What’s on in Leeds July 2023

Summer has officially arrived. Hot weather, gorgeous sunlight and longer days can only mean one thing: more opportunities to spend time in the great outdoors. And this month we’ve got plenty of inspiration for fun days out, including activities the kids will love, amazing live music and an exciting waterfront festival taking place at Leeds Docks.

Let’s get started. 

1st – 2nd July: Leeds Waterfront Festival 

From a Dragon Boat race to family-friendly rides and watching the world’s strongest women try to set a new record, Leeds Dock and Granary Wharf will be hosting a variety of fun activities by the waterside this July. Launching on Saturday 1st, the festival is all about celebrating the best of Leeds’ waterways. It’s certainly not one to be missed. 

And if that didn’t sound exciting enough, there’s also going to be a Dock Party, featuring dance competitions, live DJs and some amazing hip hop music. Get yourself down to the docks with friends and family and set your summer off to the best start. 

1st July onwards: Leeds ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’

This captivating art trail will be taking place over ten weeks, starting from the beginning of July. Created by local organisation ‘Wild in Art’ in partnership with Leeds Hospital’s Charity, the trail is set to feature the creations of artists, designers and illustrators from across Leeds, the UK and the rest of the world. Their goal has been to capture the spirit of Michael Rosen’s iconic story book by creating a real-life bear hunt. 

The trail will feature thirty-five giant bear sculptures and forty-eight bear cubs dotted around the city. The idea is to follow the bears around Leeds, from one landmark to the next, discovering new places as you pass by each bear. For kids and adults alike, the trail promises to be a great way to explore the city on foot. We can’t wait to see where the bears will be hiding!

1st – 9th July: Heroes in Training Family Weekends – Thackray Medical Museum

With an interactive NHS staff trail showcasing the stories of sonographers, community midwives and orthotics, this event is set to celebrate 75 years of our national health services. The Thackray Medical Museum is hosting a variety of medical activities including ‘Health Hero Crafts’ and opportunities to dress up as a healthcare hero, all in honour of the occasion. 

Know any budding surgeons? They’re also providing a hands-on dissection experience for families with children aged seven and above. You’ll get to see how an eyeball works up-close with the guidance of medical experts. 

6th – 29th July: Sounds of the City 

Millenium Square is hosting a variety of live music performances across the month of July with ‘Sounds of the City’. This renowned concert series, founded in Manchester in 2013, is all about providing amazing outdoor entertainment – and there’s certainly no shortage of talent to enjoy this summer in Leeds. 

With performers including McFly, Morrissey and Bastille taking to the stage at Millennium Square to sing their hearts out, the line-up is looking great so far:

6th July: McFly

7th July: Kasabian

8th July: The Blossoms

12th July: Morrissey 

13th July: Bastille

14th July: The Wombats

15th July: Shed Seven

Tickets are nearly all sold out, so we recommend booking quickly to avoid disappointment. We’re sure it’s going to be a popular one!

8th July: The Big Harewood Garden Party

Harewood House is hosting a summer garden party this year, and we’re sure it’s going to be glorious. With the aim of bringing together a diverse range of communities to enjoy great food in gorgeous surroundings, artists Lucy and Jorge Orta invite you to join their day of delicious street-food, live entertainment and fun activities. 

The artists’ work will be on display at Harewood House from 15th July, so it’s worth coming back to see if their ideas around community and diversity resonate with you.

8th – 15th July: Leeds International African Arts Festival

With a variety of events taking place across the city, Leeds’ International African Arts Festival is all about celebrating the rich history and creativity that runs throughout African culture. The festival begins on the 8th at Leeds Beckett University with a showcase of businesses run by Leeds entrepreneurs of African descent, and ends with an awards dinner on the 15th. 

Other festival events we’re especially excited about include a Joloff rice cook-off and the launch of the ‘Our City, Our Lives, Our Stories’ anthology, in which various members of the African community will share their life stories.

9th July: Alwoodley Festival of Sports and Games

What better time to enjoy some outdoor sporting fun than in the summer? This activity-packed day includes sessions of football, Tai Chi, cricket, tag rugby and much more, all located across the stunning suburb of Alwoodley. 

It’s a great opportunity to try out a new activity that you might not otherwise have considered doing, whatever your usual level of activity. There’s even free bicycle repairs on offer, and some chair-based exercises for those who fancy something a bit less intense. 

14th July: Children’s Day: Reimagined

A free, family-friendly event in Roundhay Park, this day is all about celebrating the ‘hopes, dreams, and demands’ of local children. More than one-thousand Leeds school children will be helping to set up the site ready for their families, friends and other local community members to join in the fun in the evening. 

There’ll be delicious plant-based foods on offer, films and spoken word performances and a song performed by thousands of school children to close the event. Created by arts organisation Fevered Sleep and the Young Creatives (eleven young people from across Leeds), Children’s Day is all about celebrating the young people in our society. 

Throughout July: Leeds Heritage Beer Tour

Ever wondered what the history of beer looks like in Leeds? From The Tetley to Whitelock’s Ale House, Leeds’ Heritage Beer Tour will take you through the city’s most iconic pubs and breweries as you learn about their history and (most importantly) taste the best beers they have to offer.

The tours take place on Fridays and Saturdays, and can be booked from the Leeds Year of Culture website. With some of the tour taking place outside, July is the perfect month to make the most of the city’s pub and brewery culture, as you wander through the streets and into Leeds’ past.