Barbican “free event” day allocated to York Archaeologists

When, seven years ago, the Barbican auditorium was leased to the private sector, one of the conditions was that the building should be made available, free of charge, twice a year, to local groups who wished to stage an event.

Next year, the York Archaeological Trust will stage a new event which will form part of the 2019 Viking Festival.

This will be a concert featuring several headline acts from around Europe, each of whom has a significant international and domestic following. This will bring a new audience to York and enhance the JORVIK Viking Festival which attracts over 60k visitors generating a spend of £4.5 m in the local economy.

York residents will also benefit from this event “as York proudly celebrates its Norse heritage and a Norse inspired music event will enable the local audience to get involve”.

This event will be unique to York; there is no other large scale celebration of Viking inspired music in the UK.

“Viking Hall” planned for Castle car park  

With the organisers of the Shakespearean Rose Theatre eager to return next summer for a repeat performance, it looks like they may have to dislodge Viking invaders first.

The York Council is reporting that they have been approached to provide a Viking themed theatrical experience which would include a Viking Great Hall and courtyard theatre “creating an immersive performance space with a capacity of approximately 100 people per show – with 360-degree sets, live actors, and special effects”.

The installation would also include a Viking themed homestead featuring food and beverage outlets, box office, sheltered and unsheltered seating, entertainment and demonstration stage and the potential for a craft and skills market.

The Council says this would involve the closure of the Castle Car Park to create a new area of “high-quality public realm”. Work on an alternative car park – a multi storey on St Georges Field – has not yet started.

The Rose theatre benefited from one of the warmest and driest summers we have had since the second world war. The test for outdoor attractions always comes with poorer weather. Time will tell what type of events are sustainable near the Castle.

As for the Viking Hall, our predecessors from Scandinavia were famous for their love of the arts. Many a happy evening was spent sitting next to an open fire sipping buttermilk and listening to the harps, lyres and lutes.

They might occasionally drink ale and mead, prompting the following poetic warning

Less good than they say
for the sons of men
is the drinking oft of ale:
for the more they drink,
the less they can think
and keep a watch over their wits.

Beers in those days were much weaker than today.

If the Viking Hall operators hope to get a license for their establishment, no doubt they will restrict sales to Kaliber and the like (No I didn’t think so either)

The Viking Hall would be open between January and May.  January to March is a notoriously quiet time in the York City centre.

What’s on in York: Vikings – Rediscover the Legend

Yorkshire Museum :

Fri 19 May – Sun 5 Nov :

10.00am – 5.00pm :

£7.50 & concessions

May _19VikingTwo of the most significant and internationally recognised collections of Viking Age treasure in Britain will be brought together for the first time in a major new exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum in 2017.

Featuring some of the most exciting Anglo-Saxon and Viking discoveries ever made, the exhibition will explore how the Vikings transformed life in Britain.

Star objects from the British Museum will feature alongside the Yorkshire Museum’s world class collections and will be interpreted in new ways to give a fresh perspective on how Vikings shaped every aspect of life in Britain.

It will also feature ground-breaking research by archaeologists and new discoveries by metal-detectorists which will challenge our perceptions of what it means to be Viking.

The exhibition will open at the Yorkshire Museum and then tour to the University of Nottingham Museum, The Atkinson, Southport, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Norwich Castle Museum.

Tickets :
Adult: £7:50
Child under 16 – Free with a paying adult
Access Ticket – £4
With a York Card – 20% off a day ticket

For more infomation please visit our website.

What’s on in York: Meet the Vikings at York Minster!

As part of the York Viking Festival – Meet the Vikings!

  • 21-23 Feb 17

10.00am

FREE (Standard admission applies)

Tuesday 21st, Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd, 10am-3pm, at York Minster.

Handle authentic and replica Viking artefacts, learn how to play a Viking board game, and discover more about the mystery that is York Minster during the Viking period.

Find out more about Vikings and their relationship with Christianity at one of our short spotlight talks, at 12:00 and 14:00.

Discover Viking stories with exciting storytelling at 11:00 and 13:00.

Activities above are free with standard admission.Admission ticket lasts for 12 months. Family 12-month ticket from £10 (valid for up to 4 children visiting the Minster with 1 adult). FREE admission to Minster for York residents with York card.

Wednesday 22nd 10am-3pm

Make a Viking Long Boat!

Suitable for ages 5+. £2.50 per participant. Standard admission charges apply.

What’s on in York: Viking fun in the holidays

Viking Boy

Date: Mon 15 Feb
Time: 10.00am – 10.45am
Venue: York Explore Library
Cost: Free

Come and join us for a special Viking story & play session for Under 5s and their carers.

More

Date: Tues 16 Feb
Time: 4.30pm – 5.30pm
Venue: York Explore Library
Cost: Free

Come to our [uber] cool reading group. Discover a range of Viking stories with people who enjoy reading.

More

Date: Tues 16 Feb
Time: 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Venue: Haxby Explore Library
Cost: Free

Come and learn how to craft like a Viking

More

Date: Mon 22 Feb
Time: 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Venue: Clifton Explore Library
Cost: £1.50

Aged between 5 & 12 years old? Love history? Enjoy listening to stories?  Being creative? Then this is the event for you.

More