The Great Yorkshire Show may take the spotlight this season, but here’s a selection of other festivals in Yorkshire worth your time this summer.
Leeds Festival
Leeds Festival has announced six stellar headliners for 2024: Fred Again, Lana Del Rey, Blink-182, Liam Gallagher, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Gerry Cinnamon, who are set to top the bill on the most prestigious main stage of all.
Fred Again’s extraordinary talent has powered his meteoric rise to become one of the UK’s most-loved artists. Lana Del Rey’s iconic sound has distinguished her as one of the defining artistic voices of her generation. Brit-pop icon and Rock and Roll demigod Liam Gallagher will mark the 30th anniversary of Oasis’s all-conquering debut “Definitely Maybe” by performing the album in full. Catfish and the Bottlemen are firmly established as one of the UK’s most exciting and dynamic bands in recent years. Blink-182, one of the world’s biggest rock bands, has sold over 50 million albums in a career spanning nearly 30 years. The UK’s biggest independent artist, Gerry Cinnamon, has enjoyed one of contemporary music’s most extraordinary ascents to stardom. His revealing and honest songs, with their soaring choruses, have inspired a huge and devoted audience.
For more information, visit Leeds Festival.
Baby Band Music Festival
The Baby Band Music Festival returns to the historic Lotherton Hall, Leeds, for the second year running on Sunday, 21 July. This event features an eclectic mix of live bands that will have everyone from toddlers to grandparents tapping their feet.
The festival will be the biggest single-day event ever staged at Lotherton Hall, attracting up to 3,000 visitors and promising an experience that transcends generations—proper music, great bands, and absolutely no nursery rhymes. The Baby Band Music Festival is your passport to a summer day filled with the sweet sound of family fun, live music, and unforgettable memories.
Event Highlights
- Music from New York Brass Band, Reciprocal, Undercovered, Manchester Indie Choir, and Alligator Gumbo.
- Fabulous artisan market filled with local crafters and makers.
- Wide variety of children’s activities from dance workshops and forest school to circus skills sessions.
- Delicious food and drinks from Philly’s Pizza, 7 Star Flag Street Food, crepes, ice cream, and the best brownies in Yorkshire.
For more details, visit Baby Band Music Festival.
Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival
Harrogate International Festivals have revealed the full programme for this year’s 21st Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s most prestigious celebration of crime fiction and thriller writing.
Programme Highlights
- An all-star lineup of acclaimed writers and global bestsellers, including Mick Herron, Louise Candlish, M.W. Craven, James Comey, Lucy Foley, Femi Kayode, and Saima Mir.
- Special Guest headliners Chris Carter, Jane Casey, Elly Griffiths, Peter James, Erin Kelly, Vaseem Khan, Dorothy Koomson, Shari Lapena, Abir Mukherjee, Liz Nugent, and Richard Osman.
- Crowning of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.
- Critics’ New Blood panel showcases new debut novelists Jonny Sweet, Martta Kaukonen, Claire Coughlan, and Colin Walsh.
- Evening events include the Late Night Quiz hosted by Val McDermid and Mark Billingham and Confessions of a Crime Writer.
For more information, visit Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
Sounds of the City
Manchester’s Sounds of the City returns to Millennium Square, Leeds, for several shows in July 2024.
Performance Highlights
- Anne-Marie: Thursday, 4 July – Multi-platinum and award-winning star with hits like “2002”, “FRIENDS,” and “PSYCHO” featuring rapper Aitch.
- Tom Grennan: Saturday, 6 July – Known for his hits such as “Little Bit Of Love,” “By Your Side”, and “Lionheart (Fearless).”
- Paloma Faith: Sunday, 7 July – Performing after the release of her sixth studio album, “The Glorification of Sadness.”
- Busted: Thursday, 11 July – A hi-octane, maximum fun show of all their classic hits.
For tickets and more details, visit Sounds of the City.
Ripon Theatre Festival
Ripon Theatre Festival has announced full details for this year’s ever-growing summer event. Now stretching to six nights and five days, the festival, taking place from Tuesday, 2 July to Sunday, 7 July, promises an extensive and varied programme of drama, family entertainment, dance, circus, comedy, cabaret, and spoken word events.
Event Highlights
- Outdoor theatre at Newby Hall and The Old Deanery gardens.
- Family Day is on Sunday in Ripon, and it features puppet shows, street entertainment, music, and dance.
- Pop-up shows, walkabout acts, and street performers on Festival Saturday.
- Visiting acts from across the UK.
- Julie Andrews’ musical tribute, “A Spoonful of Julie.”
- Stand-up comedy-meets-storytelling event at the Storehouse Bar.
- Opera Brunch at Valentino’s Ristorante.
- Digital theatre experience from Pilot Theatre Company at Ripon Cathedral.
- Ilaria Passeri, the first Storyteller-in-Residence.
For more details, visit Ripon Theatre Festival.
