York Food & Drink Festival begins on Friday, 18 September and continues through 27 September, bringing ten days of food-focused activity to the city centre.

The festival highlights food, drink and producers. The official site lists a daily food market on Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square, in the historic city centre.

Its programme includes traders and producers, demonstrations and activities giving visitors opportunities to discover different products and dishes.

One advantage is the city-centre setting, which integrates the festival into York’s normal visitor flow and allows people to combine food events with the city’s historic attractions.

Food festivals of this kind can give local and independent producers access to wider audiences while allowing visitors to discover businesses that may not have national distribution.

Access conditions vary by activity. Some areas may be freely accessible while particular experiences or special events can require booking or tickets.

Visitors should check the official programme before travelling.

Image: Pixabay, Pixabay Licence. Fruit (archive photograph, not from York Food & Drink Festival 2026). Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: York Food & Drink Festival 2026 | 18–27 September.