This year, we’ve had more event submissions to York Environment Week than ever before. With a varied programme of 60+ events, we’ve more than doubled the number of activities from last year. The eagle-eyed among you may also have noticed that it’s not just York Environment Week – we actually have over three weeks packed with eco-events across the city.

While the central week of activities runs from Saturday 23 September – Sunday 1 October, there’s lots more to get involved with in the weeks before and after. The programme kicks off on Saturday 9 September with a Pilgrimage for the Planet organised by Christian Climate Action York. This is an opportunity to reflect on the effects of climate change, both locally and across the globe.

Other events in the first week of the festival include Hello Autumn!, a nature-based celebration of the end of summer in Rowntree Park, an online talk on The Story of Planet Southbank, and Wild York Walk, a stroll through the city that promises to reconnect participants with local wildlife. Keen walkers can also enjoy multiple events in York Walking Festival, which runs from 16 – 24 September.

And if you’re keen for more environment-focused events after 1 October, the activities continue into the following week. You can explore the role of Motherhood in a Climate Crisis, attend the first Green Business Forum, or join a nature-themed open mic evening with York Spoken Word. If you want to find out more about what your local representatives are doing on the climate crisis, you can head along to An Audience with the Executive Members for the Environment and Climate Emergency, or approach things from a different angle by exploring the connections between Yoga and Climate Change. Finally, the closing event of our programme this year is the St Nicks Autumn Fayre, taking place on Saturday 14 October.

Despite the name, we have much more than just one week of events on offer. So if you care about protecting local nature, increasing biodiversity and making the city more sustainable, make sure you check out the full programme and get involved.

York Environment Week (YEW) has announced its full programme for 2023, with more events than ever before. Now in its fourth year, YEW is running from Saturday 23 September – Sunday 1 October (plus more events before and after), offering a wide range of environment-focused activities across York that are free and open to all.

YEW is an annual city-wide festival aimed at showcasing and celebrating the work of environment groups active in York. It offers groups and organisations the opportunity to work together to promote environmental activity. The programme is for anyone who cares about tackling climate change, increasing biodiversity and making the city more sustainable, offering opportunities to connect and get involved.

Inspired by the UN Secretary General’s call for “climate action on all fronts”, the theme of this year’s YEW is “everything, everywhere, all at once”. This is reflected in a varied programme of more than 60 events that includes everything from nature walks to climate education events to a People’s Assembly discussing how York should respond to the climate crisis as a city. There will also be arts events, films, talks for all ages, events exploring practical solutions to environmental issues, and a pilgrimage for the planet. 

The full YEW23 programme is available at: yorkenvironmentweek.org.uk/yew-events-2023

The YEW organising team said: “​​We are delighted to see so many events this year and to have lots of old friends back on board, as well as welcoming many new event organisers. We invite the people of York to explore the programme, discover a new community of like-minded people, and start making a difference for the better. Working together to take action, we can have so much more of an impact.”

Thank you to Sophie R Howard Graphic Design for the illustration.