This January, Yorkshire has some incredible events to explore, laugh, and be inspired. Whether it’s the award-winning Hamilton at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre, the adrenaline-fueled Banff Mountain Film Festival in Hebden Bridge, or the magical reimagining of Rotherham at its Winter Festival.
This round up will help you plan your January with ease and make the most of everything Yorkshire has to offer.
Events Near Yorkshire This Weekend
Ed Byrne
Dates: 25 January
Venue: Leeds’ City Varieties
One of the UK’s favourite TV household names once more extends his nationwide tour of British Comedy Guide’s Best Comedy Show 2023, and his most personal show to date, until April 2025, almost two years after he began performing it. From the quote attributed to Mark Twain, humour is defined as Tragedy Plus Time. Come and join one of our leading laugh specialists as he tests that formula by mining the most tragic event in his life for laughs.
Book at Leeds Heritage Theatre
The Traumatic Surreal
Dates: Until 16 March
Venue: Henry Moore Institute
The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds will host The Traumatic Surreal, the first exhibition to explore the radical use and development of Surrealist sculptural traditions by post-war women artists from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Bringing together work from the 1960s through to the present day, it will feature artists Renate Bertlmann, Birgit Jürgenssen, Bady Minck, Meret Oppenheim, Pipilotti Rist, Ursula (Schultze-Bluhm) and Eva Wipf.
View at Henry Moore Foundation
Strictly Come Dancing Live
Dates: 21 January
Venue: Sheffield Utilita Arena
The full line-up of celebrities for 2025’s highly anticipated Strictly Come Dancing Live UK Tour has been announced. Actor Jamie Borthwick; broadcaster, presenter and opera singer Wynne Evans; singer, TV presenter and author JB Gill; Gladiator and Olympian Montell Douglas; actress Sarah Hadland; actor and singer Shayne Ward; and model and TV personality Tasha Ghouri will hit the road in January 2025.
Book your tickets at Strictly Come Dancing Live
Chris McCausland
Dates: 19th January and 3rd February
Venue: Grand Opera House York
Currently wowing everyone on Strictly, you may have also seen northern comic Chris McCausland on Would I Lie to You, Have I Got News for You, The Royal Variety, QI, Blankety Blank, The Last Leg, and plenty more as well. He’s been called an “overnight success” – even though he’s been doing this for yonks. Chris is hitting the road again with another masterclass in stand-up comedy.
Get your tickets at ATG Tickets
Hamilton
Dates: 28 January-15 March
Venue: Alhambra Theatre, Bradford
Producers Jeffrey Seller and Cameron Mackintosh are delighted to announce new casting for the UK and Ireland Tour of the multi award-winning Hamilton, arriving in Bradford on 28 January. Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre – a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.
Book tickets at Bradford Theatres
Adrift on a Painted Sea
Dates: Until March 30 2025
Venue: Mercer Art Gallery
Adrift on a Painted Sea by Tim Bird is a beautiful and profound graphic novel that explores family, loss, and art through the author’s relationship with his mother, Sue Bird, who painted as a hobby throughout her life. The exhibition displays a range of paintings by Sue Bird, alongside some artwork from the graphic novel, written by her son Tim after her death to celebrate her art and life. As well as paintings by Sue Bird and artwork from the graphic novel, there will also be a display of sketches and sketchbooks.
View at the Mercer Gallery Studio
Banff Mountain Film Festival
Dates: 30 January
Venue: Hebden Bridge Picture House
The Banff Mountain Film Festival is back with a brand-new line-up of captivating short films packed with extreme journeys, intriguing characters and stunning cinematography. The Banff Mountain Film Festival brings to life the spirit of extreme adventure and the world’s last great wild places – all through the big screen.
Book at the Hebden Bridge Picture House
Otherham Winter Festival
Dates: 24-26 January
Venue: Rotherham
As part of the yearlong celebration of the borough becoming the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture, Rotherham will host a free Winter Festival from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th January. The festival will feature a captivating trail of projection installations across the town centre, bringing to life a reimagined vision of Rotherham like never before.
Flux Rotherham Programme Director Helen Jones says: “Last year over 10,000 people visited Rotherham Minster during the Winter Festival to visit The Museum of The Moon, which was amazing. But what people told us was they wanted a wider winter festival with more activity across the town, which is designed especially for Rotherham.
“This festival responds to that wish, and with imitating the dog and Grimm & Co. on board, plus the incredible imaginations of Rotherham’s children and young people, we hope to create a free, world-class cultural experience right in the heart of our town.“
The vision is to imagine a place where nothing is quite as it seems; where the imaginations of young people have transformed the town, giving it an otherworldly twist. This is “Otherham,” a magical town where stone walls might open portals to new worlds, where you can order the weather with your coffee, and where kindness is delivered by fluttering butterflies. It’s both familiar and fantastical, a reimagined Rotherham that invites you to see the town through a new lens.
imitating the dog co-Artistic Director Simon Wainwright says: “We can’t wait to create
Otherham for Rotherham’s Winter Festival. It’s a project we dreamed up after an inspirational visit to the town centre and Grimm & Co’s wonderful storytelling emporium; a visit which truly sparked our imaginations and formed the idea to let the city’s young people dream up a magical, unpredictable and out-of-step world. Who knows what we’ll end up creating but that’s the most exciting part – what stories could these buildings contain?”
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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.
