York Explore's fair opens the season on 14 November, then Clifton, Acomb and Tang Hall follow, with free Baroque concerts and two Santa's Grottos in December.
York’s libraries are holding four Christmas fairs this year, starting with York Explore’s fair on Saturday 14 November, which will take over three rooms of the Library Square building from 10am to 4pm.
Explore York Libraries and Archives, the staff and community-owned mutual that runs the city’s public libraries, has published its Christmas programme. Clifton, Acomb and Tang Hall each hold a fair after York Explore. There are also free concerts in four libraries and Santa’s Grottos at Acomb and at the Rowntree Park Reading Café.
The four fairs
Each fair brings together local makers, artists and crafters from across York, with jewellery, prints, festive treats and stocking fillers on sale. The York Explore fair also has festive refreshments and a Christmas tombola, which Explore says has “amazing prizes”.
- York Explore, Library Square, YO1 7DS: Saturday 14 November, 10am to 4pm
- Clifton Explore, Rawcliffe Drive, YO30 6NS: Saturday 28 November, 10am to 3pm
- Acomb Explore, Front Street, YO24 3BZ: Saturday 5 December, 10am to 2pm, with a free Santa’s Grotto
- Tang Hall Explore, The Centre @ Burnholme, Mossdale Avenue, YO31 0HA: Saturday 12 December, 9am to 3pm
The fairs raise money for Explore. Raffle tickets, tombola turns and a coffee and cake in a Reading Café all go towards the libraries, the archives and the community activities they run.
In the chief executive’s words
Jenny Layfield, chief executive of Explore York Libraries and Archives, said:
“Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to bring people together and celebrate everything that makes our communities special.
“Our fairs showcase talented local makers and give people the chance to find unique gifts whilst supporting Explore’s work across the city.
“Every purchase and donation helps us continue providing welcoming spaces where people can read, learn, create and connect. It also helps us create more opportunities for people across York to engage with culture, heritage and community life.”
Free concerts: Baroque Around the Books
The Baroque Around the Books concerts return in December, run with the National Centre for Early Music. This year’s programme, The New Lyre, has The Portrait Players performing music and poetry by women of the 17th century. All four are free:
- Monday 7 December: Acomb Explore at 11am, Clifton Explore at 2pm
- Tuesday 8 December: Tang Hall Explore at 11am, York Explore at 2pm
Explore says the NCEM has recently been given three years of funding by The John Feldberg Foundation, so the library concerts will carry on for another three years.
Santa’s Grottos
Father Christmas is visiting two Explore sites in December. At each grotto, children meet Santa and get a small gift, and families can take their own photographs.
- Acomb Explore: Saturday 5 December, 10am to 2pm, during the fair. Explore lists this grotto as free.
- Rowntree Park Reading Café, Rowntree Park Lodge, Richardson Street, YO23 1JU: Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December, 10am to 3pm
Explore has not given a price for the Rowntree Park grotto. Our guide to Santa’s Grottos in York covers the others in the city.
Real trees for the first time
For the first time, Explore centres across the city will have real Christmas trees. Haxby and Wigginton Christmas Trees has donated them.
What it means for you
- Shopping for gifts: the York Explore fair on 14 November is the biggest and the longest, at six hours. If you live on the edge of the city, the Clifton, Acomb and Tang Hall fairs are closer to home.
- Free things to do: all four Baroque Around the Books concerts and the Acomb grotto are free.
- Supporting the libraries: the money spent at the fairs and in the Reading Cafés goes back into Explore. City of York Council pays for about two thirds of Explore’s running costs, and Explore raises the rest itself through trading, grants and fundraising.
About Explore
Explore runs fifteen libraries in York, among them York Explore, which is also home to the City Archive. It also runs seven Reading Cafés, a mobile library and a home library service, and employs around 90 people. It provides the service under a contract with City of York Council.
Explore’s own figures for last year: more than 915,000 visits, 3,581 public events attended by 55,965 people, 25,294 active library members and more than 3,389 books lent every day. Volunteers gave 23,315 hours, which Explore values at around £355,000 in staff time.
Opening times and details for each library are on the Explore York website.
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