Yorkshire summer events 2023: Seven events and day trips to attend with family in North Yorkshire this summer and autumn from Whitby’s Fish and Ships Festival to a Yorkshire Dales jazz concert

Whether you are hosting a major community or visitor event taking place later in the year or you are looking for something to do, there are plenty of destinations within the county to choose from.

North Yorkshire is offering a packed and varied schedule over the summer, ranging from the Great Yorkshire Show and many other agricultural shows, to festivals such as the Deer Shed and Yorkshire Day events.

Here you will find just a handful of the events that might interest you across North Yorkshire in the coming weeks and months, including the returning Whitby Fish and Ships Festival.

Summer events taking place in North Yorkshire in 2023

Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate

Date: From Tuesday, July 11 to Friday, July 14

What’s on: The 164th show will run across four days and visitors can expect the best animals in the country competing including national breed shows as well as machinery, food and fun entertainment to celebrate the very best of farming, food and Yorkshire’s countryside.

Whitby Fish and Ships Festival 2023

Date: Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21

What’s on: The festival celebrates Whitby’s fishing heritage and will include cookery demonstrations in the seafood kitchen on Endeavour Wharf, featuring local and celebrity chefs, with a special focus on seafood.

Guests will include 2022 Masterchef winner Eddie Scott, Simon Crannage from Yorkshire’s Grantley Hall, The Magpie’s Paul Gildroy, Raithwaite Hall’s Phil Akrill and Andrew Nightingale from Hawsker’s Hare and Hounds.

There will also be shanty singers and bands including Flash Jack, The Keelers and the Doomfolk, as well as local bands. Stalls will showcase local produce and there will be children’s trampolines, face painting and balloon making and walkabout acts, as well as workshops, tours and talks.

Big Ideas by the Sea, Scarborough

Date: Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 21

What’s on: The new Yorkshire coast festival will bring some of the best speakers locally and across the UK to talk about big issues related to the environment, climate change and history.

The goal of the event is to become the leading cultural festival in the North of England and artist Kane Cunningham and former City of York archaeologist John Oxley MBE will focus on concerns facing local communities and people across the globe.

Kane Cunningham said: “We are glad to secure Professor Dan Parsons from the University of Hull who is a climate and environmental expert. He will be there on Saturday morning on 21 May to open the festival lectures.

“This will lead onto Judy Ling Wong and Charlotte Bonner, who will discuss sustainability in the workplace and in education. We are really keen to attract lots of young people to the day which we are calling Agents of Change.”

John Oxley said: “We are also planning a community archaeological dig in the Old Town of Scarborough. Our intention is to open up a large trench by St Mary’s Church in the Old Town at Paradise Walk. This ‘Time-Team’ style dig over six days will take the festival to communities that would not normally take part in such an event.”

This festival will run until Saturday, June 3.

RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate

Date: Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30

What’s on: Garden lovers can enjoy the incredible gardens as they burst into colour during spring. Harlow Carr will be holding its first horticulture show of the year, showcasing the best of spring.

Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, Ripon

Date: From Tuesday, April 25 to Thursday, April 27

What’s on: A botanical illustrations workshop will take place on these dates with award-winning illustrator Bridget Gillespie.

Mercer Art Gallery exhibition

Date: The event will run until Sunday, July 2 and the gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free.

What’s on: A major new exhibition in collaboration with Tate and National Galleries of Scotland at the Mercer Art Gallery will feature art by Turner Prize winner Martin Creed, who was born in Yorkshire and rose to fame following his award-winning art installations.

Northallerton’s May Fair

Date: From Thursday, April 27 to Monday, May 1

What’s on: The annual fair will be held on Northallerton High Street with rides, stalls and games. The High Street will be closed to cars, but the shops will remain open, so that visitors can make a day of it in town.

Leyburn Jazz Festival

Date: From Thursday, October 19 to Sunday, October 22

What’s on: The jazz festival will include workshops for young people with world class performers and this year with an even stronger education element, adding sessions with composer in residence Paul Edis.

Local musicians of all ages will get the chance to be part of a community Leyburn Festival Jazz Collective band and perform during the festival, which is part of BlueBoxt.

The music is based in St Matthew’s Church, with a day of concerts in Tennants Garden Rooms and events at other venues in the town. This year the programme includes performances by Jacqui Dankworth, Hot Club du Nord, Paul Edis, Natalie Wildgoose, BBC Young Jazz Musician of 2022 Ben Shankland, and Alligator Gumbo, as well as a gospel choir and the Climax Jazz and Blues Band.

One of the founders of the festival, Colin Bailey, said: “There are all sorts of ways to be involved: helping us deal with publicity, developing a Friends organisation - an important new project for this year, ideal for someone who knows the area well. With an event like this, everyone can make such a valuable contribution.”