📆 What’s On in Leeds in November 2024

Following the lighting up of Leeds during October’s Light Night, the city continues to shine bright in November. There are more light-based events to look forward to, exciting arts and film festivals to enjoy, and, towards the end of the month, plenty of opportunities to get the festive season off to a sparkling start. Are you ready? Here we go! 

Thought-provoking festivals…

Compass Festival

Compass Festival returns across Leeds from 1-30 November. Compass commissions and presents interactive live art projects in Leeds, and the festival is all about bringing art to the everyday. Anyone can get involved; every event is free, or pay what you feel. 

The Opening Party at Fearns, Leeds Dock, which also marks the first day of Leeds Sauce Week, will kick off festivities on Friday, 1 Nov, between 6pm and 8pm. Join Popeye Collective, which aims to encourage conversations over food as a catalyst for new culture,  for a special drinks and snacks menu inspired by its Leeds Sauce. Containing locally harvested rhubarb, rose petals and Leeds-brewed beer, the Leeds Sauce recipe was created in 2022 by artists Freddie Yauner, Kiran Gill and Eddie Blake in collaboration with the people of Leeds to explore what the city might taste like. 

If that’s not enough to tickle your tastebuds, designer, artist and creative technologist Ling Tan’s installation, Leeds Low Carbon Chinatown In Kirkgate Market, between November 2 and 15, will showcase an experimental food farm and data pop-up store. The pop-up will house locally grown ingredients for a one-off Supper Club hosted at Kirkgate Market on Friday, 15 November, 6.30–8.30pm.

Other events in the programme include Quarantine’s Building of Spines, Alisa Oleva Sounds Like Home, SLAP Collective’s Brightside and Melanie Whitehead Smith’s Here Marks the Spot. Check out the full programme and get more details here. 

Leeds International Film Festival

The hugely popular Leeds International Film Festival (LIFI2024) will also return between 1-17 November for its 38th Year. Venues across the city will host events and screenings, including Everyman Leeds, Vue Leeds in the Light, Hyde Park Picture House and Howard Assembly Room. 

LIFF2024 is bigger and better than ever. You’ll get to preview many of the year’s most anticipated films in the festival’s Constellation section (and exciting discoveries in the section’s New Directors Competition). Fanomenon, LIFF’s home for fantasy sci-fi, horror, dark comedy and cult films, has expanded this year and includes a new competition for fantastic genre features.  

Opening action features the UK premieres of The Times That Bind Us and Escape From the 21st Century, as well as A Real Pain. Closing features are the UK premieres of The Killers and All the Long Nights, as well as Nightbitch. Read more about these films, view the full programme, pick up a free programme from venues across Leeds, or flick through the digital version here. Individual tickets start from just £8.50 for features, and a range of cost-effective passes is available. 

Leeds Whisky Festival

For a festival that’s less thinking and more drinking, visit the Leeds Whisky Festival at the Royal Armouries on November 2. Expect masterclasses from makers, creators and ambassadors, as well as bars, food vendors and entertainment, and the chance to sample over 100 whiskies with your entry ticket (it’s a marathon, not a sprint, remember). The 2023 edition was a sell-out event, hence the bigger venue, so make sure you book soon to avoid missing out—tickets from £33.22. 

Live at Leeds in the City

The multi-venue one-day music festival, Live at Leeds in the City, is back on November 16. Grab a wristband to see headliners Everything Everything, Alfie Templeman, The K’s and the Mercury prize-winning English Teeachers, with access to all venues, including Belgrave Music Hall, Brudenell Social Club, Doghouse, Headrow House and lots of Call Lane bars. Tickets are £49.50 for general admission and £38.50 for students.

Unmissable events…

Autumn Lights

Autumn Lights, the UK’s biggest touring firework spectacular, arrives at Temple Newsam on November 2. It’s a Leeds first for the family-friendly event, which features two firework displays choreographed to music alongside live entertainment, fairground rides and street food stalls. 

Phats and Small, best known for their international hit Turn Around, will headline with award-winning DJ and presenter Ryan Swain, fire-eaters Spark!, the original LED drummers and party band HUGE provided additional entertainment. Adult tickets are £12.99 and kids tickets £5.99. Under 2s, go free – just remember your mini-ear defenders.

Assembly House 10th Birthday

For a more intimate celebration on November 2, head to the artist-led community  Assembly House in Armley from 7pm to help celebrate its 10th birthday. Early bird tickets are just £3.50; there’s a best-dressed competition for those in full (Halloween-themed) costumes. Assembly House provides affordable studios for early-career artists and runs free events and workshops. It’s an excellent opportunity to check it out.

Museum Lates: Living with Death

Over 18s can explore Leeds City Museum by night on November 7 as part of its Day of the Dead-inspired Museum Lates: Living with Death. Get creative with a ceramic skull decorating workshop, take part in sugar skull-themed face painting, taste a Yorkshire interpretation of pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and contribute to artists Ellie Harrison’s collaboration with Zion Arts Studio, Mexico City. There’ll be Central and South American music and a Mexican-themed food truck, too. 

Showstopping music and theatre…

Dear Evan Hansen

There’s plenty of entertainment to enjoy in the city this month. The Olivier, Tony and Grammy-award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen kicks things off between November 5 and 9 at Leeds Grand Theatre. Packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of the last decade and described by BBC Radio 2 as ‘The musical of its generation, for all generations,’ it’s one not to be missed. 

Also at Leeds Grand, catch big-name comedians Paddy McGuiness: Nearly There on November 14 and 15 and Jimmy Carr: Laughs Funny on November 16. 

Grace Campbell is on Heat

Elsewhere, the unwaveringly honest comedian Grace Campbell brings her brand new show, Grace Campbell is on Heat, to City Varieties Music Hall on November 7. Grace has recently made some huge life changes, and you’ll get to see a more mature Campbell, albeit still asking questions about the world, her vagina and her dog. 

Happy Mondays fans can also enjoy an evening with Shaun Ryder as part of his spoken-word tour supporting his new book, Shaun Ryder: Happy Mondays, and Fridays, and Saturdays, and Sundays at City Varieties on November 13. 

Jason Manford: A Manford for All Seasons

Salford-born comedian Jason Manford is back with his new live show, A Manford for All Seasons, at the First Direct Arena. Manford’s last stand-up show saw him play an incredible 280 shows across the county, and he says it ‘feels like it’s been ages’. So grab yourself a ticket to join him for a good laugh. 

If comedy’s not your thing, there’s plenty more to choose from at the First Direct Arena this November. Plan your evenings around reggae legends UB40 & Soul II Soul on November 15, iconic rock band Within Temptation on November 19th and stage and screen singing sensation and Wonder of Wakefield Jane McDonald on November 22. 

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

And now to start easing yourself into the festive season. The wintery C.S. Lewis classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, will come to life at Leeds Playhouse from November 18 to January 25 with magical storytelling, bewitching stagecraft and incredible puppets. Join Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, and, of course, Mr Tumnus as they enter the magical world of Narnia.

Beauty and the Beast

Witness a tale as old as time at The Carriageworks Theatre from November 22 to January 5. Beauty and the Beast is a traditional family pantomime with plenty of audience participation that will leave the kids spellbound. 

The most wonderful time of the year…

It’s that time of year again when the region’s festive activities kick off in style. There’s SO much to choose from. Have a look and get booking so as not to miss out. Just don’t peak too early!

Christmas events in the city…

Sparky Saturdays Christmas Family Crafternoon

This month’s edition of the M&S Archive’s Sparky Saturdays is a Christmas Family Crafternoon on November 9. Discover the archive collection with hands-on festive craft activities led by brilliant Yorkshire crafters and make something fab to take home. There’s no need to book; just drop in. 

Leeds Christmas Market

This year’s Christmas Market, starting November 22, will be bigger and better than ever, but in just two prime locations in the city: Millennium Square and City Square. More stalls, closer together – Leeds City Council listened to feedback from last year and acted. You’ll also find outdoor bars in the squares and Victoria Gardens.

In a nice twist, brand new weekend artisan market, Little Bird, will take place every Saturday and Sunday in Bond Court (off Park Row), with stalls celebrating independent producers and makers.

As Leeds City Council says: ‘Market in your calendar’ – we can’t take credit for that one. 

Ice Cube at Christmas

It wouldn’t be Christmas in Leeds without Ice Cube. The popular annual event will return with its much-loved outdoor ice skating rink, market stalls and winter-themed attractions. Ice Cube will be open every Monday to Friday, from 12pm to 9.30pm (10pm on Fridays), 11am to 10pm on Saturdays and 11am to 7pm on Sundays (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day) until New Year’s Eve.

Not confident on the ice? Don’t worry. Come along to Penguin Club for under 9s each weekend at 10:30am (and select weekdays in half term), or book a one-on-one skating lesson. Accessible sessions are available every Thursday at 10:30am.

Christmas at Thackray

At Thackray Medical Museum, Christmas at Thackray between November 30 and January 5 will take visitors on an enchanting Christmas Journey through a stunning winter wonderland. Thackray will share the hardworking voices of NHS staff, who routinely work Christmas Eve working with renowned illustrator and paper artist Andy Singleton. The experience is free with a museum ticket.

Christmas events outside of the city…

All the big houses around Leeds will run Christmas experiences. Try:

Mischief at the Manion at Harwood, November 15 to January 5

The Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park, November 16 to January 6

The Christmas Experience at Lotherton, November 23 to January 5

Christmas at Temple Newsam, November 30 to December 23, including Yorkshire’s biggest lit Christmas trail Northern Lights Leeds, November 21 to December 31

Light Up Festival 

Light Up Festival at the National Coal Mining Museum is a Christmas launch weekend with a difference between November 22 and 24. A stunning light show, including the showstopping centrepiece, ‘Sentinel’, inspired by coal mining canaries, will accompany pop-up activities, brass band and choir performances and festive treats. You’ll even see the man with the bag, Santa if you’re brave enough to visit his underground grotto. Best of all, it’s completely free.