Sunday 27th July 2025 | Museum Gardens
What to expect for 2025!
We are busy working behind the scenes to create the programme for 2025 and all the little extras that make the event so great! You can check back to this page nearer the time or sign up to the newsletter to find out when the soloists, the musical programme and other details are announced.
In the meantime you can also check out our podcast to find out more about the event and more about York as a city as more episodes are launched.
ARCHIVE: What to expect for 2024!
This year's York Proms will feature a variety of music from the world of classical and opera, film soundtracks and show songs. Something for everyone! More information is posted below posted but you can also take a look at last year's event information, below, to see how the event tends to shape up!
New Podcast
Find out about the solosists and the music programme by listening to our brand new podcast! Episode #1 is a chat with our musical director, Ben Crick, to discuss the programme and then a bit about his interesting career.
This year's York Proms will see our musical director, Ben Crick, conduct a 22 piece orchestra performing a great selection of classical greats, film music, and operatic arias with the obligatory Proms Finale!.
Soloists
Our soloists this year include guest soprano will be Jane Burnell and tenor Joshua Baxter. Both are currently working together with Buxton Opera Festival. Find out more on the Guest Singers page.
Music
Classical pieces include the overture to Barber of Seveille by Rossini, The Radetzky March by Strauss, Waltz from Jazz Suite No.2 by Shostakovich; solos include famous arias by Puccini including Nessun Dorma, Che Gelida Manina and O Mio Babbino Caro, Brindisi from La Traviata by Verdi; film pieces include the themes from ET, Pirates of the Caribbean, How to Train Your Dragaon; plus the usual sing along proms finale pieces like Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory, and much more music besides..
Fireworks
We will be joined again by The Fireworkers, who will be providing a beautiful display of fireworks to round off the evening.
Catering
If you don't want to bring your own picnic, or you eat it all too soon, you can fill up with delicious food from our caterers.
This year we have The Sketch Box offering freshly cooked filled flatbreads, ooked in their pizza oven or 'posh' hot dogs, plus a range of sweet treats and ice cream, and hot & cold drinks. We also have The Northern Bistro in our refreshment area, which offers hot & cold drinks and sweet treats.
Archive: What to expect for 2023!
This year's York Proms will see our musical director, Ben Crick, conduct a 22 piece orchestra performing a tribute to the best of Muscial Theatre, from early musicals like Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel and Bernstein's groundbreaking West Side Story, through to modern hit shows like Les Miserables and Wicked, ending with the rousing Proms Finale, which the audience always joins in with, with gusto!
Soloists
Our soloists this year include guest soprano will be Jennifer Coleman, returning due to popular demand after her fantastic performance in 2019. Jennifer is a professional opera singer who is often working overseas, but we are thrilled she will be joining us again this year. Tom Smith, an acclaimed tenor working with Opera North, is making his proms debut and a late addition to the line up is West End leading lady Shona Lindsay, also making her proms debut. Find out more on the Guest Singers page.
Music
Our orchestra, the Yorkshire Festival Orchestra, under the musical direction of Ben Crick, will be performing a selection of Musical Theatre pieces, culminating in the 'last night of the proms' finale. A draft programme is posted below. We will also have our warm up stage featuring local talent, groups and soloists.
Fireworks
We will be joined again by The Fireworkers, who will be providing a beautiful display of fireworks to round off the evening.
Catering
If you don't want to bring your own picnic, or you eat it all too soon, you can fill up with delicious food from our caterers.
Our caterers are still being confirmed but below are the caterers so far planned for this year. Check back soon for updates.
York Gin
As one of our event sponsors and our main bar provider this year, York Gin will be providing their gin along with great York Gin cocktails and other bar drinks. There will also be a special York Gin garden to take 5 and enjoy your drink in the delightful surroundings before returning to your picnic area.
Ainsty Ales
Andy will be returning again this year with a selection of his own beers and lagers.
Philliy's Wood Fired Pizza
Family run business in Stamford Bridge York, serving Neapolitan style wood fired Pizza.
Peaky Grinders
A small hardworking family run business, offering hot drinks and sweet treats
The Northen Bistro
We are a small family business who are passionate about all things coffee & cake related.
Suitable for all the family!
Bring your flags, pack a picnic, grab your deckchair and see you there!
There is a whole garden to have a run around if they get restless, so no babysitter required - unless mum and dad want a night off, of course!
You can book tickets now via the link below. No tickets will be sold on the gate and the online box office will close approximately one week before the event, so please book early to avoid disappointment. You can also book tickets a the Visit York Visitor Information Centre on Museum Street, 100 yards up the road from the gardens. They can also take phone bookings and answer questions that aren't answered on the FAQs page on 01904 555 670.
Accessibility
Wheelchair area
The Museum Gardens has level access and hard paths to get around, however the audience will be seated on the grass. This could be trickier for people in wheelchairs if the ground is soft, so please called the Visit York Information Centre on 01904 555 670 to book a space in our designated wheelchair area, with great view of the stage and matting to prevent difficulties on the day. A designated steward will be on hand to help you find the area. We recommend parking in the Marygate car park, behind the gardens, and using the Marygate entrance as this is the closest entrance to the wheelchair area. Wheelchair users and disabled + carer ticket holders are automatically given Fast Track status so you can enter the gardens early at 4.30pm, giving you more time to get into the gardens and settled before the rest of the audience enters at 5pm.
Disabled plus Carer
If you are a carer for a disabled person you can get a free of charge carer ticket by booking directly with the Visit York Information Centre on 01904 555 670 or via the online box office. You will need to arrive together. Alternatively, book an adult ticket via the shop page and send a messaeg through the contact page requesting a carer ticket to be added.
Please note, there is a fireworks display at the end so if you have an assistance dog please be aware of this.
If you have any questions please contact the Visit York Information Centre directly o 01904 555 670. They can answer all common questions or refer it on to us for anything they are unsure of.
Musical Programme
We like to announce some of the planned music for the night ahead of time, with the caveat that things may change for reasons beyond our control, but it gives you a flavour of what we're planning. Of course, we don't want to give everything away in advance so we'll leave some surprises!
The show programme will celebrate a selection of some of the best known and most loved musicals from the classics of the 1950s through to present day.
Rodgers & Hammerstein's famous musicals of Oklahoma, Carousel and The Sound of Music start of the night for us. Featuring some of the instrumental parts of the shows and songs to include Oh What a Beautiful Mornin', The Sound of Music, Edelweiss, Favourite Things, Climb Every Mountain and You'll Never Walk Alone.
The show programme will celebrate a selection of some of the best known and most loved musicals from the classics of the 1950s through to present day.
Rodgers & Hammerstein's famous musicals of Oklahoma, Carousel and The Sound of Music start of the night for us. Featuring some of the instrumental parts of the shows and songs to include Oh What a Beautiful Mornin', The Sound of Music, Edelweiss, Favourite Things, Climb Every Mountain and You'll Never Walk Alone.
We'll then move onto Bernstein's exceptionally romantic classic, West Side Story, based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet but set in New York with the white American gangs verses the Puerto Rican immigrant gangs and the drama and tragedy that unfolds as a result of prejudice, fear and pride. Expect a medley of music from the show including the simply beautiful balcony scene between Tony and Maria.
Next we'll take a jaunt through some of the favourite ensemble numbers from Lionel Bart's Oliver! which we hope you'll join in with on the chorus of such songs like Oom-Pha-Pah, followed by an act one finale from My Fair Lady, featuring Jennifer performing I Could Have Danced All Night!
After the interval we will open the second act with a Phantom of the Opera section followed by pieces from Cats, both blockbuster shows by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Both shows based on books of the same name, one a novel and one a book of poems!
No musicals celebration would be complete without a section dedicated to Les Miserables of course, and NE Musicals will offer their vocals for the ensemble pieces again. A smash hit from the 1980s that is still going strong today, this musical is rare because it is through-composed, meaning there is no libretto (dialogue) as is the case with an opera. A challenging show based on Victor Hugo's novel set in revolutionary France and a far cry from the jazz hands and high kicking fun of the earlier musicals.
Finally, not forgetting the Last Night of the Proms favourites for everyone to join in with and wave their flags, rounded off with the stunning fireworks display lighting up the abbey ruins!
No musicals celebration would be complete without a section dedicated to Les Miserables of course, and NE Musicals will offer their vocals for the ensemble pieces again. A smash hit from the 1980s that is still going strong today, this musical is rare because it is through-composed, meaning there is no libretto (dialogue) as is the case with an opera. A challenging show based on Victor Hugo's novel set in revolutionary France and a far cry from the jazz hands and high kicking fun of the earlier musicals.
Finally, not forgetting the Last Night of the Proms favourites for everyone to join in with and wave their flags, rounded off with the stunning fireworks display lighting up the abbey ruins!