Following its popular winter debut, CMJ Events return with the Minster Village at the majestic South Piazza for the summer, transforming the area into a village green with a colourful spectacle of floral arches, a café and bar, picnic tables and even a maypole, a 1900s Yorkshire Wolds wagon and a pen of life-like sheep to complete the pastoral scene.

The Minster Village site is backed by the towering Minster walls and surrounded by arches of faux foliage and flowers, comprising more than 400ft of boxwood hedging and 500ft of floral festoons.

Within the Village are several decorative wooden cabins offering food, drinks and ice creams, and with plenty of seating and tables, including umbrellas and covered benches for those wanting some shade from the sun, it’s the perfect place to sit and admire the view of York’s iconic Minster.

At the café visitors can tuck into a Balmoral or Windsor Burger – just one of several gourmet burgers named after the royal palaces in a nod to this year’s Jubilee celebrations.  The tasty selection of freshly-prepared food options also includes boxed salads, flatbreads, pizzas and skin-on fries, as well as ‘Brunch Munchies’ to start the day and a dedicated ‘Little Ones’ menu.

Summer favourites such as Pimms, prosecco and the specially-named Minster Martini, are served at the fully-licensed bar along with lagers, ciders and a selection of wines and locally-produced spirits. There is also a large range of cold and zero-alcohol drinks, including slushies and a strawberries-and-cream milkshake. Freshly brewed coffee is provided by local York company Dancing Goat Coffee, and another popular local producer Yorvale will satisfy the ice cream cravings with a delicious range of flavours – add a scoop to a punnet of strawberries for a real feel of summer!

Visitors and locals alike are invited to take a seat, refuel and relax, soaking up the beautiful view of one of the UK’s most glorious buildings.

The Minster Village will be open daily from 10am to 7pm, and until 8pm on Friday and Saturdays. Entry is free.

The event is run by CMJ Events in partnership with York Minster.