One of my favourite events of the year in York is the Ice Trail. This year there were 33 ice sculptures to find in various parts of the city centre. The event is organised by York BID (Business Improvement District) and many of the individual sculptures are sponsored by local businesses.
This sculpture was (not surprisingly) sponsored by the National Railway Museum and located on the open space in front of St Michael le Belfrey Church, beside York Minster. It was attracting quite a crowd.
The event began as the Festival of Angels and was originally concentrated in the quieter streets of Swinegate, Back Swinegate, Little Stonegate and Grape Lane. It took place at the beginning of December and was very much part of the build up towards Christmas.
After a few years, some funding was provided the city council to extend the area where the sculptures were displayed. A few years later, council funding was cut, and the event was cancelled.
Fortunately that wasn't the end, and it reappeared as the York Ice Trail, and the date was moved to the first weekend in February, to avoid clashing with the increasingly popular Christmas Market, and it has continued at that time of year, except during Covid lockdowns when it was again cancelled.
Katharine and I had a great day and managed to find all 33 sculptures, although a few were starting to show the effects of the warm weather that we had at the weekend.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
Katharine and I really enjoyed our walk around the ice trail, and judging by the number of people with their ice trail maps, many other people were enjoying the trail as well.
Ian
February 6th, 2024
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Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
Katharine and I really enjoyed our walk around the ice trail, and judging by the number of people with their ice trail maps, many other people were enjoying the trail as well.
Ian