & shows
Wartime weekend with re-enactors, vehicles and 1940s music at the prisoner-of-war camp museum
10Sat
Guided walk: Secret Life of the Forest Guided walks
A 9-mile linear walk through Broxa Forest with Brian Walker from Channel 5's Secret Life of the Forest
10Sat
Sir Nigel Gresley static viewing days at Grosmont Family
See the record-breaking A4 locomotive up close in the engine shed, with short cab talks
11Sun
Guided walk: Battle of Byland (short route) Guided walks
A 3-mile walk to the main battle site with historian Harry Pearson, morning or afternoon
11Sun
TRAILDOG Castle Howard Guided walks
A Bridgerton-themed 5k canicross run for people and their dogs through the grounds
17Sat
Fungi Fest at Castle Howard Arboretum Family
A day celebrating fungi, with scientists turning the Tree Health Centre into a mycology lab
17Sat
Fungi foray at Castle Howard Arboretum Guided walks
An autumn fungi hunt among the arboretum's trees
17Sat
Sir Nigel Gresley: The Legend Returns Festivals & shows
The streamlined A4 Pacific No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley hauls pre-booked trains across the moors
18Sun
Guided walk: Helmsley Guided walks
A relaxed 1.5-mile stroll round Helmsley's history, green spaces and wildlife
18Sun
Mad Alice's Ghost Train Halloween & Christmas
Halloween evening trains on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering
23Fri
Dark Skies Fringe Festival Dark skies
October half-term stargazing festival across the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales
23Fri
Hudson & Hudson Magicians: Married at First Sleight Arts, exhibitions & workshops
Comedy magic show at Helmsley Arts Centre
23Fri
Illuminated Whitby Abbey Halloween & Christmas
The abbey ruins lit in colour for the Halloween week, with Dracula readings and a dramatically different view of the East Cliff.
23Fri
Late night candlelit tours of Castle Howard Halloween & Christmas
After-dark, candlelit tours of the house led by its curators, just before Halloween
23Fri
Musicport Festival Festivals & shows
Three days of world, folk and roots music from across the globe in the Pavilion on the West Cliff.
24Sat
Apple Week at Ampleforth Abbey Family
Half-term apple activities in the abbey orchards
24Sat
Halloween half term at Whitby Abbey Family
The Great Pumpkin Party: storytelling, spooky games, a trail and a daily fancy dress competition
24Sat
Halloween half term on the steam railway Halloween & Christmas
Kids go free, trick or treat in costume at the station shops and spooky selfie frames through October half term
24Sat
NYMA foraging walk, Danby Guided walks
A 3-mile autumn foraging walk from Danby with Gaynor and Alan Ayres
24Sat
UV fungi walk at Danby Lodge Dark skies
An after-dark hunt for glowing fungi, mosses and lichens with Wild Roots Foraging
25Sun
Discover Watercolour: Moorland Landscapes Arts, exhibitions & workshops
A watercolour workshop on painting the moors at Helmsley Arts Centre
30Fri
The Creepy Circus with The Walking Theatre Company Halloween & Christmas
An outdoor Halloween walking adventure for families at Danby Lodge
30Fri
Whitby Goth Weekend (autumn) Festivals & shows
Twice-yearly gathering of goths, steampunks and Victorian costume in Dracula's town, with the Halloween edition the bigger of the two.
31Sat
Autumn Apple Weekend at Helmsley Walled Garden Halloween & Christmas
Celebration of the garden's heritage orchard with apple identification, pressing, tastings and stalls.
31Sat
Hallowbean Halloween & Christmas
Halloween family theatre from Fladam Theatre at Helmsley Arts Centre
31Sat
The Haunted Hotel: murder mystery night Halloween & Christmas
Halloween murder mystery with a three-course dinner at Danby Lodge
November 2026
4Wed
Weave a festive willow star Halloween & Christmas
Willow weaving workshop at Sutton Bank: make a star for the tree or the wall
7Sat
50 years of our National Park Centres: exhibition Arts, exhibitions & workshops
Art celebrating half a century of the Sutton Bank and Danby Lodge centres
7Sat
Christmas at the Inspired by... gallery Halloween & Christmas
Festive exhibition and gift fair of work by local artists and makers
7Sat
North Yorkshire Winter Open Studios Arts, exhibitions & workshops
Artists across the county open their studios for Christmas shopping
7Sat
NYMA walk: Commondale Guided walks
5.5 miles over the moor to Hob on the Hill and Hob Cross, returning on the Quakers Causeway
11Wed
Weave a festive willow tree or angel Halloween & Christmas
Willow weaving workshop at Danby Lodge
12Thu
A Dickens of a Christmas at Castle Howard Halloween & Christmas
The great house dressed for Christmas on a different theme each year, with a giant tree in the Great Hall.
13Fri
Cropton Beer Festival Festivals & shows
A village beer festival with dozens of Yorkshire ales, live music and the brewery on the doorstep.
13Fri
Whitby Christmas Festival Halloween & Christmas
Craft and food stalls, live music and children's entertainment on the Marina Front and around the town centre over a mid-November weekend.
19Thu
Christmas wreath workshops at Castle Howard Halloween & Christmas
Two-hour wreath-making sessions in the garden centre, all materials provided
21Sat
Father Christmas in the Castle Halloween & Christmas
A festive family show with Father Christmas and friends, then a one-to-one visit for each family
27Fri
Helmsley Christmas lights switch-on Halloween & Christmas
The market town lights up for Christmas
28Sat
A Christmas Carol theatrical afternoon tea Halloween & Christmas
Four-course festive afternoon tea hosted by a live actor, with cakes by pastry champion Florian Poirot
28Sat
Artist and Maker Fair at Castle Howard Arboretum Arts, exhibitions & workshops
Local artists and makers selling their work among the trees, in time for Christmas
28Sat
Christmas craft market at Ampleforth Abbey Halloween & Christmas
Advent weekend market at the abbey, with lantern and wreath making workshops
28Sat
Kirkbymoorside Christmas Market Halloween & Christmas
Christmas market in the market town's broad main street
28Sat
Lantern-making workshops at Ampleforth Abbey Family
Make a lantern for the abbey's Advent procession
28Sat
Little Bird Made Christmas artisan market Halloween & Christmas
Handmade gifts and local makers at Sutton Bank National Park Centre
28Sat
Santa Express on the steam railway Halloween & Christmas
One-hour festive return trips from Pickering to meet Santa on the train, with a gift for every child
28Sat
Santa's Grotto in the Jellycat shop Halloween & Christmas
A one-to-one visit to Santa, with a Jellycat soft toy to take home
28Sat
Wreath making at Ampleforth Abbey Halloween & Christmas
Make a Christmas wreath with foliage from the abbey grounds
December 2026
1Tue
Make a sustainable wreath: Sutton Bank Halloween & Christmas
Festive wreath-making with willow and natural foliage at Sutton Bank
3Thu
Make a sustainable wreath: Danby Lodge Halloween & Christmas
Festive wreath-making with willow and natural foliage at Danby Lodge
5Sat
Christmas Craft Fair at Danby Lodge Halloween & Christmas
The National Park's annual festive fair of local makers and food producers
5Sat
Handel's Messiah at Ampleforth Abbey Arts, exhibitions & workshops
A performance of Messiah in the abbey church
5Sat
NYMA walk: Charltons and the ironstone villages Guided walks
3.5 miles through the mining settlements at the northern edge of the park
5Sat
Thornton-le-Dale Christmas lights switch-on Halloween & Christmas Dates TBC
The picture-postcard village by the beck lights up for Christmas
5Sat
Whitby Krampus Run Halloween & Christmas Dates TBC
Horned, furred and fearsome, the Krampus parade through the streets of Whitby on the first Saturday of December.
6Sun
Lantern procession and carol service Halloween & Christmas
Advent lantern procession and carols at Ampleforth Abbey
12Sat
Celtic Carols by Candlelight Halloween & Christmas
Candlelit Celtic carol concert at Ampleforth Abbey
12Sat
Christmas shopping weekend at the National Park Centres Halloween & Christmas
Festive shopping at Sutton Bank and Danby Lodge National Park Centres
26Sat
Whitby Boxing Day Dip Halloween & Christmas
Fancy-dress charity swim in the North Sea, organised by Whitby Lions
January 2027
2Sat
NYMA walk: River Tees industrial heritage Guided walks
A flat winter walk round Middlesbrough's riverside industrial history, 6 or 8 miles
16Sat
Goathland Plough Stots Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Long sword dancers in traditional dress tour the village on the Saturday after Plough Monday.
February 2027
5Fri
North York Moors Dark Skies Festival Dark skies
Fortnight of stargazing, night walks, astro-photography and talks celebrating the National Park's International Dark Sky Reserve status.
12Fri
Whitby Steampunk Weekend (winter) Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Goggles, brass and Victorian tailoring take over the Pavilion for a weekend of markets, music and tea duelling.
March 2027
20Sat
Farndale daffodil season Festivals & shows Dates TBC
The wild daffodils of Farndale are usually at their best for a few weeks in late March and early April.
April 2027
23Fri
Whitby Goth Weekend (spring) Festivals & shows Dates TBC
The spring edition of Whitby's alternative music and costume weekend.
May 2027
5Wed
Whitby Penny Hedge ceremony Festivals & shows Dates TBC
A hedge of hazel stakes is built in the harbour mud at dawn, as it has been every year since 1159, as penance for a murdered hermit.
15Sat
Whitby Fish and Ships Festival Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Celebration of the town's maritime heritage with cooking demonstrations, street food, boats and music.
29Sat
Pickering Vintage Rally Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Traction engines, steam rollers, vintage tractors, fairground organs and a working steam sawmill.
June 2027
4Fri
Robin Hood's Bay Folk Weekend Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Sessions, singarounds, ceilidhs and dance sides in the steep streets and pubs of the Bay.
10Thu
NYMR Diesel Gala Festivals & shows Dates TBC
A weekend when heritage diesels take over the line, with visiting locomotives and an intensive timetable.
July 2027
3Sat
Osmotherley Summer Games Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Village games day with a hill race up the moor, tug of war, stalls and a duck race on Cod Beck.
9Fri
Ryedale Festival Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Two weeks of classical music in abbeys, churches and stately homes around the southern edge of the moors.
10Sat
Kilburn Feast Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Village feast weekend under the White Horse with sports, a Mock Mayor and Mayoress, and a race up the horse.
10Sat
Lyke Wake Challenge Festivals & shows
The annual race across the 40-mile Lyke Wake Walk, with the fastest runners finishing in under six hours.
23Fri
Whitby Steampunk Weekend (summer) Festivals & shows Dates TBC
The summer edition of the steampunk gathering: markets, music, costume and tea duelling by the sea.
25Sun
Saltburn Food Festival Festivals & shows Dates TBC
One of the largest street food festivals in the north east takes over the seaside town for a Sunday.
27Tue
Ryedale Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
The biggest agricultural show on the southern edge of the moors, with cattle, sheep, horses, show jumping and a huge produce tent.
August 2027
3Tue
Egton Bridge Old Gooseberry Show Festivals & shows
The oldest gooseberry show in the country, held on the first Tuesday of August since 1800, with berries the size of hens' eggs.
4Wed
Thornton-le-Dale Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Village agricultural show on the first Wednesday in August, with livestock, produce and a strong horticultural section.
6Fri
Hinderwell Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Small coastal village show near Staithes, renowned for its Cleveland Bay horse classes, with sheep, ferrets, a dog show, gymkhana and produce tents.
6Fri
Saltburn Folk Festival Festivals & shows
A friendly folk weekend in a Victorian seaside town, with concerts, sessions, dance and a strong local following.
6Fri
Starfest at Dalby Forest Dark skies Dates TBC
Three-night star camp for amateur astronomers, run by SARAS in late summer (not held in 2026)
7Sat
Ministry of Sound Classical at Castle Howard Festivals & shows
An orchestra plays the great dance anthems in front of the house on a summer evening
11Wed
Danby Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Long-running agricultural show in the upper Esk Valley with livestock, horses, produce and a fell race.
14Sat
North York Moors Chamber Music Festival Festivals & shows
Two weeks of chamber music in moorland churches, abbeys and village halls, founded by a cellist from the area.
14Sat
Whitby Regatta Festivals & shows
The oldest sea regatta on the north-east coast: rowing races, a fair, aerobatics and fireworks.
15Sun
Glaisdale Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Esk Valley dale show with livestock, horticulture, children's sports and a race up the dale side.
21Sat
Rosedale Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Traditional one-day agricultural show in the dale with sheep, horses, produce, crafts and a fell race.
21Sat
Whitby Folk Week Festivals & shows
A week of folk music, dance and song in pubs, halls and on the streets of the town.
24Tue
Fylingdales Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Agricultural show on the coast above Robin Hood's Bay, with sheep, horses, produce and sea views.
25Wed
Egton Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Large agricultural show in the Esk Valley with livestock, horticulture, show jumping and gooseberries.
28Sat
Bilsdale Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Dale show at Chop Gate below the Cleveland Hills: sheep, horses, produce, crafts and a fell race up Cold Moor.
30Mon
Farndale Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Bank holiday Monday show at the head of the daffodil dale: sheep, produce, terriers and a walking-stick competition.
September 2027
4Sat
Kildale Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Small show on the northern edge of the moors with a strong horse section and a fell race up onto Kildale Moor.
11Sat
Castleton Show Festivals & shows Dates TBC
Small end-of-summer village show in the upper Esk Valley with a produce and craft marquee, dog show, the Castleton Show Run and children's sports.
11Sat
Staithes Festival of Arts and Heritage Festivals & shows Dates TBC
The fishing village opens its cottages as pop-up galleries for a weekend of art, music and heritage.
18Sat
Stokesley Show Festivals & shows
One of the largest one-day agricultural shows in the north, on the plain below the Cleveland Hills.
Dates TBC marks events whose typical timing we know but whose dates for this year have not yet been confirmed by the organiser. Always check with the organiser before travelling. Many events listed here are run by the North York Moors National Park Authority, which takes bookings online or on 01439 772738.