27/01/2009

An exciting programme of events is in store for York residents this weekend, as York Residents Festival 2009 is launched on Saturday 31 January by Visit York, the city's tourism body. York Residents Festival - organised for the first time by Visit York - and sponsored by First, is the new name for the city's annual Residents First Weekend.

Attracting up to 20,000 York residents annually and now in its thirteenth year, the event is organised to offer local people the chance to explore their city as visitors. York Residents Festival has been sponsored by First and is supported by Minster FM, Your Local Link and Yorkshire Tourist Board.

This year's festival will run over the weekend of 31st January with several events continuing until Friday 6th February 2009, so allowing everyone plenty of time to take part. Over fifty of the city's museums, tours and attractions are taking part offering free and discounted entry to residents with a valid YORKCard, as well as the opportunity to enjoy exclusive shopping discounts and special deals at some of the city's top restaurants.

Attractions opening their doors with free admission over the course of the Residents Festival include Barley Hall, DIG, JORVIK, Richard III Museum, Micklegate Bar Museum, Richard III Museum, Bedern Hall, Haunted, the Merchant Taylor's Hall, Murton Park, the National Railway Museum, the Regimental Museum, the Roman Bath Museum, the Mansion House, York Art Gallery, York Castle Museum, the Yorkshire Museum and York Dungeon.

The city's churches are also getting more involved this year offering guided tours and exhibitions with some innovative events on offer. Pop into Holy Trinity Church to see the National Railway Museum's resident actor Chris Cade perform ‘the Life of the Railway King' (performances throughout Saturday 31st Jan) or take a guided tour of the world famous stained glass windows in the Church of All Saints. At York Art Gallery residents can join professional York artist Jake Attree for a practical art session and free tours of the city's theatres are also on offer.

Pre-booking is required for some of the attractions and guided tours, details of which can be found on the Visit York website at www.visityork.org or by picking up a leaflet from the De Grey Rooms Visitor Information Centre in exhibition square.

New in the programme for this year is York Glaziers Trust, offering residents a unique chance to preview the new Bedern workshop for a glimpse of stained glass conservation in action. Free tours will be led by the people engaged in the conservation of the Minster's Great East Window. (Pre-booking is essential, by email at info@yorkglaziers.org.uk or by post to YGT, 6 Deangate, York, YO1 7JB).

This year's festival will also see an exclusive exhibition at HSBC Bank in Parliament Street. ‘Treasures from the Archives' will display material from one of the richest collections of archive material in the world, York City Archives. From the Henry II charter, which lay the foundation for the development of the City of York, to the civil defence collection from the war years, this collection is of national importance.

Gillian Cruddas, Chief Executive of Visit York, said, ‘The Residents Festival is a great opportunity for local people to visit York's many museums and attractions free of charge.
We hope everyone enjoys it and we'd especially like to thank First and all the businesses in the city who have supported it. Over 80% of visitors to York make a repeat visit and by encouraging residents to explore what's on their doorstep, we hope they will help us to spread the word about what a great city York is.'

Andrew Waller, Leader of the city of York council said, ‘ We are delighted that there is even more for people to see this year. It is a great way to say thank you to the residents of York for the welcome that they offer to York's four million visitors every year, especially given the importance of the tourism for our local economy. We wish the festival every success.'

Visitors to York can also enjoy the festival, with free entertainment in the city centre over the weekend with local bands playing on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. As well as a variety of live music, there will be a street circus and talent contests taking place in Parliament Street, and exhibitions displayed across the city.

Residents need a valid YORKCard to gain admission at each participating venue. The YORKCard is available free of charge to residents living within the City of York Council area from any City of York library. A York Residents Festival information point will be located on Parliament Street from Friday 30th January to Sunday 1st February 2009.

For more information about the Festival and what's happening, visit www.visityork.org or pick up a leaflet from the De Grey Rooms Visitor Information Centre in Exhibition Square. ENDS. For more information, please contact Kay Hyde, PR Manager, Visit York, Tel: 01904 554451, email: kh@visityork.org or Katie Porter, PR Executive, Visit York, Tel: 01904 554436, email: kp@visityork.org

Notes To The Editor

A full copy of the Residents Festival listings can be found in the email attachment.

Logo for festival also attached.

Just some of the great offers open to York residents throughout Residents Festival are listed below - please consult the email attachment for a full list.

Free Travel
To help residents make the most of the festival, First Bus are offering all residents a two for one FirstDay ticket for use on the Saturday and Sunday (31st Jan & 1st Feb). Simply buy a FirstDay ticket on the Saturday and travel free on Sunday on production of your YorkCard and the ticket you purchased on the Saturday.

Attractions
Barley Hall
Coffee yard off Stonegate, 01904 610275
Free Admission. Saturday & Sunday 10am - 5pm.
Discover the medieval townhouse of the Priors of Nostell and Mayor of York. Last admission 5pm.

DIG
St Saviourgate, 01904 543403
Free Admission. Saturday & Sunday 10am - 5pm; Monday - Wednesday 4pm - 6pm Visitors can grab a trowel and get their hands dirty whilst going on a fascinating archaeological exploration.

Haunted
35 Stonegate
Free Tours. Saturday - Thursday 11am - 5:30pm
A real haunted house, over 700 years old. Countless visitors have felt the icy touch of
invisible fingers and heard eerie screeching from the attic. Not suitable for disabled people due to the stairs.

JORVIK Viking Centre
Coppergate, 01904 543402
Free Admission. Saturday - Wednesday 4pm - 6pm
Visitors can travel back in time through the reconstructed Viking city of Jorvik. Last admission 6pm.

National Railway Museum
Leeman Road, 01904 686235
Free Admission and Tours. Saturday & Sunday 10am - 6pm
Enjoy a unique behind the scenes tour of Search Engine - National Railway Museum's new £4 million library and archive centre. Tours will run throughout the weekend and booking is essential on the above number.

York Castle Museum
Eye of York, 01904 687687
Free Admission. Saturday & Sunday 9:30am - 5pm
Take a tantalising trip through time as you step into the world famous recreated street - Kirkgate. Don't miss the special exhibition - The Sixties.

York Dungeon
Clifford Street, 01904 632599
Free Admission. Saturday & Sunday 10:30am - 5pm
The York Dungeon invites you to a unique feast of fun with history's horrible bits. Live actors, shows and special effects transport you back to those black, bleak times. The York Dungeon is not recommended for those of a nervous disposition or young children. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

The York Glaziers Trust
The Bedern, info@yorkglaziers.org.uk
Free tours (booking essential). Saturday & Sunday 11am, 12pm, 2pm & 3pm.
Visit our new Bedern workshop for a glimpse of stained glass conservation in action. Tours will be led by the people who will be engaged in the conservation of the Minster's Great East Window. Tickets available by email or post to YGT, 6 Deangate, York YO1 7JB.

York Minster Tower and Undercroft
York Minster, 01904 557200
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Residents will have the opportunity to tour the Undercroft, Treasury and Crypt or climb 275 steps to the top of the central tower for amazing views of York. Tickets will be issued on a first come, first served basis from the Minster's information desk on Saturday 31st January (please note York Minster is closed to visitors on Sunday 1st February).

Exhibitions

Tempest Anderson Hall
Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens
Free Admission Sunday 11.30am & Wednesday 2pm
The Yorkshire Film Archive present "100 Years of York life on film": a fascinating selection of moving images, including York in the 1920s, the Minster over the decades, Military Sundays, the sugar beet factory, and the building of the University.

Grand Opera House York
Cumberland Street, 01904 678700
Free Admission, Sunday 12pm - 4pm
Open Day - Explore this historic building and see the parts of the theatre that usually only the stars and ghosts get to see.
Free Admission Wednesday 3pm and 3.30pm
Back stage tours. Pre-booking is essential at the Box Office.

Restaurant offers

Please Restrictions apply, please see individual offers for further details.

A free bottle of wine...
Akbars Restaurant, George Hudson Street
Bombay Spice, Goodramgate
Hotel Du Vin, The Mount
Lady Anne Middleton's Hotel
31 Castlegate
The Lime House Restaurant
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa

Buy One, Get One Free...
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa
Nineteen Restaurant
Kennedy's Bar and Restaurant

A free starter or dessert...
1331 Bar and Restaurant
DCH at the Dean Court
The Court Café-Bar Bistro at the Dean Court
Meltons Restaurant
Meltons Too

Poetry and limerick competition:
Write a short poem or limerick of no more than 150 words about why York is such a fantastic place to live.

Send entries along with your name, address and age (if under sixteen) to:
Residents Festival Competition
Visit York
20 George Hudson Street
York
YO1 6WR

To arrive no later than 6th February 2009.

Adults over sixteen

First Prize:
A fabulous Decléor Exclusive Themed Lifestyle Day at Middlethorpe Hotel & Spa worth £340.

Second prize:
A family three-course Sunday lunch including a bottle of wine, soft drinks and coffee at Hotel Du Vin (2 adults & 2 children) valid until 31 March 2009.

Children under sixteen:

First Prize:
A fabulous day out at Go Ape with a family gift voucher (2 adults & 2 baboons)

Second Prize:
£50 of free toys at Bubbles Gillygate

Win a P&O Ferries Minicruise

Come along to the Visit York information point in Parliament Square from Friday 30th January to Sunday 1st February and fill in a survey for a chance to win a P&O Ferries Minicruise for 2 people to Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Bruges to be taken before the end of March 2009.

Notes to Editors:

What is Visit York?

Visit York is the new driving force for the city's tourism industry and the official tourism body for York and the surrounding area. Visit York aims to create a stronger more integrated approach to tourism, working with businesses, Yorkshire Forward and Yorkshire Tourist Board. It was formed on 1st April 2008 and brought together the City Council, the York Hospitality Association and the former York Tourism Bureau. The Chairman is John Yeomans and the Chief Executive is Gillian Cruddas.

Its aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure and business visitor, and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York. It is responsible for leisure and conference marketing, visitor services (running the city's Visitor Information Centres), training and developing the tourism product. Visit York aims to increase the value of the visitor economy by at least 5% annually.

Tourism in York already makes a huge contribution to the well-being of the city, however, Visit York aims to drive this to a higher level. Here are the latest figures:

• 4.09 million visitors a year (2007/2008)
• £364 million spent in York each year (2007/2008 )
• 10,646 jobs in York created by tourism (2007/2008)
• Staying visitors generated 2 million bednights (2007/2008)
• 15% of visitors are from overseas (around a quarter of these from North America)
• 80% of visitors in 2007-08 were repeat visitors
• Top overseas markets include USA, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium