The York Ice Sculpture Trail is back for 2026, bringing one of North Yorkshire’s most loved winter events back to the city centre. Looking for something exciting to do this weekend? The York Ice Trail returns, the streets of York will be transformed into “An Enchanted City” featuring stunning ice sculptures inspired by magic, mystery, and the weird and wonderful – creating an extraordinary trail.
After attracting over 85,000 visitors last year, the event is back thanks to Make It York, with a spectacular trail of 31 beautifully carved ice sculptures to discover across the city. It’s a brilliant family-friendly activity, encouraging visitors to explore York while hunting down each icy artwork.
Sculptures will be dotted throughout the city centre — from the Park & Ride bus on Parliament Street to the Bettys Express Train on Davygate. The trail runs on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th February 2026, and best of all, it’s completely free to attend. Sculptures can be viewed between 10.30am and 4pm, giving visitors plenty of time to soak up the magic.
Each sculpture is sponsored by a local business, whose support helps make the event possible. The previous Ice Trail proved hugely popular, with footfall exceeding 85,000 visitors over the weekend, highlighting the event’s growing appeal to both residents and tourists.
New for 2026, Make It York is also launching an ‘Ice Village’ — a curated market space themed around ‘Enchanted’, featuring family-friendly activities and themed traders to add even more magic to the weekend.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said: “We’re always excited to bring back the York Ice Trail, which is a real highlight of our calendar. It’s a fantastic event that brings residents and visitors together to experience the city, and this year’s theme won’t disappoint.”
Find out more about the York Ice Trail 2026 via the website here.
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