The highly anticipated York Ice Trail, organised by Make It York, returns on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 February 2026.  

The streets of York will be transformed into “An Enchanted City”, where a spell has been cast. Ice sculptures, alive with enchantment, appear across the cobbled and narrow streets of the city. Sculptures will be inspired by magic, mystery, and the weird and wonderful – creating an extraordinary trail. But who cast the spell? And why? The whole family can follow the trail to uncover the truth, before the ice melts and takes everything with it. 

York Ice Trail is a free event open to all from 10.30am to 4pm over the weekend, allowing plenty of time to immerse yourself in the enchanted city.  

The ice sculptures, curated by Make It York and partners, are created by Icebox, the UK and Europe’s leading ice sculpture specialist, and will be on display at various iconic locations throughout the city. Pick up a trail map from the Visit York Visitor Information Centre to tick off all the sculptures and, upon completion, collect a special sticker. 

NEW for 2026, Make It York is launching the ‘Ice Village’, a carefully curated market under the umbrella theme ‘enchanted’, which will inspire a magical mix of family-friendly activities and themed traders. Running over the same weekend, local retailers and caterers are invited to apply for limited pitches and be part of York’s winter vibrancy. Application deadline is 5pm on Friday 24 October 2025, by completing the online form. 

Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said:   

“We’re always excited to bring back the York Ice Trail, which is a highlight of our calendar. It’s a fantastic event that brings residents and visitors together to experience the city, and this year’s enchanted theme won’t disappoint!” 

Each ice sculpture is sponsored by a local business, whose support makes the event possible. The previous York Ice Trail event in February 2025 was a huge success, which saw 30 ice sculptures with the theme of “Origins”. Appealing to both residents and visitors to the city, footfall counts reached over 85,000 visitors during the weekend.  

Tag @visityork and #YorkIceTrail across all social media platforms for a chance to feature your icy photos.  The official York Ice Trail hub page is on our website at visityork.org/york-ice-trail