Refectory Gardens, Deangate
Performances here are open to all. This is a perfect setting to bring a picnic and a rug, and watch for as long as you like. Performances start at 10.30am finishing about 3.30pm
Performance venues for 2026
There are 10 plays performed on pageant wagons. They move through the City streets stopping at 4 locations to present their play.
The whole performance lasts about 5 hours. This is a live and complex series of events taking place in the City centre. We have worked hard to establish as tight a running order as possible, but start and finish times at each location can only be approximate.
At the first three locations, the plays are free to view. If you wish to watch all plays in succession from the comfort of a seat, then Deans Park is the best location. Tickets are required for the Deans Park location. All timings shown are approximate.
Kings Square
Amidst the bustle of the City streets, experience the Plays in close-up. Between performances of the Mystery Plays, medieval Town Bands will entertain you. Performances start at 11.10am diminishing about 4.10pm
St. Sampsons Square
Performed amongst the crowds, the Streets are the best place to encounter the Plays if you’re just passing by. Performances start at 11.50am finishing about 4.50pm
Deans Park
This venue will help you experience the Plays from beginning to end. Performed in shadow of York Minster away from the bustle of the City, the Park will let you watch in comfort from covered, raked seating. Tickets required. Performances start at 12.30pm. This is the final performance location.
Shambles Market – 30th June and 1st July – 7.45pm.
As dusk falls, the market is transformed by light and procession. The Twilight Lantern Show is part of our Mysteries in the Market performing 5 of the Plays from the 2025 cycle in this unique setting. This offers a magical, shared experience—illuminating stalls, stories and the spirit of the festival. Curated by the artist Mouse for York Festival Trust, these twilight performances offer more than theatre — they are a guided journey into the spiritual and emotional world of the plays, inspired by the power and immediacy of medieval storytelling. The performance last about an hour and a half. TICKETS HERE
The Plays
Learn more about the individual Plays here
Buy Tickets
Tickets are now on sale for the Plays and all Festival events.