The Yorkshire Ridings Society

Yorkshire Day 2009 Events.

More information about Yorkshire Day events: add your own information or read more by clicking on the Comments link at the foot of this post.

York: The traditional reading of the Declaration of Yorkshire Integrity will take place on Yorkshire Day at four of the Bars (gates) of York. The first reading will be at Walmgate Bar at 10.45. The reading at Mickelgate Bar will be at 11:34 indicating the 1134 years since the first reference to Yorkshire and its Ridings. Further readings will then take place at Bootham Bar and Monk Bar with a final reading in St Sampson's Square, at about 1 PM, where a Yorkshire Day event, featuring two brass bands, has been arranged by York City Council. There is a Yorkshire Day  Beer Festival at the Bay Horse, Marygate which will run throughout the day.

Hessle, East Riding: An East Riding event has been held for a number of years. This year it is at Hessle Square. It will feature music and food as well as the reading of the Declaration of Yorkshire Integrity. Start is around 10.00.

Saltburn: The North Eastern branch of the Ridings' Society is organising its annual Duck Race and a Yorkshire Day Country Fair at Saltburn on Sea.

Pickering: A day of activities including music and dance is taking place in Pickering to celebrate the county's special day.

Leeds: A Yorkshire Day barbeque is being organised at Temple Newsum in the evening.

Sunday, August 2nd, Saddleworth: Yorkshire Day celebrations in Upper Mill with a procession, Reading of the Declaration of Yorkshire Integrity, music and a country fair.

There are many other events taking place all over the county. Details may be in local newspapers or announced on local radio.

Add your own information or read more by clicking on the Comments link below.

To Germany with a White Rose. 250 miles for 250 years.

Why would anyone walk 250 miles to Germany carrying a white rose bush?

Well Tony Hawks travelled round Ireland with a fridge, so it's perhaps not as strange as it first seems.

YRS members Christine and Roger Sewell will set off from the Mansion House in York on the 16th July to walk to the site of the Battle of Minden, in Germany. The battle took place on 1st August 1759. August 1st is also Yorkshire Day and the walk is intended to create a link between the two days.

A Yorkshire Infantry regiment, The 51st Regiment of Foot, fought in the battle and local reports state that English soldiers wore roses, picked locally, on their uniforms either during or after the battle, possibly in memory of fallen comrades. The tradition of wearing roses on Minden day has been carried on by English regiments which have connections with the battle of Minden. In the case of Yorkshire Regiments these are white roses. The white rose has been used as  a badge showing association with the county for some time.

The rose bush which is being carried is to be planted near the monument to the battle so that white roses will, in the future, bloom, hopefully for Minden Day / Yorkshire Day, at the site of the battle. The roses will serve as a memorial to the Yorkshiremen who fought in the battle and as a reminder of the link between Minden Day and Yorkshire Day.

Read more on the background to the walk, and keep up to date with Chris and Roger's progress in this section of the website.

Yorkshire Day 2009

Yorkshire is preparing for Yorkshire Day (1st  August) which is, this year, on a Saturday. Plenty of time to celebrate. Have you planned your event yet?

Anyone can organise an event to celebrate the County's special day. There are events of all sizes from large public galas and fairs to small private parties.

YRS would like to know how you celebrate the day. Please let us know at admin@yorkshireridings.org, or better still, leave a comment on this post

Yorkshire Day in Pickering

A day of events, including music and dance, is being planned in Pickering to celebrate Yorkshire Day. More details to follow shortly.

Yorkshire Day News

Appearing here - the latest news about the society's activities, especially about the next Yorkshire Day, Saturday 1st August 2009. For updates on the York to Minden walk, see the special White Rose to Minden section

Yorkshire Day 2008

The society invites you or your organisation to Celebrate Yorkshire Day on August 1st each year.

In 2008 Yorkshire Day is on a Friday, so there is a great opportunity to celebrate in the evening.

Yorkshire Day, a day to celebrate everything Yorkshire, but especially the integrity of the county, was introduced by the society over thirty years ago.

Each year, on that day, members of the society read a declaration of the integrity of Yorkshire at four of the Bars of York.

A reading is held facing into each of the three ridings and into the city. In 2007 a reading was held in the city centre too.

Many celebrations of Yorkshire Day now take place all over the county.Yorkshire Day Celebrations range from gatherings of family and friends to civic ceremonies. Celebrate in any way you like. We know many events take place but we rarely receive any details. Please click on the Comments link and leave details of any events in which you take part or which you hear about.