The Make it York Ice Trail will return to the city of York from the 3rd until the 4th of February 2024. During that weekend anyone —resident or visitor— who ventures through the city will be able to see 33 different ice sculptures for free!
In order to announce that this year’s theme is ‘City of Dreams’, on January the 9th Make it York revealed the look of the first icy design. (see above – photo credit Charlotte Graham).
Since then, organisers have announced that visitors and residents will be able to view more icy artistry at some iconic —and easily accessible— locations around the city.
Where to see the sculptures
The grounds of Middletons Hotel on Cromwell Road will be transformed into a mystical Wonka World of Chocolate during the trail— starring four show-stopping sculptures funded by City Cruises, York Chocolate Story, Potions Cauldron and Middletons themselves.
York Bid (another of the trail’s sponsors) will discreetly place a series of icy mystical characters throughout the rest of the city centre– keep an eye out for the Himalayan Yeti, brave the terrifying Kraken, meet the nine-headed Hydra, take selfies with the majestic Unicorn and marvel at the immortal Phoenix.
See ice sculpting in action
Head over to St Sampson’s Square to see the ice sculptures from Icebox — Europe’s leading ice sculpture specialists— in action. Watching them transform an ice cube into a work of art directly in front of your eyes is guaranteed to transport you straight to the Arctic.
A spokesperson for Make It York, said: “York Ice Trail is a beautiful event loved by residents and visitors alike. We’re incredibly thankful to all the brilliant local businesses who support the York Ice Trail and to all our sponsors — their support makes it possible for us to keep running these free events in the city.”
According to Make it York’s own survey data, the trail does more than just provide a “beautiful event” for residents and passers-by. The weekend will deliver a huge boost to the city’s local economy at a time when tourism figures are at their lowest. In February 2023 over 40,000 visitors came to the city to view the ice sculptures and 85% of those visitors ate out in local cafes, bars, and restaurants while almost 50% said they were likely to go shopping en-route to uncovering the sculptures.
Free York Ice Trail maps will be available from the Visitor Information Centre at 21 Parliament Street or can be downloaded online at visityork.org/york-ice-trail from the end of January. For more information, visit www.visityork.org/york-ice-trail
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