Key facts
- Event location
- Canal Basin and Coach Street Car Park, Skipton
- Organiser
- Skipton Business Improvement District (BID)
- First-time feature
- Live music continued into the early evening
- Town Crier
- Kevin Griffiths
- Official celebrations
- Held in Goole for its 200th anniversary
- Established
- Yorkshire Day established in 1975 by The Yorkshire Society
Background
Yorkshire Day was established in 1975 by The Yorkshire Society. Since 1985, civic celebrations have been held in different towns and cities across the four counties.
In Skipton, the annual event is organised by the town's Business Improvement District (BID) to encourage visitors into the town centre and support the local business community.
This year's official Yorkshire Day celebrations were held in Goole as part of the town's 200th anniversary, with mayors from across Yorkshire taking part in a parade and a thanksgiving service at St John's Parish Church.
Current situation
Skipton's Yorkshire Day festivities took place at the Canal Basin and Coach Street Car Park, featuring a packed programme of family activities including a surf simulator, crazy golf, circus trick workshops and a petting zoo.
Skipton Town Crier Kevin Griffiths was in evidence crying the official Yorkshire Day Proclamation, declaring 'loyalty to the Ridings'. For the first time, live music continued into the early evening.
The event was well attended throughout the day, with families and groups making the most of the attractions. Attendees praised the organisers, with one visitor saying: "What a wonderful day it was. We came with our granddaughter and had such a great day."
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | Yorkshire Day celebrations in Skipton |
| Location | Canal Basin and Coach Street Car Park |
| Activities | Surf simulator, crazy golf, circus trick workshops, petting zoo, giant games |
| Town Crier | Kevin Griffiths |
| Live music | Continued into early evening (first time) |
| Official celebrations | Goole (200th anniversary) |
| Organiser | Skipton BID |
Impacts
The event is designed to boost footfall and spending in the town centre while creating memorable experiences for the community, aligning with Skipton BID's 'Vibrant and Inspiring' objective.
Sarah Howsen, Skipton BID manager, said: "Yorkshire Day is always one of the most popular events in our calendar – and this year was certainly no exception. We'd like to give a huge thank you to everyone that came down on the day to make it another successful event, the space was jam packed across the day."
She also thanked the individuals and businesses that helped bring it together, adding: "We're always pleased to deliver events like this to create memorable, unique experiences for everyone. Here's to Yorkshire Day 2027."
Future outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
Skipton BID is now planning further events for later in the year and has encouraged people to follow its social media channels and newsletters for future updates and announcements.
If the success of this year's event is any indication, future Yorkshire Day celebrations in Skipton could continue to draw large crowds and support local businesses.
However, the scale and nature of future events may depend on factors such as weather, funding, and community engagement, which remain to be seen.
Source: cravenherald.co.uk
