Join us this August Bank Holiday weekend as we gather for our annual Summer Festival!
Friday 22nd - Monday 25th August 2025
Taking place in this great Year of Jubilee, the Summer Festival will be a chance for young adults to encounter Jesus as our hope, the One who brings light to even the darkest places; illuminating every aspect of our lives.
Come and join us as we explore faith, build relationships and find hope - all in the beautiful surroundings of Ampleforth Abbey!
"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."
Romans 5:1-5
FAQs
We have answered the following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in the section below. We hope these help with your planning.
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Where is the Summer Festival taking place?
At Ampleforth College located beside Ampleforth Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery located on the edge of the North York Moors. Accommodation for the retreat is within the different boarding houses of the school.
The keynote talks, Mass, the evening services, and adoration will all take place within the Main Space that is found within the Ampleforth College Sports Centre. However, Mass on Sunday will take place in the large church that forms part of Ampleforth Abbey where we will be joined by the Benedictine Monks and Abbot Robert Igo, who will celebrate Holy Mass. Our cafe and social events take place in a marquee beside St. Bede’s Boarding House, and food is served within the same area too. Workshops in the afternoons will take place in various classrooms and spaces around the grounds of the college.
What is the Main Space?
The Main Space is the centre of the Summer Festival. This is where all our talks will take place as well as Mass, confessions, the evening services, and adoration. As this is a place of prayer, we ask for everyone to be respectful of that when entering the Main Space over the weekend.
Catholics believe that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Throughout the weekend, you will have the opportunity to spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist at any time (day and night!) in the Main Space from Friday evening all the way up until Monday morning!
When does it start and finish?
The Summer Festival starts from 15:00 on Friday 22nd August and finishes at 14:00 on Monday 25th August 2025.
What time can I arrive and what do I do on arrival?
Registration opens at 15:00 on Friday 22nd August. Upon arrival, our Mission Team will help direct you to the registration desk where you will be signed in and given your welcome bag, lanyard, and wristband for the retreat. Please keep your lanyard and wristband on you at all times as per our safeguarding policy. Your lanyard also contains information about the programme and accommodation so we encourage you to look after it and keep it on throughout your time at the retreat.
If you are under 18 and we have not yet received a consent form for you, we will need to see this upon arrival. Please note that if you are 16 or 17 and have been given permission by your parent/guardian to attend the retreat alone, you will need to make sure your consent form is returned to us before the retreat or that a parent or guardian comes with you to the registration desk. It is important that we have a consent form signed by a parent/guardian from all under 18s otherwise we may be unable to let you attend the retreat. We ask that where possible, all consent forms are returned to us by email before the retreat starts to help get everyone signed in as quickly as possible.
I’m arriving late? What should I do?
If you will be arriving outside of registration times, please contact Youth 2000 on 07444 214089 and someone will meet you upon arrival to sign you in and give you your lanyard, wristband and welcome bag. If you will be arriving at night (between 23:00 and 07:00) please let the team know in advance by emailing events@youth2000.org
How will I know where my accommodation will be?
Upon arrival (and after checking in at the registration desk), you will receive a lanyard and a welcome bag. The lanyard will contain all the information you need to know about where you will be staying and within the welcome bag, you will find a programme for the weekend which contains a map to help you get around the grounds and locate the boarding house you have been assigned to. If you get lost finding your house, or you’re not sure where to go, there will be plenty of volunteers onsite to help you. Just look for anyone wearing a red or staff lanyard.
What can I expect?
The Summer Festival is an opportunity for all young people to come and explore faith, and meet other young people who desire to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an invitation to come as you are and experience the joy, hope of the love of God through the Sacraments, friendships, prayer, and fun. There are 6 keynote talks throughout the weekend, opportunities to meet in small groups to unpack the talks in depth, Mass, workshops, activities, plenty of time to socialise, and perpetual adoration from Friday evening until Monday morning.
You can watch recordings of the talks at the 2024 Summer Festival here.
I’m attending alone. How will I meet people and make friends?
This is a really important aspect of the weekend and we do what we can to make it as easy as possible for you to meet people and connect with others. We have dedicated time for small group discussions throughout the weekend which can be a great opportunity to meet other men and women of a similar age to you. Meal times are always a great time to chat with others, with meals being served picnic-style. Following Sunday Mass, we’ll have an opportunity to connect with people from your home Diocese to help build connections locally. Both Saturday and Sunday evenings conclude with fun social activities!
What workshops are on offer?
On Saturday and Sunday afternoons there will be a variety of workshops you can choose to attend. These are an opportunity to learn something new, or dive deeper into learning more about a part of the Catholic faith. Keep an eye on our socials and website for updates about what workshops are on offer over the weekend. We will also have led Holy Hours (times of prayer) throughout the weekend.
Do I have to attend every session?
We encourage everyone to try and attend everything so that you can get the most out of the Festival! However, there is no obligation and you are free to take a walk in the Abbey grounds at any time.
Can I join the Benedictine Monks at the Abbey for any of their prayer times?
The monks have kindly agreed to allow people to join them for Lauds in the morning and Vespers in the evening. This is entirely optional and the timings for these will be added onto your programmes.
Lauds and Vespers take place in the Abbey choir. If there is no room in here, there is a side chapel that you’re welcome to sit in. The monks have asked that if you will be joining them to please sing along quietly; allowing these times of prayer to be led by the monastic community.
What Safeguarding is in place for the Retreat?
Safeguarding is a priority for Youth 2000 as we seek to care and protect young and vulnerable people. Our safeguarding policy and procedure is reviewed annually or if an incident ever occurs. All staff and volunteers undergo safeguarding training before the retreat. Designated safeguarding leads are in place throughout the Summer Festival and are contactable at all times. The Festival Safeguarding Lead is Jade Broadley and she is contactable by email at safeguarding@youth2000.org.
Teams and individuals leading Under 18s are required to provide us with a current DBS. We ensure that all under 18s are put into appropriate accommodation so that they do not share with anyone over the age of 18 and are housed in accommodation near their guardians for the retreat. We also follow Scottish Safeguarding practices, meaning that under 16s are placed in separate rooms from 16 & 17 year olds. All under 18s are required to wear a different coloured lanyard during the retreat so they are easily identifiable to the staff and volunteer team. We also ensure that under 18s are placed into age-appropriate small groups, led by a trusted volunteer who is DBS checked. Finally, a thorough risk assessment is carried out for safeguarding purposes, as well as for the site and appropriate measures are put in place where there may be any concerns.
This festival is taking place within the grounds of Ampleforth College, which is a separate estate/charity to Ampleforth Abbey. Youth 2000 are only responsible for it's retreat guests whilst on the College site and not if they go off-site, which includes around the grounds of Ampleforth Abbey. The only exception to this is when all Youth 2000 festival attendees will join the Sunday Parish Mass at Ampleforth Abbey. Please refer to the map in your programme to view the site for the Summer Festival (College grounds only).
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By car
Please enter via the Ampleforth College/St Alban’s Sports Centre entrance, not the Ampleforth Abbey entrance. Sign posts will be up to direct you to the correct entrance and to the Youth 2000 registration tent. The address for Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College, York, YO62 4ER
Please use https://what3words.com/couple.shoulders.autumn or YO62 4EP for Sat Nav.
By train
If you are arriving by public transport, the easiest way to get to us is by train to York Station and booking on to the coach from York Station to Ampleforth. We have organised three different return coaches to depart York Station at 3pm, 4:30pm and 7pm on Friday 22nd August. For more information about the coaches and to book a ticket, please click the link below.
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Can I sponsor someone else to attend the Summer Festival?
Yes, thank you so much! We are incredibly grateful that you would like to sponsor a young person to attend the Summer Festival. You can make a donation for a sponsored ticket here.
https://youth2000.churchsuite.com/donate
I don’t want to be in any photos/videos taken for use by Youth 2000 or Shalom Media over the weekend.
Not a problem, please inform us at the registration desk that you do not want to be included in any photos or videos and we will give you a yellow lanyard to wear instead. Please make sure that this is visible at all times so you are easily identifiable to anyone from Youth 2000 team or Shalom Media who will be taking photos/videos during the Summer Festival.
Where can I locate any lost property? What happens if I find lost property?
The team will keep an eye out over the day for any lost property and it will be brought to the registration desk. Please go there if you have lost something and we will do our best to help you. If you find lost property, please either bring it to the registration desk or hand it in to one of the Youth 2000 team who will be identifiable by their lanyards. Any lost property not claimed by the end of the retreat will be taken to charity or recycled.
Please note that the registration area may move from Saturday afternoon into the entrance of the Sports Centre beside the Main Space.
I’d like to exhibit my organisation/charity at the Summer Festival or place an advert in your Summer Festival Programme
We have a limited space for stalls and adverts in our programmes for other charities and organisations to showcase their work. We do not allow for the sale of goods at any stalls. Please get in touch with us at events@youth2000.org if you would like to enquire about our sponsorship packages.
Can I distribute flyers/ promotional material?
If you would like to distribute flyers or promotional material please contact us at events@youth2000.org. Flyers and promotional materials may only be distributed at stalls, and only by those authorised to do so in advance of the festival.
Is the site accessible?
The site is accessible to wheelchair users. As the site is incredibly large, please get in contact with us at events@youth2000.org if you are concerned about getting around during the retreat.
Where can I smoke on site?
We ask that you refrain from smoking or vaping whilst on the site apart from in the designated smoking areas that will be detailed on your map.
What items are banned?
We do not permit the following items on site: any illegal items and substances, alcohol, drones, knives, pets. If you are found in possession of these items we may ask you to leave the Summer Festival immediately.
Can I bring/drink alcohol at the Summer Festival?
As there will be a number of under 18s present during the retreat and as we want to help you really enter into the weekend in a prayerful way, we ask that you do not bring alcohol on site for the weekend. Drunkenness will not be tolerated and we may have to ask you to leave the Summer Festival if we suspect you have consumed alcohol.
Can I bring my pet(s) with me?
We ask that you do not bring animals with you to the Summer Festival. However, if you require an assistance dog, please contact events@youth2000.org to inform us. All assistance dogs must be trained and identifiable.
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I’d like to bring a group, what is the best way to go about this?
We would love for you to bring a group to the Summer Festival! Depending on the size of your group, each person can sign up individually and then the group lead can let us know the group and accommodation preference either within the notes section of the booking form or by email.
However, if you have a large group attending (10+ people), you may prefer to get in contact with us to arrange a group ticket instead of buying each ticket individually. We will send you out a spreadsheet to input the details for each person attending within your group. Once you have confirmed that your group is complete we will send you an invoice to make payment for the whole group. We will do our best to ensure everyone in your group can be accommodated together, however, depending on when your group books on, we cannot guarantee that all your rooming requests will be possible!
The deadline for group bookings is Monday 28th July. Please ensure you have sent all information to us of everyone in your group by that date or we may not be able to accommodate you.
I’m bringing a group and want to check what safeguarding procedures are in place.
Please see details about our safeguarding practices found in ‘The Summer Festival’ section within the FAQ’s. If you have any other questions around safeguarding, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Are day tickets available? Can I stay offsite for the retreat and just book tickets for the day?
Yes, day tickets are available on the booking page for either 1 day or 4 days (Fri-Mon). There is a campsite and caravan park about a 5 minute drive away from Ampleforth College if you would prefer to stay there. The name of the campsite is Golden Square Caravan Park in Oswaldirk, York.
Can families book this year?
Our retreat content is aimed at young people between the ages of 18-35. However, we are delighted that a team from TheASCENT will be leading sessions for 13-17 year olds throughout the weekend. There will also be activities on offer during the day and children’s ministry in the evening for those under the age of 13. We ask that parents supervise their children at all times, including during children’s ministry.
In order to ensure as much of the accommodation on site is available to 18-35 year olds, there are a limited number of family tickets available for on site accommodation during the retreat. As such, there are a few different options for tickets if you would like to come as a family.
Option 1 (limited availability)
3 persons - £450
4 persons - £600
5 persons - £700
Day Ticket (4 Days) Adult - £90
Day Ticket (4 Days) U16 - £70Option 2
Golden Square Caravan Park (5 minutes drive from Ampleforth) - approx. £130 for 3 nights camping
Option 3
Stanbrook Crief Lodges (10 minutes drive from Ampleforth) - £575p/week for 5 people.
https://www.stanbrookabbey.org.uk/lodges/
If you do decide to stay on site with us, please make sure to include in the notes section of your ticket the names, ages and dietary requirements/additional needs of every family member so we can ensure we place you in the most appropriate accommodation.
I can’t come for the whole Summer Festival. Do you offer discounted tickets if I can’t stay for all 3 nights?
We are very sorry, but this year we are unable to offer discounted tickets to anyone who can only join us for 1 or 2 nights. If you are unable to join us for the whole weekend, you might want to consider staying off-site and purchasing a day ticket.
I’m a priest or religious. What booking options are available to me?
We would love for you to join us at the Summer Festival and to concelebrate Mass with the rest of our clergy, along with hearing confessions throughout the weekend. The festival really wouldn’t happen without the support of priests and bishops!
We ask that you carefully consider if you are able to pay the full price of a ticket to help us to keep costs down for our attendees and to be able to offer more sponsored tickets to young people in our age range. We also ask if you would help us to share the Summer Festival with more young people and consider bringing a group from your parish/deanery/diocese.
All priests will need to send an up to date Celebret to us by Friday 8th August which we will then share with Abbot Robert Igo as per our own safeguarding policy and Ampleforth Abbey’s safeguarding policy.
When do bookings close?
Bookings close 2 weeks before the start of the retreat on Friday 8th August at 16:00 as the caterers and the college need to be informed of numbers on this day. However, tickets sell very quickly and certain room types have a very limited number of places so we encourage you to book as early as possible to ensure you are able to be accommodated in your preferred room type or with any chosen roommates.
I’ve just found out about The Summer Festival but the booking deadline has closed. What can I do?
We encourage you to contact us at events@youth2000.org. We will do our best to accommodate you!
Can I book and pay when I arrive at the retreat?
Unfortunately, we will not be able to permit you to join the Summer Festival if you try to book and pay on the day. This is due to a number of factors including safeguarding, accommodation, and catering numbers.
I cannot afford the full cost of a ticket, what options are available to me?
Thanks to our generous donors, we do have a limited number of sponsored tickets available. We encourage you to reach out to us on events@youth2000.org as soon as possible if you think finances may be an issue for you.
Sponsored tickets are generally reserved for young people between the ages of 18-35 who are coming for the first time and are a student or unable to afford the full price of a ticket. However, if you do not fall within these categories, please still get in touch with us and we can discuss other options to help you attend the retreat.
How do I get my ticket?
After making your booking online, you will receive a confirmation email from us via our booking platform (Churchsuite). Please check your email (including junk & spam folders) to ensure you have received this email. If you still have not received an email please contact us at events@youth2000.org.
Do I need to show my ticket upon arrival?
No - our booking platform allows us to check you in using your name in our internal registration system, however it can make things a bit easier for us and help speed up registration if you have your ticket to hand.
I need to cancel, what is your refund policy?
Before signing up please check our refund policy as outlined within our Terms & Conditions.
You will receive an 100% refund if you have to cancel up to 28 days before the retreat starts (up to and including Thursday 24th July).
You will receive a 50% refund if you have to cancel up to 2 weeks before the retreat starts (from Friday 25th July - Thursday 7th August).
We are very sorry but you we are not able to issue refunds if you have to cancel from Friday 8th August.
Please contact events@youth2000.org if you need to cancel your ticket.
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Where will I be staying?
All accommodation is onsite within the boarding houses of Ampleforth College. Depending on what ticket you choose at checkout, you will be staying in either a dorm, twin, single, or ensuite room. Your accommodation and the house you’ll be staying in is dependent on what type of room you choose and the availability of that room type within the boarding houses.
I’ve booked a dorm or twin room - who will I be sharing with?
If you have booked a dorm or twin and have not specified who you’d like to share with, you’ll be placed in a room with someone of the same sex. We also do our best to ensure you are placed with someone within your age range.
What are the rooms like?
Click here to see an image of a room at Ampleforth.
As you will be staying within school boarding houses, the rooms are relatively basic but are clean and have plenty of storage. Locks are not given for rooms so if you are bringing any personal belongings that you are concerned about leaving in your room, we encourage you to keep them on you throughout the day.
Dorm rooms range from between 3 - 10 beds in total. Bathrooms are shared between everyone in your dorm and sometimes with other people on your floor.
Twin rooms are either ensuite or will have a shared bathroom. If you are married or are a family we will place you in an ensuite twin.
Single rooms share a bathroom with other people around them. Some rooms may also contain a small wash basin.
Ensuite rooms have their own separate bathroom attached which you will not share with others.
All rooms contain single beds only.
When bathrooms are shared amongst a floor, we will ensure everyone on your floor is of the same sex and appropriate age or, where this is not possible, we will label bathrooms according to sex. We will always ensure U18s have bathrooms that are separate from over 18s. In some cases, families may be required share a bathroom with another family of mixed sex and ages.
I have accessibility issues, is there appropriate accommodation for me?
There are a number of accessible rooms available at Ampleforth. Please do let us know either in the notes section of your booking or by emailing events@youth2000.org if you have an accessibility issue that required you to be in an accessible room.
What food is provided?
All your meals from Friday dinner - Monday lunch will be provided. Water will also be provided with meals, however our caterers have asked that attendees bring their own water bottle with them to fill up from the water refill stations. Snacks, hot and cold drinks will be available for purchase at the Youth 2000 cafe over the weekend.
Should I bring a water bottle to the retreat? Are there spaces where I can refill my bottle?
We encourage all attendees to bring a refillable water bottle with them. Water refill stations will be provided near the catering tent. Kitchens are also available in boarding houses where you can fill up your water bottle. Please do not fill your water bottle from any taps found outside around the site as this water has not been treated and therefore is not safe to consume.
We also encourage you to bring a reusable coffee cup for the Youth 2000 cafe.
What will the food be?
More details to come but based on previous years, it will be a hot breakfast, followed by sandwiches, crisps and a treat for lunch. Previous dinners provided by the catering company include: a hog roast, burgers, Thai curry, and fish & chips.
I have an allergy, are you able to cater for me?
We are able to cater for vegetarians, vegans, gluten and lactose intolerances. Our caterers are also informed of any allergies and will cater accordingly. Please make yourself known to the caterers and cafe team if you have an allergy. We ask our caterers and anyone else providing food for the retreat to keep everything nut free, however some allergens such as mustard may be present on site. We ask you to be aware of this and take responsibility for managing your allergy at the retreat. If we are not able to cater for your dietary requirement or allergy we will send you an email if we cannot guarantee that food to not be present in the caterers menus.
I have an allergy that is difficult to cater for, can I bring my own food?
Yes, there are kitchens within each boarding house with fridges where you will be able to store any food you bring if you are not safely able to consume the food provided at the retreat. We will be in touch with you by email if we feel we cannot accommodate your dietary requirements or allergy. However please feel free to send an email to events@youth2000.org if you need to bring your own food to the retreat so we can make sure you have access to a fridge. If you are attending with a small child and require a fridge for their milk/food, please also let us know in advance.
Can I bring my own snacks?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your own snacks, however we ask that all snack are kept in your room and that you do not bring snacks that require a refrigerator or freezer so we can ensure that fridges are kept empty for anyone with a dietary requirement and for families with young children. Please ensure all your snacks are nut free as some people may have airborne allergies.
What time do I need to vacate my room at the end of the Summer Festival?
Ampleforth asks that your rooms are vacated by 10am on Monday morning. As the first session starts at 9am, we ask that you are ready to vacate your room by 9am.
Where can I keep my bags after I vacate my room?
Every boarding house has a common room and common spaces where you are able to leave your bags during the morning.
Will there be towels and bedding? What else will I need to pack?
All bedding is provided, however, you will need to bring your own towel, along with hand soap if you are in an ensuite bathroom. Pack everything you would normally take for a weekend trip, keeping in mind the glorious British weather! You may also want to bring a reusable water bottle and coffee cup, along with a bible, journal, pen and rosary beads. But don’t worry if you don’t have these things! There will also be a running club on offer and the site allows plenty of opportunities for walks so you may wish to bring running gear and walking shoes.
We hope these questions have helped you, but if you do have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by emailing events@youth2000.org.
We cannot wait to see you at the Summer Festival! To book your ticket, click the link above.
God Bless.
We would like to thank the CELEBRATE Festival for sharing their FAQs and helping inspire the frequently asked questions for this year’s Summer Festival!