A Yorkshire Day celebration weekend to remember

Ilkley is gearing up for three fun-packed days of live music, food, drink, family fun, poetry, beer, street art, drama and more between Friday 1st and Sunday 3rd August.

Ilkley will co-hosts the official Yorkshire Day celebration, the centrepiece of Yorkshire Day, alongside Bradford, the UK City of Culture 2025.

The project team, consisting of Ilkley BID, Ilkley Town Council, Bradford Council, and volunteers from local businesses and organisations, has announced the full schedule of events with something for everyone across the whole weekend.

The official civic celebration on Friday 1st August marks the ceremonial start of Ilkley’s Yorkshire Day weekend. The centrepiece is the grand procession of around 170 mayors, town criers, and dignitaries setting off from The Grove from 10am which, according to The Yorkshire Society, is believed to be the largest mayoral gathering in the world.

Following the parade, there will be a multi-faith thanksgiving service at All Saints’ Church to reflect the inclusive spirit of the event, and a private civic lunch and reception at the Winter Garden will round off the official proceedings.

The Grove will be closed for traffic from 7am until 12 noon.

Ilkley’s Town Crier, Isabel Ashman, will read the Yorkshire Day Proclamation at midday at Station Plaza and spectators will be able to join in with a rousing rendition of Ilkley’s famous anthem, ‘On Ilkla Moor Baht’at’.

Ilkley Manor House will be open from 2-4pm for family crafting fun and traditional games and toys, and there will be two exhibitions to visit: Friends of Ilkley Rail Station’s ‘Keeping Track’, marking 160 years of railway history in Ilkley, and ‘Poetry and Image’ by the Solar Gallery.

Friday evening, 5pm to 9pm, marks the first of three sessions of the Yorkshire Beer Festival at the Clarke Foley Community Hub with a stellar lineup of Yorkshire’s finest breweries, plus wine from Martinez Wines and food from Lishman’s of Ilkley.

Advance tickets are available online for £10 per session which includes a free festival beer glass to take home as a souvenir. Proceeds will support the Clarke Foley Community Hub.

Saturday 2nd August will be a vibrant celebration of Yorkshire creativity and community with Your Ilkley Radio broadcasting live all day to capture the atmosphere.

The Grove will be closed to traffic all day to create a pedestrian-friendly festival zone from 9:30am to 8pm and the two-stage setup, the Acoustic Stage at Ilkley Bandstand and the Main Stage at the end of The Grove, will feature drama, dance, poetry and music to cater for all tastes. The headline act will be Flying Funk, who will take to the Main Stage at 7pm with their funky covers of pop and soul hits.

The Yorkshire Day Market on The Grove, running from 10am to 8pm, will feature a wide selection of Yorkshire-based traders and there will be live demonstrations and craft activities.

Tables and chairs will be set up along The Grove all day for visitors to enjoy their own picnics or to choose options from the street food vendors and local eateries.

Away from The Grove, there will be fun for the family at Ilkley Riverside Park between 10am-3pm and Ilkley Manor House will be open between 11am-4pm for children’s activities and their exhibitions.

The Yorkshire Beer Festival at the Clarke Foley Community Hub will return for two more sessions: a family-friendly afternoon from 12noon-4pm, and an evening session from 5pm–9pm.

On Sunday 3rd August, from 10am to 3pm, The Grove will host another Yorkshire Real Markets event, with local and speciality food, drinks, crafts, artwork, and homeware.

Ilkley Manor House will be open until 4pm, continuing its exhibitions and creative activities, including hands-on crafts and traditional games in the courtyard.

And at Ilkley Riverside Park, from 11am to 4pm, the Ilkley Cycling Club will run a kids’ cycling and scooting skills circuit led by British Cycling-qualified coach Harry Wood, to encourage children to build their cycling confidence under expert tuition.

Speaking ahead of the event, Sarah Brookfield-Almond, Ilkley BID Manager, said:

“We’ve got a spectacular weekend lined up in Ilkley; a true celebration of Yorkshire pride and community spirit! From the grand civic procession and the Yorkshire Day Proclamation to the live entertainment, exhibitions, family fun, Yorkshire Markets and the Yorkshire Beer Festival, it’s shaping up to be a highlight of the summer and we’re hoping that lots of people will support the event and bring their friends and family into Ilkley.   

“The whole Yorkshire Day celebration is a culmination of a year’s planning and we’re incredibly proud to host this joint event with Bradford which will shine a spotlight on Ilkley, our community and our county. We’re sure it’s going to be a weekend to remember for years to come.”

For more details, visit the Discover Ilkley website at: www.discoverilkley.co.uk.

Tickets for the Yorkshire Beer Festival are available online at: www.yorkshirebeerfestival.eventbrite.co.uk.

Any questions about the weekend should be directed to: info@ilkleybid.co.uk

Order of Events

Friday 1st August

10am – 11am: Official Yorkshire Day Procession, starting from The Grove

12noon: Yorkshire Day Proclamation by Ilkley’s Town Crier at Station Plaza

2pm – 4pm: Ilkley Manor House family fun activities, and the 160th Anniversary of Ilkley Railway exhibition

5pm – 9pm: Yorkshire Beer Festival, Clarke Foley Community Hub

Saturday 2nd August

9.30am – 8pm: Live entertainment on The Grove at the Acoustic Stage (Ilkley Bandstand) and Main Stage on The Grove.

10am – 3pm: Play in the Park at Ilkley Riverside Park. Family activities.

10am – 8pm: A Yorkshire Day Market organised by Real Markets Ilkley, focusing on Yorkshire based traders with demonstrations and activities on The Grove.

11am – 4pm: Ilkley Manor House for exhibitions, solar art gallery and children’s activities

12noon – 4pm:  Family friendly Yorkshire Beer Festival at The Clarke Foley Community Hub 

5pm – 9pm: Yorkshire Beer Festival at The Clarke Foley Community Hub

Sunday 3rd August

10am – 3pm: Real Food Ilkley market on The Grove

11am – 4pm: Ilkley Manor House for exhibitions, solar art gallery and children’s activities 

11am – 4pm: Organised by the Ilkley Cycling Club, a fun kids cycling/scooting skills circuit at Ilkley Riverside Park, with British Cycling qualified coach Harry Wood.