Ghosts After Dark is 4 to 8 November in York Museum Gardens: 70 lit ghosts, storytellers and a night market, 5.30pm to 9.30pm, £10 adults and £2 children.

Ghosts After Dark runs from Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 November 2026 in York Museum Gardens, 5.30pm to 9.30pm each night. All 70 sculptures from this autumn’s Ghosts in the Gardens trail are gathered in one place and lit up after dark, with live storytellers and, for the first time, a night market. Tickets are £10 for adults and £2 for children, and they have been on sale since 25 August (York BID, 21 August 2026).

The quick answer

  • When: Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 November, 5.30pm to 9.30pm, timed entry slots up to 8pm.
  • Where: York Museum Gardens, King’s Manor courtyard and Library Lawn, with St Olave’s Churchyard on the route.
  • How long: York BID says allow about 90 minutes.
  • Price: £10 adults, £2 children, booked in advance through York Museums Trust (book here).
  • Dogs: no, apart from assistance dogs.
  • Is it on? Yes. Dates, times and prices are all confirmed by the organisers.

What it is

Ghosts After Dark is the evening finale to Ghosts in the Gardens, York BID’s free trail of wire-mesh ghost sculptures, which this year runs from Saturday 19 September to Sunday 1 November in gardens, on balconies and along the city walls (York BID, 4 September 2026). When the street trail ends, the ghosts move into Museum Gardens for five nights.

It is run by York BID with York Museums Trust, which looks after the gardens. The first Ghosts After Dark, in 2024, brought together 46 sculptures. This year there are 70, and the route is bigger.

What is new for 2026

From York BID’s event page:

  • King’s Manor courtyard and Library Lawn are open after dark for the first time, alongside the main gardens.
  • The route also takes in the Anglian Tower, the Edible Wood, the Artists’ Garden, St Olave’s Churchyard and the area beside York Art Gallery.
  • A night market, with stalls from the York Ghost Merchants, JORVIK Viking Centre, The Potions Cauldron, The Poetry Pharmacy, Socktopus, the Braithwaite Gallery, Villains Rum, The Bloody Tour of York and The York Dungeon.
  • Brave The Cell, an immersive encounter with an accused witch. The organisers warn this one may include jump scares.
  • An interactive artwork by the artist Lou Chapelle.

The storytellers

Six storytelling slots perform at intervals through the evening, so you can wander and catch them as you go:

Who What
JORVIK Viking Centre Norse sagas of warriors, gods and voyages
The Deathly Dark Tours Dr Dorian Deathly on the Stone Mason, Saxon Monk and Nun, and Butcher ghosts
The Bloody Tour of York Mad Alice on the Executioner, Judge, Tudor Lady and Saxon Monk
The York Dungeon Guy Fawkes on his ill-fated past
The Wild Man of the Woods The lore behind the Falcon, Fox, Cat and Bear ghosts
The York Dungeon The plague-hit streets of 1551, in the Undercroft

The York Dungeon’s Jester greets you at the start, and the route begins through what the organisers call the Gloomy Woods.

Is it too scary for children?

York BID describes it as “atmospheric, fun, and at times a little spooky, rather than frightening”. The stories are drawn from York’s real history but “some may be exaggerated, embellished, or a little bit gruesome”, and some performances may not suit young children: ask the storyteller if you are unsure. The witch encounter is the one with jump scares. Marshals carry pens so you can write your mobile number on your child’s wristband.

What to wear and the weather

It is outdoors. Paths are lit all the way round, but some are steep, have steps or are narrow, and the grass can be muddy, so keep to the lit paths and wear proper shoes. The event goes ahead in nearly all weather. The one exception the organisers give is wind: if it reaches Force 8, 46mph or more, the gardens close for safety, and ticket holders will be emailed if a night is cancelled.

If you have access needs, York BID asks you to speak to a marshal on arrival, who will point you to the most suitable route.

Getting there and parking

The event falls in bonfire week, and on Saturday 7 November the city’s biggest fireworks display is at Rawcliffe Bar Country Park: see our York fireworks page. Check parking in York for the nearest car parks and evening charges, and roadworks and travel for anything closed that week.

What we do not know yet

  • How many tickets are left. The booking system does not show availability without starting a booking, and York BID has not said any night has sold out.
  • The ghosts’ new count. York BID’s September trail announcement says ten new ghosts join this year; its Ghosts After Dark page says 25. Both put the total at 70.

We will update this page if any night sells out or the arrangements change. More this autumn: what’s on in York and the October half term guide, which covers the free street trail and Ghost Week.

Sources