May 24, 2025 10:00 am to May 26, 2025 5:00 pm

+ MY LISTHot on the heels of winning Experience of the Year 2025 at the Visit York Awards, the city’s own wandering Wizard has plans to bring the first ever Wizard festival to town. WizardFest will take place on May 24^th to 26^th, with more magical fun than you can shake a wand at…

The event is the brainchild of Dan Wood, aka Phoenix the Red, owner of The Wizard Walk of York. He says, “Since announcing WizardFest I’ve had lots of exciting companies come forward, for an event that will appeal to wizard fans of all ages. We’re flying the flag for all things magical in this enchanting city, and of course we’ll be running plenty of extra Wizard Walks to meet demand!”

Working closely with local independent businesses, the festival is supported by Visit York and sponsored by Loopy Scoops Ice-Cream Parlour, Totally Awesome Toys, The Cat Gallery and The Society of Alchemists. Little Vikings – the expert guide to York for families – will be co-hosting and helping promote the attractions on offer.

Polly Bennett from Little Vikings adds, “This magical event is the perfect opportunity for families to explore the enchanting experiences York has to offer. We’re thrilled to be supporting it!”

Some events are still to be confirmed, but so far there are extra Wizard Walks, Harry Potter films at City Screen, Lego workshops with The Brick Box, A Kind of Magic sessions from Story Craft Theatre, Witch and Wizard crafts with Avocado Events, bird of prey experiences, dragon meet-and-greets and more.

A purr-fect partnership with The Cat Gallery will see families searching for cats around shop windows, and spelling a magic word to receive their own mini magical cat. A permanent Wizard of York cat will also be added to their regular Cat Trail, with a competition to name the magical moggy.

From Visit York and Make it York, visitors can also peruse a Magical Night Market in Shambles Market on the Monday evening, with interested traders invited to email York-markets@makeityork.com to book a stall. The free Owl Trail returns to Shambles Market, and a Wizard Activity Area will appear on Parliament Street. Expect majestic birds of prey to meet, face painting, wizard props and more.

Hungry witches and wizards are in for a treat too, with themed specials across the city. Wizard Afternoon Teas will be available at Plush Café, and monstrously good Beastly Burgers from Baby Boys Burgers at Spark:York. Wanderers can get all ‘fired up’ about Phoenix cocktails and mocktails at Ate O’ Clock too.

Wizards with a sweet tooth can enjoy a chocolate Magic Minster or Mystic Macaron from Florian Poirot, chocolate shots at Monk Bar Chocolatiers or the popular Wizard of York Ice-Creams at Loopy Scoops. New to the Church Street ice-cream parlour will be the Wizard’s Butter Brew Soda Float – an ice-cream twist on a drink that wizard fans go Potty for.

Elsewhere, many local shops are offering discounts to visitors dressed as wizards, and The Puzzling World of Professor Kettlestring has a new quest to lift the curse of dark wizard Mortius Darktrix. Renowned artist Lincoln Lightfoot is also creating an exclusive Wizard of York print.

The festival will culminate in a fancy dress parade on Monday 26^th May at 3pm from St. Helen’s Square, with a contest for Best Dressed Witch or Wizard. Prizes include a Phoenix Lego set and family Wizard Walk tickets, dragon hatchlings from The Society of Alchemists and magical goody bags from The Shop That Must Not Be Named.

A dedicated web page is being made which will feature at www.wizardwalkofyork.com. Wizard fans are advised to check that closer to the event, as the programme is subject to change.

In the meantime, you can follow www.facebook.com/wizardwalkofyork for WizardFest updates and booking links, for what is sure to be the most spellbinding start to May half-term. Many activities are already bookable, so locals are advised to book early as tickets are expected to vanish…as if by magic!

Background information:

2024 was a busy year for The Wizard Walk, with the company winning Best Tour of York for the third time along with a myriad of other accolades. At the Visit York Awards, the team won both Best of York and New Tourism Business Award, before going on to win gold at the VisitEngland Awards in Liverpool. They also scooped TripAdvisor’s ‘Best of the Best’ for the second year running, as one of only a handful of UK attractions making the cut. This March they won Experience of the Year 2025 at the Visit York Awards.

Dan adds, “It’s been absolutely spellbinding to win so many awards, and we’re thrilled to have so much support locally too. We love working with business who are doing great things in the city, and have already waved a wand over some magical partnerships, with many more to come.”

As tours continue to sell out, he cast a duplication spell last May and conjured up a second guide, Viridian the Green – and is now looking for a third. The company has big plans for 2025 and beyond, and WizardFest is an event Dan aims to build on year after year. If you’re interested in being involved, you can send an owl of enquiry to info@wizardwalkofyork.com or contact via www.wizardwalkofyork.com

SUMMARY OF EVENTS

• The Wizard Walk of York. Booking at www.wizardwalkofyork.com
• Brick Magic Lego workshops with The Brick Box – York Medical Society. Booking at brickboxyorkshire.com/brick-magic-york
• Harry Potter film screenings – City Screen. Booking at www.picturehouses.com/cinema/city-screen-picturehouse
• Totally Wicked craft workshops – Avocado Events (Monday only) Booking at www.bookwhen.com/avocadoevents
• A Kind of Magic workshops – Story Craft Theatre (Saturday only) Booking at www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk
• The Curse of Professor Kettlestring – Professor Kettlestring’s Puzzling World. Booking at www.puzzlingworldyork.co.uk
• Wizard Activity Area – Parliament Street
• Magical Night Market – Shambles Market (Monday only)
• Owl Trail – Shambles Market
• Black Cat Quest and naming of new Wizard of York cat – The Cat Gallery
• Bird of Prey Experiences with York Bird of Prey Centre – Parliament Street
• Dragon meet-and-greets – St. Crux Churchyard (Monday only)
• Wizard Afternoon Teas at Plush Café
• Phoenix cocktails and mocktails – Ate O’ Clock
• Wizard of York Ice-Creams and Wizard’s Butter Brew – Loopy Scoops
• Beastly Burgers – Baby Boys Burgers, Spark:York
• The Magic Minster and Mystic Macaron – wondrous creations by Florian Poirot
• Chocolate Shots at Monk Bar Chocolatiers
• Fancy Dress Parade and Best Dressed Witch or Wizard competition
• Exclusive Wizard of York art print by Lincoln Lightfoot