A Beastly Halloween in York
The tides aren’t great on the Yorkshire Coast for the last week of October, so I will be concentrating on running beastly, filthy, and frequently fossiliferous half-term activities in York instead. Their beastliness and filthiness has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with it being Halloween…
The York Book of Beasts
Tuesday October 28th, York Explore Library, 10.30am to 12pm
Thursday October 30th, Clifton Explore Library, 10.30am to 12pm
Thursday October 30th, Tang Hall Explore Library, 1.30pm to 3pm
(Book your tickets via the Explore York Ticket Tailor page!)
What strange and marvellous creatures once roamed the streets of York? Which curious beasts still lurk in its hidden corners today?
Join York’s Hidden History this October half-term for a hands-on journey into the world of ancient animals, mythical monsters, and natural wonders. Using fossils, archaeology, natural history, and imagination, children will help create The York Book of Beasts.
Study real Yorkshire fossils. Discover the fantastical beasts drawn by York’s medieval monks. See how today’s artists bring ancient creatures to life. Create your own beastly masterpiece to add to the York Book of Beasts!
Perfect for curious minds aged 6–12 and each session lasts around 90 minutes.
York Family Fossil Hunt
(or is it The Great York Fossil Haunt?)
Friday October 31st, starting outside the Yorkshire Museum
Book your tickets here!
Find fossils hiding in the buildings, streets and gardens of historic York, in the company of palaeontologist Fossiliam (Dr Liam Herringshaw). In this fun, family-friendly event, you’ll learn how to spot the many types of prehistoric plants and animals dotted around the city. You can’t collect any of them, but you’ll never be able to walk the streets in the same way!
The York family fossil hunt begins outside the Yorkshire Museum, in York Museum Gardens. We then head to the gardens’ wonderful Pebble Mosaic, where we can walk across the whole of Yorkshire in a few steps. We’ll then search for fossils in the gardens, the city walls, around York Explore Library, and will finish on Chapter House Street, near York Minster.
The event lasts around 90 minutes, and is aimed at all urban palaeontologists aged 6 and over.
The Filthy, Beastly Tour of York
Friday October 31st, 2pm, starting below Clifford’s Tower.
Book your tickets here!
Have you faced the fiery poo-bison? Been chased round York Museums Garden by an escaped brown bear? Or lugged a rotting Arctic whale round the riverside streets on a cart? No? Then you’ve clearly not been on The Filthy, Beastly Tour of York!
Join York’s Hidden History for what might just be the number-two tour of York. Or the turd-best guided walk in the city.
The Filthy, Beastly Tour of York is suitable for ages 6+. The walk lasts 60-75 minutes, beginning below Clifford’s Tower and finishing outside the Yorkshire Museum. The route is not step-free.
