The Winter Queen Experience Opens This Christmas In York
- Helena Jones
- Dec 4, 2025
- 3 min read
An immersive experience by AY-PE experiential media design
This Christmas, a brand-new immersive experience has arrived in York’s historic city centre - inviting visitors to step out of the busy streets and into a quiet, magical world of frost, light and storytelling.
The Winter Queen Experience, created by York-based digital experience designers AY-PE, opens Friday 5 December in a transformed space, hidden within Fabrication Stonegate. What appears from the outside to be a small, unassuming room becomes a delicate, dreamlike “ice theatre”- a layered world of drifting snow, glowing fabric, frosted textures and a 20-minute projection and sound experience unlike anything else in the city.
At the heart of the experience is a beautifully crafted animated film, accompanied by an original soundscape blending ethereal winter atmospheres with classical orchestral music. This new story, suitable for all ages - follows the Winter Queen and her creatures as they guide the world through the turn of the season, balancing darkness, light and the wintery beauty hidden beneath the snow.
Visitors enter the intimate, snow-lit chamber in small groups, with swirling projections, twinkling light and layered sculptural fabrics that turn the room into an abstract ice cavern. The space offers a moment of calm and enchantment in the middle of York’s busiest shopping street - an escape from the crowds and chaos into something charming, atmospheric and seasonally evocative.
This project builds on the collaboration between AY-PE and Fabrication showcased in November within the Aesthetica Film Festival Fringe, where digital media and craft merged in a celebrated large-scale light installation in the window. The Winter Queen continues this partnership with the stunning window display of a handmade Winter Queen gown and crown, designed by Fabrication CEO and York Business Personality of the Year, Dawn Wood of Ages of Elegance and artist Kirsty Ryder of Painted Witch Designs. AY-PE bring the scene alive with interactive snow falling down the dress. Passers by are encouraged to wave both hands at the Winter Queen and see if they can clear the snow from her gown - an animated surprise awaits those that can.
“This collaboration brings together two worlds we love - handcrafted artistry and digital magic” say the creative teams. “You can play with interactive snow, buy one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts and be transported into a hidden realm of wintery beauty and wonder.”
The ticketed immersive experience inside continues the Winter Queen’s story through a bespoke light art and sound installation, providing all who venture in with a magical, atmospheric escape from the crowds - a moment to breathe in Winter’s charm, feel transported and to experience something utterly unique this Christmas.
The Winter Queen Experience is open for a limited season only, with pre-booked 20-minute slots throughout the day. Tickets are also available on the door, with pre-booked online tickets offering the best value.
Event Details
Name: The Winter Queen: Immersive Experience
Location: Stonegate Studio at Fabrication, 32 Stonegate, York. Floor cushion, chair seating and standing all available.
Duration: 20-minute immersive projection, light and sound experience
Dates: Flexible dates between 04 December - 31 January (check online for latest dates)
Tickets: Start at £5 when booked in advance online. £8 adults / £6 children on the door. Family and Carer offers also available.
Website: www.thewinterqueen.com
AY-PE is an award-winning experiential media studio, transforming ideas into living, audio-visual experiences which are enjoyed by millions of global visitors, every year. The York-based immersive AV and interactive design specialists have installations at a vast number of the UK's top attractions such as British Museum, Edinburgh Castle and Silverstone Museum as well as exhibitions touring the world. Their brand work features collaborations from Aramco to ITV.
Fabrication is an award-winning eco-system of independent shops and creative workspaces. Set-up in 2008 to support micro crafts and design businesses, Fabrication helps provide work, retail and development spaces for more than 60 creative businesses across Leeds and York.