As the summer season approaches in Yorkshire, things are hotting up on the cultural calendar. June sees the return of acclaimed comedians, an in-depth look at an iconic part of Roman life, a unique insight into the natural world, and Sheffield is the host to some of the finest documentaries on the planet right now.
What’s On & Days Out in Yorkshire in June 2025
Rhys Darby
Date: 20 June
Venue: City Varieties Music Hall
Kiwi Icon, Rhys Darby, is returning to the stage with a brand new stand-up show, The Legend Returns. After almost a decade, Rhys is back on tour with his classic mix of astute observations and physical stand-up cocooned in a fantastical storyline that takes his audience on a hilarious journey. In a world full of AI and Robot tech can a simple dad with slightly tight jeans stay relevant?
Book your tickets at City Varieties Music Hall
Picture You Dead
Dates: 3-7 June
Venue: Sheffield Lyceum Theatre
Hot on the heels of the latest instalment of the acclaimed ITV series Grace, Superintendent Roy Grace is back in a brand-new Peter James stage adaptation and world premiere of the best-selling novel Picture You Dead. Actor, presenter and Strictly Come Dancing champion, Ore Oduba stars, joined by Fiona Wade who, following 11 years in Emmerdale, took to the stage earlier this year in the hit 2:22 A Ghost Story. Returning to reprise the role of Peter James’ famous literary detective is one of the nation’s favourite TV doctors, George Rainsford.
Book at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre
Gladiators
Dates: 28 June-2 November
Venue: Royal Armouries Museum
For the first time in the UK, the internationally acclaimed exhibition Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum arrives at the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds. Developed in collaboration with the Colosseum in Rome, the exhibition features original artefacts from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, including gladiatorial weaponry, armour, and three of the few surviving intact gladiator helmets.
Find out more at Royal Armouries Museum
Rory Bremner
Date: 4 June
Venue: Harrogate Theatre
For four decades, Rory Bremner has mimicked Prime Ministers and Presidents, pundits and Princes. Now, the master satirist is back with an intimate show that combines his signature stand-up with candid conversation, accompanied by a rotating cast of special guest hosts. His virtuoso display of vocal mimicry, topical satire and revealing insights will be on full display as he looks back on his career in an evening filled with acute observations, pitch-perfect impressions, and surprising revelations about the people he has imitated and his own self-discovery.
Book your tickets at the Harrogate Theatre
William Kentridge
Dates: 28 June-19 April 2026
Venue: Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Yorkshire Sculpture Park presents a new landmark exhibition by the celebrated South African artist, William Kentridge. The Pull of Gravity marks the first museum presentation outside South Africa to focus on his sculpture and has been a decade in the making. Bringing together over 40 works made between 2007 and 2024, this significant project is a carefully choreographed and multi-sensory journey into Kentridge’s world.
View at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
North Yorkshire Open Studios
Dates: 7-8 & 14-15 June
Venue: Various
This is an annual event enabling artists and makers to open their studios, meet, promote and sell their work directly to the public. With studios located across the county, from the remote hills of the Upper Dales to the suburban streets of Harrogate, across the Vale of York to the rural North York Moors and Coast, visitors have the opportunity to visit unique and varied artist venues, surrounded by stunning North Yorkshire landscapes.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Dates: Until 13 July
Venue: Sewerby Hall
Experience the 60th international Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum. The exhibition captures fascinating animal behaviour, spectacular species and the breathtaking diversity of the natural world. This is photography at its very best.
Murder She Didn’t Write
Date: 11 June
Venue: City Varieties Music Hall
The improvised whodunit and many year Edinburgh Fringe favourite, Murder, She Didn’t Write, is heading on a UK tour. This cleverly comedic show will see improv legends Degrees of Error perform an entirely improvised murder mystery each night, across the country. In this ingenious show, the audience becomes the author as a classic Agatha Christie-inspired murder mystery is written live.
Buy tickets at Leeds Heritage Theatre
Sunny Side
Dates: 12-13 June
Venue: Leeds Playhouse
The multi-disciplinary performance company and Yorkshire’s own Northern Rascals are taking their raw and powerful show Sunny Side on a UK tour. Their show will impressively weave together elements of theatre, dance and spoken word to portray the mental health struggles that many young men in the UK face.
Sheffield DocFest
Dates: 18-23 June
Venue: Various
Sheffield DocFest has announced the world premiere of Kim Hopkins’ Still Pushing Pineapples will open this year’s festival on 18th June at Sheffield’s Showroom Cinema. It offers audiences a melancholy yet heartfelt look into the story of Dene Michael, the former singer of Black Lace and pop band behind the novelty Brit party favourite ‘Agadoo’. The film follows the lead singer’s journey on the road with his aging mother and a partner, as he aims for a comeback.
For full listings, visit Sheffdocfest.com
Justin Moorhouse
Date: 10 June
Venue: Sheffield Playhouse
Get ready for an unforgettable experience as Justin Moorhouse performs The Greatest Performance Of My Life. Covering pantomimes to dreams, how to behave in hospitals, small talk, realising your Mum is a northern version of Columbo, and how being a smart-mouthed kid saves you from a life of continually being beaten up. Funny and interesting, and perhaps a little bit to warm the soul too.
Buy tickets at Sheffield Theatres
WOVEN Festival
Dates: 1-30 June
Venue: Across Kirklees
WOVEN, the biennial festival celebrating textile heritage and innovation in Kirklees, will take place from 1st-30th June. Established in 2019, the festival has helped communities across Kirklees celebrate the region’s textile heritage and find out more about the future of textiles in the region and further afield. The month-long event will showcase the rich textile history of the area as well as explore cutting-edge developments in the industry.
The theme for WOVEN 2025 is Connecting Culture, bringing communities together through the shared language of textiles. Each year the festival attracts more than 100 events, including exhibitions, workshops, talks and community projects across Kirklees.
One festival highlight will be the installation of The Red Dress, a globally-travelled collaborative embroidery project, which will be on display at Oakwell Hall. The Red Dress project was initiated by British artist Kirstie Macleod in 2009 to help marginalised women tell their stories through stitching, uniting people around the world without borders. The dress now features the work of more than 300 embroiderers from 51 countries and has been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide.
During the festival, various free and ticketed events will celebrate textiles all across Kirklees, with exhibitions showcasing local and international textile art, workshops teaching traditional and innovative textile techniques, talks and tours exploring the region’s textile heritage and future and community projects connecting diverse cultural backgrounds through textiles. WOVEN will be working in partnership with organisations across Kirklees, including libraries, museums, charities and businesses.
Natalie Walton, WOVEN’s curator, says: “WOVEN 2025 promises to be our most inclusive and diverse festival to date. We’re really excited to empower and connect communities together through the universal language of textiles, celebrating our rich heritage while looking toward the innovative future of the industry in the area.”
Find out more at WOVEN in Kirklees
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At Absolutely Magazines, we pride ourselves on curating only the finest recommendations for our refined readers. Our editors leverage their extensive expertise in lifestyle journalism to ensure that every selection meets the highest standards of quality and relevance. From scouring local insider tips to understanding trends and feedback, we leave no stone unturned in identifying the most exceptional venues for you. Guided by an appreciation for your taste, we prioritise venues and events that epitomise luxury, style, and premium experiences. You can trust us to bring you the Absolute best, every time.
