April is going to be a very exciting month in York. The Queen is going to visit York for the first time since 2005 and  April 6-9  sees York’s first Chocolate festival.

Royal Maundy

On April 5th Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth ll, will visit York to distribute the Maundy Money. The recipients of Royal Maundy, are chosen because of the Christian service they have given to the Church and community. At the ceremony which takes place annually on Maundy Thursday, the sovereign hands to each recipient two small leather string purses. One, a red purse, contains - in ordinary coinage - money in lieu of food and clothing; the other, a white purse, contains silver Maundy coins consisting of the same number of pence as the years of the sovereign's age. 

The Queen will enter York via Micklegate Bar which has always been the Royal entrance to York. The Lord Mayor of York will greet the Queen and proceed to York Minster for the Maundy service.

Chocolate Festival

The first ever Chocolate Festival will take place between 6th and 9th April 2012. York has a long history of producing chocolate. Many York residents have friends or family who work, or used to work, in one of the world famous chocolate Factories; Rowntrees or Terry's.