Your York BID 
York Nutcracker Trail
13 November 2025 - 4 January 2026
Your York BID
York Nutcracker Trail
13 November 2025 - 4 January 2026
York BID have partnered with local artist MarcoLooks to bring to life local children's designs for this year's York Nutcracker Trail.
This year's theme is a kid's takeover! Each nutcracker has been designed by a school-aged child from York and re-created by talented local artist, MarcoLooks. Collect a trail map from the Visitor Information Centre on Parliament Street to get started.
Find all ten Nutcrackers and collect their names on your trail map to enter the prize draw for a £250 York Gift Card. That’s not all – by answering the bonus question, you could win an art hamper filled with goodies from the artist.
Submit your completed trail map to the Visitor Information Centre or post it in Santa's Post Box in York Museum Gardens to enter the prize draw.
About Our Young Artists
Alfie, aged 7
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? All the chocolate
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing? That it's colourful
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? Manchester United kit with my name on the back
What is your favourite thing about York? The Jorvik museum and Harry Potter shop
Finley, aged 4
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? Presents from santa and because it might snow and you get to play snowball fights
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing? His shirt
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? A dog
What is your favourite thing about York? The icecream shops!
Isabelle, aged 3
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? Snow
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing? I coloured it in
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? Princess Peach Lego
What is your favourite thing about York? The chocolate shop
Josephine, aged 5
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? The presents!
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing? The rainbows, the flower and the rainbow hat
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? An ice cream cart and a barbie with a suitcase
What is your favourite thing about York? Jorvik Viking Centre
Katie, aged 10
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? Christmas songs
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing? The bright colours
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? Baking equipment
What is your favourite thing about York? The history
Olivia, aged 9
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? Christmas Trees, Christmas Lights, Hot Chocolate and Happiness
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing?It is bright and colourful
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? Jellycat marshmallows and Dork diaries books collection (I only have the first one)
What is your favourite thing about York? Interesting history
Rory, aged 8
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? Getting to spend more time with family, playing games and having loads of fun!
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing? I painted my Nutcracker picture with water colour paints, I love rainbows so I used lots of different colours for my design
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? A new bike and some surprises
What is your favourite thing about York? Getting treats from The Fudge Kitchen, visiting Totally Awesome to look at all the cool games and Wonderlab at the Train Museum.
Hanna, aged 10
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? Singing Christmas songs with my family
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing? Reminds me about me and my team success in dance competition
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? Jellycats and bubble lip balms
What is your favourite thing about York? Royal Theatre and Pantos in December
Thomas, aged 7
What's your favourite thing about Christmas? Playing games
What do you like about your Nutcracker drawing? His hat as it looks like feathers.
What are you asking Santa for Christmas this year? A can of fizzy Pop, Lego and books.
What is your favourite thing about York? Clifford Tower 'The Castle' its amazing. I love running around the top fighting dragons.
About the Artist
Our young artist's designs have been recreated by local artist, MarcoLooks. Known for his punny and quirky illustrations, Marc skilfully brought our budding artist’s creative visions to life in his York studio.
To find out more, visit www.marcolooks.com or go to Fabrication on Stonegate to see Marc’s hilarious greetings cards and beautiful York illustrations for yourself.
Gift Card Competition T&Cs
Gift card winner will be drawn at random by 20th January 2026. Only entries with 10 correct answers and valid contact information will be accepted. If contact cannot be made within 7 days, another winner will be drawn.
Photography Competition T&Cs
Submit your best Nutcracker and Winter Lights photographs by tagging us on social media (@the_york_bid) or email info@theyorkbid.com for the chance to be reshared on our socials.
Entrants must be 18 or older. By submitting a photograph to the competition, the entrant agrees to grant York BID full rights to use any submitted photographs in digital and printed material without any further compensation to the entrant, including but not limited to social media, digital, brochures, and advertisements.
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