The UK’s current City of Culture, Bradford, and Ilkley will co-host this year’s Yorkshire Day celebration. Taking place on 1st August every year, Yorkshire Day is an annual celebration dedicated to England’s largest county, allowing communities to come together and celebrate the rich heritage of God’s Own Country.
The celebrations will begin on Yorkshire Day itself, Friday 1st August, and will be followed by a weekend of events and pop-ups that Yorkshire folk can enjoy. Kicking off on one of Ilkley’s main streets, The Grove, spectators will be able to watch a special procession, consisting of around 170 mayors, town criers, and dignitaries from 10am. The Yorkshire Society claims this will be the largest mayoral gathering in the world, so it’s set to be a unique sight.
Ilkley’s Town Crier, Isabel Ashman, will also read a Yorkshire Day Proclamation at noon, before leading a group sing-along of On Ilkla Moor Baht’at at Station Plaza. Family fun activities at Ilkley Manor House between 2pm and 4pm, before the Yorkshire Beer Festival kicks off at 5pm at the Clarke Foley Community Hub.
Saturday and Sunday offer more jam-packed fun, including live music and entertainment along The Grove, a Yorkshire Day market with tons of traders (including street food) and various family-friendly activities at Riverside Park.
The events have been planned in collaboration between Ilkley BID, Ilkley Town Council and Bradford Council, and will act as the region’s official Yorkshire Day celebrations. Yorkshire Day became an ‘official’ regional event back in 1985, and a different location is chosen each year to host the celebrations. York hosted last year’s celebrations.
Ilkley Mayor Cllr Jane Gibson, said: “We’re delighted to be co-hosting Yorkshire Day in Ilkley, and we look forward to showing the best of our beautiful town to those visiting us from right across Yorkshire. Ilkley, recently named as the Sunday Times Best Place to Live in the North and North East 2025, has a wealth of attractions from the iconic Cow and Calf rocks and famous Ilkley Moor to the wonderful riverside green spaces, as well as many historical attractions, including Ilkley Manor House.
“We’re incredibly proud to host this joint event with Bradford which will shine a spotlight on Ilkley, our county and the true diversity of the Bradford district.”
Find out more about the events planned here.
Read more: 12 Incredible Things Yorkshire Has Given The World
