What’s on in Leeds in May 2025

This May, Leeds festival season gets underway with all the big ones back for the Early May and Spring Bank holidays. But, if you don’t have a full weekend to spare, there are plenty of other events to explore in the city this month. From UKREiiF, the UK’s Real Estate and Investment and Infrastructure forum at the Royal Armouries, to May Mayhem, Stay and Play at Kirkgate Market, there’s something for all ages and interests.

May festivals lineup…

Ready to get your May Bank holiday started? The Great Exhibition of Prize Ales brings Leeds brewers back together between 2 and 4 May at Kirkstall Brewery. Join other ale enthusiasts to sample modern draughts from everyone from Allsopps to Wylams and beers that are hundreds of years old. Interesting…Over 18s only, tickets start at £15.

Mint Fest, Yorkshire’s biggest dance music festival, turns up the tempo on 3 and 4 May after a record-breaking sell-out 2024 edition. This year’s lineup includes six arenas, featuring Josh Baker’s You&Me, Morgan Seatree’s Unfussy, plus Patrick Topping, Kettama, East End Dubs and more. Expect a world-class experience; the organisers have upgraded all stages for this year’s event to world-class Funktion One sound systems and brand-new designs. You in? Get your tickets here.

Leeds Horror Fest, the city’s horror-themed comic con, is back with a bite on Saturday 4 May, between 11 am and 4 pm at Leftbank. Expect film guests, artists, authors, cosplay and photo ops…and bring the kids – under 5s go free. Go on, grab some frightfully good fun from just £7.

Head to Roundhay Park for the North Leeds Food Festival (NLFF) on 10 and 11 May. There’s loads of hands-on fun, from kids’ cookery classes to flower crown workshops. And of course, a stellar lineup of top Leeds chefs and food glorious food everywhere you turn. International street food, artisan market and festival bars… seriously, what’s not to like? We’re there.

Hop City is back at Northern Monk’s Old Flax Store on 16 and 17 May. Around thirty-five breweries are expected to serve up the best hoppy beers from around the world, featuring contemporary names from Badlands to Overtone – and probably a few more you haven’t heard of. Grab yourself a pre-booked all-in or token-based ticket to access everything from fruity IPAs to big DIPAs and TIPAs, and settle in for some seriously glorious sipping.

Leeds’ vibrant celebration of jazz, Leeds Jazz Festival, between 22 and 27 May, will once again bring together a diverse lineup of talented artists, such as trumpeter Jay Phelps, pianist Sultan Stevenson, and contemporary jazz violinist Benet McClean, across multiple venues throughout the city.

Here’s a taster of what’s on offer: The family-friendly Welcome to Leeds stage will return to Cookridge Street (24 May), Camilla George takes the stage at Howard Assembly Room (23 and 24 May), Lift Your Feet presents a Jazz Dance Party at Hyde Park Book Club (24 May and Jazz Leeds brings a Leeds Jazz Festival Open Jam to Seven Arts (25 May). Bring the kids along too! The Play Tent presents Baby Jazz Play at Belgrave Music Hall (26 May) and The WTL Stage (24 May). Follow the festival’s Instagram page or see full listings for details…

It’s all kicking off again at Temple Newsam with back-to-back Spring Bank Holiday weekend festivals, Live at Leeds in the Park and Slam Dunk. Headliners Bloc Party, celebrating 20 years, are joined by Manic Street Preachers, Yard Act, Sigrid, Hard Life, Natasha Bedingfield, Sports Team, Jamie Webster and the Pigeon Detectives, among many others on Saturday, 24 May. Want to be part of Leeds’ ultimate all-dayer? Get your tickets here.

On Sunday, 25 May, Slam Dunk, the ever-popular pop-punk, emo, metal, and alternative music festival, returns to Temple Newsam, headlined by A Day to Remember with Electric Callboy, Neck Deep, New Found Glory, The Used and rising star NOAHFINNCE fresh off his UK tour. Want in on the action? Book your tickets here.

For a wonderful foodie family day out, why not pop down to The Great British Food Festival at Harewood House between 24 and 26 May. Expect live music, cake offs, kids cookery, forager walks and maybe an eating challenge or two (!) alongside chef demos, street food and an artisan market packed with delicious goodies.

Other Bank Holiday events…

As well as an amazing festival lineup, Leeds has lots more to offer over the May bank holidays:

Art House, Leeds, will take its Art House art markets to the great outdoors with Art in the City pop-up art events at Wellington Place on 2 and 3 May. Also on 3 May will be Chapel FM’s Musicathon, the Seacroft station’s annual 24-hour all-live, all-local non-stop music festival. Catch live streams via YouTube and on Chapel FM. More info here.

Alternative events for music lovers are: Orchestra of Opera North presents: Star Wars in Concert – experience one of the most out-of-this-world film scores ever written on stage at Leeds Grand on 4 May. At TESTBED on the same day, FAC51 The Haçienda returns to Leeds for a special bank holiday all-dayer with Inner City, David Morales, Roger Sanchez and more.

Fancy something uplifting? Kinky Boots, the Broadway and West End phenomenon, struts into Leeds between 20 and 24 May at Leeds Grand Theatre starring Strictly’s Johannes Radebe. At First Direct Arena, the equally flamboyant Scissor Sisters bring their unique brand of vibrant energy to the stage on 24 May.

For the kids, the popular Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book, The Baddies, will come to life at the Carriageworks between 23 and 25 May. And over at the Thackray Medical Museum, Blood and Beats between 24 May and 1 June gives teh shole family an opportunity to explore the red stuff through fun science shows, trails, crafts and activities.

Business events

UKREiiF, the UK’s real estate, investment and infrastructure forum, is expected to bring over 16,000 people together at the Royal Armouries Museum between 20 May and 22 May. Connect with national and local government officials, investors, developers and the wider built environment industry to understand what’s driving sustainable, inclusive and transformative investment and regeneration in the UK.

Green Tech Gathering

If you’re keen to see how this translates to the digital sector. The Green Tech Gathering, hosted by madeby.studio, and held in Leeds each quarter, discusses similar issues relating to the digital sector. May’s gathering is at Sedulo, Leeds, on 24 May with talks, networking opportunities and free pizza and beer. Numbers are limited, so grab a ticket before they’re gone…

Sporting events

If you’ve enjoyed watching Luke Littler’s rise to fame, you won’t want to miss Bet MGM Premier League Darts at the First Direct Arena on 8 May. Watch reigning champion Littler and world number one Luke Humphries battle it out for the coveted title and £1M in prize money.

Other class acts at the First Direct this month are: the Clubland Arena Tour (2 May), Olly Murs (9 May) and Bryan Adams (10 May).

The third Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon is set to take place on Sunday, 11 May, starting and finishing at AMT Headingley Stadium. It’s an event for everyone (18+), regardless of experience levels. Why not carry on local legend Rob’s legacy and raise money for the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal, the MND Association or a charity of your choice?

Another fun way to get active on 23 May is at the Northern Roll X Pink Lemonade Roller Disco at Sports Arena, Leeds Beckett University. Sheffield’s Pink Lemonade roller disco will team up with Leeds’ LS-TEN and The Skate Scholarship to offer a beginners’ rollerdance workshop with top tips to get you gliding.

Best of the rest

At Leeds Theatres, catch Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical between 7 and 10 May for a dose of 90s nostalgia at Leeds Grand, or head down to City Varities to get the culinary world’s best kept secrets from (the man with arguably the best job in the world), food critic Jay Rayner, in Nights Out at Home Live on 13 May.

Over at Leeds Kirkgate Market, there’s plenty to tempt you in besides the food hall, with a Makers Craft Market between 17 and 24 May and a May Mayhem Stay and Play event between 27 and 29 May with free giant Pixel Play, Air Hockey, interactive dance mats, Lego and Duplo tables. Follow the market’s Facebook page for details…