📆 What’s on in Leeds in August 2024

The Leeds festival scene isn’t slowing down moving into August, with annual crowd-pleasers, Leeds Festival and Leeds West Indian Carnival to look forward to. But if parenting, not partying, is on your agenda for the next few weeks, don’t worry. There’s lots to entertain the whole family this month, come (more) rain or shine.

Lazy weekends: Artisan, craft and food markets

There’s no need to miss a visit to an open-air market this month, with one happening every weekend in August. Lotherton Hall kicks things off with its Yorkshire Artisan Market on the 3rd and 4th of August, a two-day celebration of Yorkshire’s diverse making and baking talent with entertainment for the whole family. 

Towards the end of the month, sample delicious local produce or treat yourself to a locally-made gift at Temple Newsam’s Artisan and Craft Market on the 25th of August. Or try Kirkstall Abbey Market the weekend after, on the 31st of August, for a similar free shopping experience in another stunning Leeds location.

In the city, check out Fayre in the Square at Wellington Place every Friday (3-8 pm) and Saturday (12-6 pm) throughout August. It’s a fresh take on a traditional farmer’s market, offering a blend of food traders, pop-up bar, market stalls, family-friendly activities and live music, and it’s free. Booking is not required for this event.

And while you’re there, don’t forget it’s GAME ON! for the Monopoly Leeds Takeover until the 1st of September. 

The big ones: Festivals, music and events

Continuing the Yorkshire Day celebrations is Middleton Railway’s first ever A Taste of Yorkshire Food and Drink Festival on the 3rd of August between 10 am and 10 pm. Think beers, ciders and cocktails, local hot and cold goodies, live music and children’s entertainment all day long––and trains will run into the evening as a rare treat. An indoor/outdoor family event with something for everyone, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Music-wise, there’s plenty going on in Leeds this month, with Millenium Square hosting local British rock band Yard Act on the 3rd of August and the ever-popular Leeds Ska and Mod Festival on the 4th. Special guests include King Hammond & The Rude Boy Mafia, Stranger Cole and The Chords. The Brudenell Social Club’s August lineup is also worth a look. It has everything from RISE SUMMERSESH, England’s maddest wrestling show, on the 3rd of August to The Bon Jovi Experience (officially endorsed by Bon Jovi himself) on the 16th.

Leeds Festival is, of course, back with a bang this bank holiday weekend at Bramham Park. Returning for its 25th year, headliners between the 21st and 25th of August include Blink 182, Fred Again, Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Gerry Cinnamon and special guest 21 Savage. As Leeds Fest continues to evolve, it offers more incentives to be environmentally responsible while you party. Travel in on the Big Green Coach, sign up for the Leeds Eco Camp and return cups and bottles to be in with a chance of winning prizes. 

For an equally uplifting experience of a different kind over the bank holiday, head over to Kirkgate Market for Leeds’ 4th annual African and Caribbean Food Fest on Saturday, the 24th of August, between 9 am and 4:30 pm. Tantalise your tastebuds with a culinary explosion of African and Caribbean food and drinks at over 25 food stalls in Leeds’ beloved indoor street food venue. Try signature dishes like spicy jerk chicken, savoury jollof rice, curry mutton with rice and ackee with fried dumplings and entertainment from a pop-up carnival featuring a steel pan orchestra.  

And the fun doesn’t stop there. Leeds West Indian Carnival is back, lighting up the streets with a celebration of West Indian history and culture on Monday, the 26th of August. Catch the best views of the incredible costumes from the carnival organiser’s favourite spots during the main parade, which sets off from Potternewton Park at 2 pm and winds its way through Harehills and Chapeltown. Or stay in the park, where the parade will be live-streamed from the main stage.

If you’re away for the bank holiday, how about getting in on the carnival action with BOOMCHICKABOOM!’s Mahogany Market Pre Carnival Fam Fest on the 18th of August at Project House instead? Get your waists warm with Leeds’ finest DJs and enjoy authentic Caribbean cuisine in two sessions: a noon to 4 pm family-friendly event with inflatables, face painting, carnival crafts, and plenty of dancing for all ages and a 5 pm til 9 pm 25+ event. Alternatively, try El Kiddo Circus, the ultimate circus-themed event for all the family, the day before (17th) from noon. Tickets are required for both events.

Family fun: School holiday activities and events

There may be six whole weeks to fill, but the good news? Many family-friendly activities and events run throughout the month, giving you plenty of options for your diary.  

There’s loads to explore at the Thackray Museum of Medicine in August, which kicks things off with a new exhibition, You Choose, in collaboration with the University of Leeds’ LivingBodiesObjects project funded by the Wellcome Trust. You’ll immerse yourself in cutting-edge technology, asking questions like: what if we could 3D print our own medicines? And could AI help us to spot diseases earlier? 

And that’s just the start! Hands on: Eye Dissection on select Fridays and Saturdays at 11:30 am and Thackray Science LIVE: Ear Ear! every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 1 pm during the summer holidays get the kids (recommended age 7+) up close to optical and aural science throughout the summer holidays. Spaces are limited, so please book in advance. For under 5s, Storytime with the Feel Good Friends at 10 am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays explores the senses through stories, songs and games.

On Saturday, August 10th, between 10 am and 4 pm, head down to the M&S Archive for Sparky Saturdays. The whole family can browse dressing-up rails, try the Percy Trail, and go shopping in the Penny Bazaar, and there’s no need to book. It’s free, and light refreshments are included. 

A musical adaptation of the best-selling Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler book Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book will run from August 13th to 18th at the Carriageworks Theatre with three daytime showings. Puppetry and songs will bring this fast-unfolding adventure to life before your eyes.

Join Leeds Industrial Museum for a series of Nature Workshops throughout July between 11 am and 2 pm. Starting on the 1st of August, the workshops run on select weekdays until the 29th. Activities include bug house building, leaf printing, and wildlife collaging; some will take place outdoors in the Colour Garden. 

Leeds City Museum will run its Tiny Tigers and Rory’s Saturday Club as usual throughout the month, but there’ll also be a chance for budding Boardgame Builders to invent their own game on the 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 21st and 22nd of August and take part in a Boardgame Workshop with Cards or Die on the 13th of August, all between 10 am and 12 pm and 1 pm and 3 pm. 

Over at Kirkstall Abbey, kids can get Arty and Crafty in the Abbey every Wednesday and Thursday in August between 10 am and 11:30 am for free. In the evenings, from 6 pm till 8 pm, a series of family-friendly productions await, including The Wind in the Willows on the 9th, Alice in Wonderland Panto on the 16th, Pinocchio Panto on the 21st and The Little Mermaid Panto on the 27th. There’s also an outdoor cinema screening of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on the 23rd of August between 8:30 pm and 11 am. 

Leeds Discovery Centre will run Summer Store Tours throughout August for a behind-the-scenes look at the Leeds Museums and Galleries collection store, which houses over 1.3 million objects. Perhaps not one for the kids, but they wouldn’t want to come anyway––they’ll have better things to do with a series of engaging workshops like Piece of the Puzzle on the 14th, Flower Forage on the 21st and What Lies Beneath (rocks and fossils) on the 28th. 

There’ll be a Summer of Stories to explore at Abbey House Museum. Its Victorian streets will come to life with fairytales, nursery rhymes and modern classics. Don’t take our word for it, but you might even bump into a troll or have a tea party with a tiger! 

And if all these activities still haven’t worn them out, there’s always The Pop Party at the City Varieties Music Hall on the 18th of August. Let the kids dance and sing their hearts out to music from chart-toppers like Little Mix, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Meghan Trainor, Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran and more. Time to dance like no one’s watching…