THE YORK BRIEF - WEEKEND WRAP UP ⏰ February 28 - March 1, 2026

Happy weekend, York! It's been a massive week for our city, from bold economic blueprints to history-making rugby league, rainbow-lit city walls and a world-famous Japanese print landing right here on our doorstep. Grab a brew, settle in, and let's catch you up on everything that matters.

📰 THIS WEEK IN YORK

🏛️ ECONOMY & DEVELOPMENT

💼 York & North Yorkshire reveals bold 10-year economic blueprint; The region's big moment came this week at Malmaison York, where Mayor David Skaith unveiled Ambition 2035, a Local Growth Plan targeting a 25% productivity increase, £8.8bn added to the UK economy, 20,000 more people brought into work, and average wages rising by around a third. The plan also targets 60,000 new homes over the decade, including 25,000 affordable properties. Mayor Skaith said: "better wages, better quality work and better, warmer, and more affordable homes." This is York and North Yorkshire playing the long game.

🎓 University of York launches £1M fund to tackle city's toughest challenges; The University of York's School for Business and Society has partnered with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to launch the New Horizons: Driving Social Change Fund, a five-year, £1 million initiative co-producing research with local communities. Focus areas include children's mental health, housing inequality, poverty and the cost of living crisis, and York Central development. Grants range from £3,000 for community projects up to £150,000 for major regional initiatives. Real research, real impact, for real Yorkers.

“The New Horizons Fund will help us deepen our partnerships across the region by investing in co-produced research that addresses complex challenges such housing inequality or the cost of living crisis, translating our academic research into a tangible 'public good' for York and the wider region." 

🏥 HEALTH & COMMUNITY

🌈 York's city walls glow rainbow for LGBTQ+ Adoption & Fostering Week; City of York Council and One Adoption North and Humber have lit up the iconic city walls in rainbow colours to mark LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week (2–6 March), themed Now's the Time. Across the region, 1 in 5 adopters identify as LGBTQ+. With over 50 children currently waiting to be matched, nearly half waiting with siblings, the message is clear: there's never been a more urgent time. If you've ever thought about fostering or adoption, now's the time to take that first step.

🏠 York Masonic care home set to be sold: Connaught Court on St Oswald's Road in Fulford - run by the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution Care Company - is among 15 homes across England and Wales set to be sold after the charity announced it is exiting the care sector. Around 958 residents live across the 15 sites, which employ 1,500 staff. The sale process is expected to take time, and buyers are being sought who will keep the homes running.

📱 New physio app launches for York NHS patients; Ascenti Reach, a digital physiotherapy rehabilitation app, has been rolled out in partnership with York and Scarborough NHS Trust, giving patients 24/7 access to personalised exercise plans, guided videos, physio check-ins, and progress tracking. The app is designed to support recovery from back, neck and knee conditions between appointments, reducing reliance on in-clinic visits.

🌿 Huntington School opens new sensory garden for pupils; York's Huntington School has officially opened a brand-new sensory garden, providing a calming outdoor space designed to support pupil wellbeing and inclusive learning. The school, already the city's first Gold Healthy Schools Award holder, continues to put pupil health front and centre.

🎵 New song 'The Pilgrim Way' now available across York schools; A newly commissioned piece - The Pilgrim Way - has been made available to schools across York, celebrating the city's rich heritage of pilgrimage and history.

⛪ St Chad's Church kicks off centenary year celebrations; St Chad's on Campleshon Road, a Grade II listed church near York Racecourse, is celebrating its centenary this year, marking 100 years since the church's consecration in 1926. A special Choral Evensong with the Bishopthorpe Road Benefice Singers takes place on Sunday, 1st March at 4 pm, with festive refreshments served afterwards. All are welcome!

🏙️ CITY UPDATES

🚶 River Ouse walkway closure extended, again: The beloved footpath between North Street Gardens and Ouse Bridge has been shut since Friday 27th February and will remain closed until at least Friday, 20th March, due to ongoing structural defects. City of York Council has earmarked £130,000 for a full assessment as part of next year's budget. Alternative routes via Bridge Street and North Street are signed.

🍺 York's most exciting new bar has its own brewhouse, and it's coming to the Guildhall: Jamie Hawksworth, director of Pivovar (the team behind York Tap and Pivni), says he's "never been as excited" about any project, and this one is something special. The company's planned Mittel River Terrace at the long-empty Guildhall Restaurant will cost at least £1.6 million and feature a 500-litre copper brewhouse, hand-built in Pilsen, Czech Republic, sitting at the centre of the restaurant. Think private river views, south-facing terraces, Bavarian-inspired lagers brewed on-site, and a gastro menu featuring oysters and rotisserie pork. York's been waiting for this space to come alive since the £20M Guildhall refurb completed in 2022. YorkMix | Gazette & Herald

🚽 City centre loo drama: firefighters called to St Helen's Square; Only in York. Firefighters from Acomb were called to a retail premises in St Helen's Square at 1.15pm on Friday after someone got stuck inside a toilet cubicle. A "hooligan tool" was deployed to secure the release. Everyone walked away safely, and, we presume, rather embarrassed.

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

🌊 Hokusai's 'Great Wave' is now on display in York: This is a big one. Making Waves: The Art of Japanese Woodblock Print opened yesterday at York Art Gallery, and the centrepiece is Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa, one of the most recognisable artworks on the planet, on loan from Maidstone Museum. The exhibition runs until 30th August 2026 and includes over 100 prints, kimonos from Durham Oriental Museum, rare books from the British Library, and pieces from York's own collection, some never exhibited before. A Japanese-style garden is being installed in Museum Gardens for spring. Entry is included with general admission. Go. York Art Gallery

🏺 York Ceramics Fair returns to York Racecourse; Mark your calendars, the York Ceramics Fair is back on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th March at York Racecourse. Curated by the Craft Potters Association, the 2026 edition features 72 exhibitors from across the UK, 23 of them showing in York for the first time. Buy directly from the makers, catch live demonstrations, and hear specialist talks. No commission is taken on sales. Tickets from £7. York Ceramics Fair

🗳️ POLITICS

📊 Mayor Skaith: "A really tough day for Labour" after Gorton & Denton shock; The Green Party pulled off a historic parliamentary by-election win in Gorton and Denton, previously a rock-solid Labour seat in Greater Manchester, pushing Labour into third behind Reform UK. Mayor David Skaith called it "a really tough day" for the party but noted a silver lining: the combined Labour and Green vote still far outpaced Reform. York and North Yorkshire's own Labour project, he insisted, remains on track.

🎵 MUSIC

🎸 Elvis Costello is coming to York this summer! Music legend Elvis Costello & The Imposters have added a York Barbican date to their 2026 UK tour - Wednesday 17th June. The show features Radio Soul!: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello, drawing from his classic 1977–1986 era, with special guest Chris Difford (of Squeeze) and guitarist Charlie Sexton. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 6th March via the York Barbican website. Don't sleep on this one.

💪 COMING TO YORK - GIANTS LIVE

🏋️ Britain's Strongest Woman & England's Strongest Man confirmed for York Barbican; Giants Live is returning to the York Barbican this summer with two massive strongman events. Britain's Strongest Woman takes place on Saturday,, 25th July - will defending champion Lucy Underdown retain her crown? England's Strongest Man follows on Sunday, 26th July, with reigning champion Paddy Haynes looking to defend his title. Both events are filmed for Channel 5. Tickets are available now via the Barbican website.

🏉 SPORT

🏆 HISTORY MADE: York Knights claim first-ever Super League away win; What a night. York Knights - in only their third Super League match since promotion - beat Hull FC 17-16 at the MKM Stadium on Friday evening to record the club's first-ever top-flight away victory. Debutant David Nofoaluma was the hero, scoring twice, with Ben Jones-Bishop adding a third try and Danny Richardson's drop-goal proving the difference. The Knights, who also stunned reigning champions Hull KR on opening night, now sit third in Super League. Mark Applegarth's side are making believers of us all.

🎪 WHAT'S ON THIS WEEKEND

🗓️ SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY:

⛪ Centenary Choral Evensong, St Chad's Church Join St Chad's on Campleshon Road as they begin their centenary celebrations with a special Choral Evensong featuring the Bishopthorpe Road Benefice Singers and Friends, with organist Geoffrey Coffin. Festive refreshments served afterwards. A beautiful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Sunday 1st March at 4pm, Campleshon Road, York YO23 1EY. Free entry. St Chad's Church

🎭 York Literature Festival kicks off; York Lit Fest 2026 launches this Saturday and runs all month across multiple city venues. Highlights include Pulp guitarist Mark Webber, journalist and activist Laura Bates, and acclaimed fantasy writer Susanna Clarke. 45+ events throughout March. (Multiple venues, all month) Tickets - York Literature Festival.

😂 Josh Widdicombe: Not My Cup Of Tea - The comedian brings his new tour to York Barbican. (York Barbican, 7:30pm) More Information.

📚 Jupiter Cloud Book Festival - A one-day celebration of books with 20+ authors, workshops, talks and bookish gifts. (St Saviourgate, 11 am–5 pm) Details.

🎭 Last chance - Barnum & Beauty and the Beast - Both shows close today. Barnum at Grand Opera House (2:30 pm & 7:30 pm) and Beauty and the Beast at Joseph Rowntree Theatre (2 pm & 7:30 pm). Details

📅 SUNDAY 1 MARCH

🦸 York Comic Con - The big one! Tracy Beaker star Dani Harmer and actor James D'Arcy headline as special guests. Cosplay, stage talks, and a huge geeky market. (York Racecourse, 11 am– 5 pm) More Info.

🎤 York Community Choir Festival begins - 43 choirs, 9 concerts across the week. Opens today at Joseph Rowntree Theatre. More Info.

😂 Justin Moorhouse: The Greatest Performance of My Life - Stand-up comedy at The Crescent. (7 pm). Details.

💎 7:30 pm - Comedy variety drag show with live vocals and dance at the Grand Opera House. (7:30 pm) Details.