The Yorkshire Fossil Festival Returns In 2023 In A Brand New Location: Whitby

The Yorkshire Fossil Festival returns in June, this year in a brand new location: Whitby.

The festival – a whole weekend of activities and events for all the family, for enthusiasts and professionals, most of them free – will take place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June.

Its main location will be Whitby Museum, this year celebrating its bicentenary – it opened its doors for the first time in 1823 – and its surrounding Pannett Park, but there will be events across the whole of the town.

Festival director Dr Liam Herringshaw says: “The Festival will feature walks, talks, and tons of family-friendly events and entertainment. Visitors are invited to bring their own fossils to test the experts, work with palaeo-artists to bring ancient creatures back to life, and get their favourite rocks cut and polished to take home!”

Roger Osborne, curator of geology at Whitby Museum, says: "We’re really thrilled to be celebrating the museum’s bicentenary with this wonderful festival. It’s great to be able to show off our famous fossil collection and all the other treasures in Whitby Museum. Visitors will be amazed and entertained.”

Steve Cousins, also known as The Rock Showman, was the ebullient and hugely popular master of ceremonies of last year’s festival, at Scarborough Spa in September, and will return this year as festival ringmaster, along with his award-winning Let’s Circus team.

And on the Saturday evening, the event will go nocturnal for the first time, with entertainers and educators set free among the fascinating exhibits in Whitby Museum.

The 2023 Yorkshire Fossil Festival is organised by Whitby Museum, Scarborough Museums and Galleries, and Let's Circus, with funding from the Palaeontological Association and the Yorkshire Geological Society.