Communities in Scarborough are being given the opportunity to take part in a wide range of cultural events to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Scarborough becoming a spa town.
Celebrations are being organised throughout this year with a programme of events including exhibitions, cultural and arts showcases, family entertainment and community trails.
The programme which is being coordinated by us and local organisations aims to honour the town’s rich past while shining a spotlight on Scarborough as a must-visit destination now and into the future.
Among the events which are being staged for Scarborough’s local communities are creative activities, a large-scale lantern parade and a community sculpture that will be on display this summer.
Executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “The 400th anniversary of the spa waters being discovered at Scarborough is a huge event for the town and there is a really varied programme of events taking place to celebrate.
“Scarborough is one of our most popular destinations and attracts visitors from across the country every year, but it is such a special place to live as well. We want to make sure that everyone in Scarborough has the opportunity to get involved in events to mark the occasion.”
A Scarborough-based arts organisation, Animated Objects, which specialises in performances using giant artworks, illuminations and large-scale puppets, is organising a year-long series of events working with us and supported by Arts Council England.
Among the events that are being planned are community activities and workshops throughout May and June. These will include creative activities days at venues across the town during the May half-term holiday, with professional artists on hand to help to create large-scale lanterns and sculptures inspired by the town’s 400th anniversary.
Another lantern-making event will be held at St. Mary's Church which is aimed at adults and children aged seven and over. Children must be accompanied by an adult for this event on Sunday, 24 May, between 1pm and 3pm.
A centrepiece celebration at Scarborough Spa of the town’s 400 years as a seaside spa resort will feature a special event as part of this year’s SeaFest over the weekend of 18 and 19 July. Events organised by Animated Objects on the day will feature free family arts activities and will include a life-sized handcrafted recreation of the original spa pump room and a special Lego model of The Spa building along with a community village of stalls from local charities and organisations.
A silent disco which is being supported by Visit North Yorkshire, our destination marketing and management service, is also due to be staged at Scarborough Spa on Saturday, 8 August, as part of the 400th anniversary celebrations. There will be a family-friendly event from 1.30pm to 4.30pm followed by a silent disco aimed at adults between 7.30pm and 11pm.
Further events are planned for the autumn including the popular Moonlight on the Lake which will feature a trail of lanterns created by artists from Animated Objects and local communities inspired by Scarborough 400. Tickets for the event in the town’s Peasholm Park on Friday, 23 October, and Saturday, 24 October, will go on sale later this year.
The 10th edition of Animated Objects’ annual community lantern parade as part of the Scarborough Sparkle weekend will be staged on Friday, 27 November. One of the main themes for 2026 will be a look towards the next 400 years for Scarborough.
The artistic director of Animated Objects, Lee Threadgold, has worked in theatre and performance with young people and community groups for the past 25 years across the UK and Europe.
He said: “We want local communities to feel a real part of Scarborough 400 as this is an important milestone for the whole town that has helped shape the development of the British seaside holiday.
“We and other organisations across Scarborough have lined up a varied programme of events, so hopefully this will appeal to as many people as possible to enjoy what is on offer and to get involved themselves in helping to mark such an important anniversary for the town.”
Among the other highlights that are planned for the year-long celebration will be a new sculpture. It was announced last month (March) that an internationally renowned sculptor, Jethro Crabb, has been given the responsibility for creating the artwork that is due to be placed near the seafront in Scarborough’s South Bay and close to the town’s Spa complex.
The bronze sculpture will be called Aqua Vitalis and will feature a striking female figure inspired by Thomasin Farrer, who discovered the apparently medicinal properties of the town’s spa waters in 1626.
The chair of our Scarborough and Whitby area committee, Cllr Liz Colling, said: “So many of our residents are rightly proud to live in Scarborough, and this year is an opportunity to celebrate all that makes the town so special.
“I am sure that the programme of events will appeal to a wide range of people including those who are visiting Scarborough as well as our own residents, and I would encourage everyone to get involved.”
See details of the events being organised by Animated Objects.
Keep a check on the Visit North Yorkshire website, where other event details are due to be published. at
Businesses wishing to take part in Scarborough 400 celebrations can find more details online.