New City-Wide Ice Trail -
One Of The Thirty One Ice Sculptures
From an Ice skating Viking to Father Christmas himself historic York will be transformed this weekend when thirty Ice Sculptures arrive to create York's first city-wide Ice Trail on 12 and 13 December, sponsored by Yorkshire Water.
Thirty of York's businesses have partnered with Make It York, the city's Destination Management Organisation, to bring sculptures carved from solid ice to venues across the city. A walking trail marking the route is available free of charge from the Visit York Information Centre at 1 Museum Street.
So, where can you go to see the Sculptures? The line-up of sculptures has been announced today to include:
James Bond theme - opposite the Chapterhouse Restaurant at the Royal York Hotel
Cheshire cat at the Grand Hotel and Spa
Aslan the Lion at York Explore
University of York's graduate in cap and gown at King's Manor
Judge's head at the Judge's Lodging, Lendal
The National Railway Museum's Flying Scotsman in St Helen's Square
Yorkshire Water's Wishing Well in St Helen's Square
CityConnect Wifi symbol in Blake Street
TalkTalk Ultra Fibre Optic Broadband's UFO in Stonegate
Giant teapot at Bettys Stonegate
Cider Bottle, Kennedy's
Banyan tree at the Banyan Bar and Grill
Turtle at Turtle Bay Restaurant
Angel in the piazza of York Minster
Diamond containing a diamond ring at Bradley's Jewellers, High Petergate
Yorkshire Terrier at the Yorkshire Bar Grill, Monkbar Hotel
Hotel du Vin's champagne bottle in Kings Square
York St John University's Eagle in Church Street
Make It York's Chocolate in ice in Davygate
Father Christmas in Shambles Market
Paver's high heeled shoe in Shambles
Ice Factor's ice skating Viking at Thor's Tipi
York Dungeon's set of stocks in Parliament Street
Mad hatter at Fenwick, Coppergate Centre
Angel Wings in the Coppergate Centre
Clifford the Knight at Clifford's Tower
York Conservation Trust's Micklegate Bar, Micklegate
Yorkshire Water's soap box cart, Micklegate
A pig and a Yoda from Star Wars at Bishy Road
Carved from crystal-clear ice, every sculpture has been chosen by a York business, ranging from a Yorkshire Terrier at the Monkbar Hotel, to a frozen Flying Scotsman in St Helen's Square. Audiences will also have the chance pose as James Bond at a 007 themed sculpture at the Chapter House Bar and Games Room, Royal York Hotel. Live ice carving will be happening throughout the weekend in St Helen's Square at 3pm each day and an ice Wishing Well, sponsored by Yorkshire Water, also in St Helen's Square, will be raising money for the charity Water Aid.
Yorkshire Water is also sponsoring a sculpture on Micklegate as thank you to local traders for their patience around all of the improvements that have been taking place on the street. A go-cart will be frozen in ice, in anticipation of the traders' Micklegate Run Soap Box Challenge planned for next summer; one of a number of new initiatives to champion 'York's finest Street. Also on Micklegate there'll be a sculpture of the Micklegate Bar.
Adding more excitement Bradley's Jewellers will be running a competition to win a platinum certified diamond ring for the person who guesses the value of the ring inside their frozen diamond sculpture. Visitors to the Ice Trail will also have a chance to win two York Passes, a five star stay at the Grand Hotel and Spa and a dinner offered by Turtle Bay restaurant.
John Bond, Communications Advisor, Yorkshire Water, said, 'We're delighted to be the official sponsor for the York Ice Trail and we hope everyone will enjoy this brilliant new addition to York's Christmas Festival. Water Aid raises money for developing countries and it's fantastic we've been able to link our chosen charity with the York Ice Trail.
Kate McMullen, Head of Consumer Products and Marketing at Make It York, said, 'We're delighted to reveal the line-up of sculptures for this weekend. We'd like to thank again the many different businesses who have supported the Ice Trail. We'll be encouraging people to share their photos on Twitter using #yorkchristmas @visityork as well as sharing their best photos of York at Christmas. With thirty bespoke sculptures across the city we hope everyone will have a favourite they would like to share'.
The Ice Trail weekend is a new addition this year to York's St Nicholas Christmas Festival, which runs from 19 November to 23 December. Added to the Ice Trail, Parliament Street is home to a Scandinavian style tipi, the new Choirs' Weekend took place 5 and 6 December and the whole St Nicholas Festival and Fair now runs for 35 days.
Kate added, 'We've received some fantastic feedback from the choirs' weekend with visitors telling us they loved the festive atmosphere. We hope the new Ice Trail weekend will be just as popular.