York Nutcracker Trail Returns for 2025 with a Kids’ Takeover

About

The York Nutcracker Trail returns for Christmas 2025 with a creative twist, as children from York and the surrounding area take the artistic lead.
From 13 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, visitors are invited to follow a free, family-friendly trail across the city to find 10 giant nutcracker sculptures, each based on designs created by local young people.

Kids’ Takeover: designs by young imaginations

For 2025, the theme Kids’ Takeover celebrates the imagination of children. Young artists were invited by York BID to submit their dream nutcracker designs, resulting in hundreds of colourful and original entries.
Ten standout concepts were selected and developed into full-size sculptures that will be displayed across York’s historic streets during the festive season.

The project reflects York BID’s commitment to involving young people in shaping the look and feel of the city centre at Christmas, creating an experience that families can enjoy together while exploring York.

Bringing the designs to life

Each chosen design has been carefully translated onto the nutcracker sculptures by local artist Marc Godfrey-Murphy, known professionally as MarcoLooks. Drawing on his experience in children’s media, he has worked closely with the original concepts to retain the bold colours, playful patterns and imaginative details that make each sculpture unique.

Through this collaboration, the trail showcases both the creativity of local children and the craft of a professional artist, resulting in a vibrant collection of characters that add festive charm to the city.

How to take part

The York Nutcracker Trail is free to enjoy and is designed as an accessible festive activity for residents, families and visitors.

• Trail dates: 13 November 2025 to 4 January 2026
• Locations: 10 nutcracker sculptures placed across York city centre
• Cost: Free self-guided trail
• Trail maps: Available from the Visit York Information Centre on Parliament Street from Thursday 13 November 2025

With the help of the trail map, participants can discover each nutcracker, enjoy the individual stories behind the designs and experience York’s seasonal atmosphere at their own pace.

About the York Nutcracker Trail

The York Nutcracker Trail is delivered by York BID as part of its programme to support a welcoming, engaging and lively city centre during the festive period.
Running from mid November through to early January, the trail offers a simple way to explore York, encourages footfall for local businesses and provides a memorable Christmas activity for families and visitors.