Stay inside the walls this weekend, check dates Check dates and book direct
Bonfire Night is out of the way by the time this weekend comes round, but York still has plenty on for grown ups from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026. If you're looking for things to do in York this weekend, here's what we'd go for, each one checked against the venue or organiser's own listing. Most of these events in York this weekend are ticketed, so it's worth booking before you travel.
Friday gives you a choice of two very different nights. The punk poet Dr John Cooper Clarke is at the Grand Opera House on Cumberland Street, with doors at 7pm. Over at York Barbican, British country duo The Shires play at 7.30pm on their first full band UK tour in four years, with songs from their new album, Bonfire.
On Saturday 7 November, Gareth Malone brings his concert to the Grand Opera House, so check the venue page for the start time. If you still fancy fireworks, York's biggest bonfire is at Rawcliffe Bar Country Park off Shipton Road, run in aid of The Fire Fighters Charity, with live music, a huge bonfire and the main display at 7.30pm. It's a short ride out of the centre, so plan your taxi or bus back.
Sunday 8 November is Remembrance Sunday. The city's service is held at the City War Memorial, and the city falls silent at 11am. Last year the military parade left Clifford's Tower at 10.20am and came back along Coney Street afterwards. The council usually confirms the timings in the week before, so check its news page. That evening, the Gipsy Kings by André Reyes play York Barbican at 7.45pm, a lively way to round off the weekend.
For a slower afternoon, York Minster's exhibition St William of York: Life and Legacy runs until January 2027 in the Treasury and is included with a sightseeing ticket. It tells the story of the city's patron saint, with pieces of his medieval shrine back in the Minster for the first time in almost 500 years.
Tips for your visit
- Times can change, so check each venue's page before you set off. You'll find more of what's on in York on our news page.
- Staying in a York city centre holiday let means the Barbican and the Opera House are both an easy walk, so there's no need to drive into town at night.
- Our York apartment with parking lets you leave the car in its secure space and do the whole weekend on foot.
Fancy a weekend for two inside the city walls, in the Skeldergate area, with secure parking? Check your dates and book direct with us. Book direct
Stay inside the walls this weekend, check dates Check dates and book direct
Sources: Grand Opera House York (ATG): Dr John Cooper Clarke; Grand Opera House York (ATG): Gareth Malone; York Barbican: The Shires; York Barbican: Gipsy Kings by André Reyes; North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service events: North Yorkshire firefighters bonfire; City of York Council: York's Remembrance Sunday parade and service (2025 timings); York Minster: St William of York, Life and Legacy