The school holidays are upon us, the Women's Euros has come to an end and we've got four full weekends to get through before autumn starts to creep into our lives.
To make the most of the final few weeks of good weather, we've rounded up the top ten things to get involved in across Leeds.
There's everything from new bottomless brunches, Pride celebrations and pup-up dog cafes to dinosaur trails and Leeds' biggest festival to look forward to, just keep reading to find out more...
Love Island Final Showing
Monday 1 August 2022 | Manahatta Merrion Street and Headingley
Image: ITV / Manahatta
Manahatta is showing the Love Island Final at both Manahatta Merrion Street and Manahatta Headingley to mark the end of the two-month-long TV series. Every attendant even gets a complimentary drink of the hilariously named cocktail, ‘I licked her spritz… or whatever’, plus 50% off food with the code MYTYPE.
The show will start at 9pm before ending at 10.35pm, but if you want to get yourself the best view in the house, arrive early and grab a bite to eat in advance- all that suspense is bound to work up an appetite anyway.
Monday 1 August - Sunday 7 August 2022 | Across Leeds
Image: The Hoot Leeds
To celebrate Yorkshire Day, four restaurants across Leeds are offering complimentary cocktails and fizz for bookings made throughout the week. It's no secret that Yorkshire folk love a bargain, so this will be an incredibly popular foodie offer.
East 59th, Issho, Angelica and Crafthouse will all be taking part in the offer, though the particular dates and offers vary between each restaurant. For more information, check each restaurant's Instagram page or website.
Find out more here.
Breeze in the Park
Friday 5 August - Thursday 18 August 2022 | Various locations
Image: Leeds City Council
Expect an inflatable obstable course, bouncy castles, arts, crafts, interactive play and fair ground rides, all in one place for 0-19 year olds to make the most of the summer sun.
The pop up family fun event will be touring through the following locations during August:
Friday 5 August – Cross Flatts Park, Beeston
Wednesday 10 August – Kirkstall Abbey
Thursday 18 August – West Park Leeds RUFC, Bramhope
The best of 90s and 00s music will be hitting Millenium Square on Saturday 6 August 2022, when seven acts performing ten number one hit singles.Expect to see the remaining members of S Club 7 performing their best hits alongside the likes of Peter Andre, 5ive, Fatman Scoop, Whigfield and the Cheeky Girls.
Between the seven acts, there will be plenty of trending hits to transport you back to the early 00s across a whopping seven and a half hour set (5.30pm-11pm). Priced at £34.95, remaining tickets are all available on the Popworld Festival website.
Located in the gorgeous pastel-coloured setting of PASTEL cocktail bar on Kirkgate, this is a ninety minute free-flowing experience supersizing the best of Leeds booze for one unforgettable afternoon. Serving up a range of the cocktail’s signature bar, Pastel has joined forces with one of Leeds most-sought-after pizza makers, Homeboy Pizza Co.
We'll be ordering the The Nuthin’ But Cheese Thang, it's a bestseller for good reason. A classic veggie dish with San Marzano tomatoes, Fior Di Latte, basil and topped with EV Olive oil, but there's plenty more to enjoy from the collab brunch offer. Think Pastel lager, Prosecco and Pastel favourites like the Good Time Spritz, an Aperol alternative with Bandara Al Fresco, Prosecco, Yuzu Tonic and grapefruit that’ll become you never summer go-to in no time.
Sunday 7 August 2022 | Lower Briggate, Leeds City Centre
Image: Leeds Pride
Pride in Leeds is one of a very few free Pride events in the UK and in 2019 attracted over 65,000 people making it one of the biggest events held in the city centre, so you can bet that this year, the celebrations will be more exciting than ever before.
This Sunday will see the annual parade return to Lower Briggate and across Leeds with special tribute to the late Robert Payne, who sadly passed away in December 2021. A new route and name has been given to the parade in his honour.
Sunday 14 August 2022 | Revolution Electric Press, Millenium Square
Image: Pup-Up Cafe
Leeds' favourite pop-up dog cafe is bringing together hundreds of teeny four-legged Dachshunds for an afternoon, and it's guaranteed to be every dog-lover's dream. Set up as an Instagram-worthy bar with photo ops aplenty, make friends with up to 75 other dogs per session and even take home a goodies from local dog businesses.
If you don't actually own a dog, you're still able to buy tickets and be a part of all the action, human tickets can be purchased in addition to the dog versions via the Pup-Up website.
Leeds Festival has returned for yet another year, and the team behind Leeds' biggest festival is bringing global musical talent to the city like you've never seen before. Arctic Monkeys, Dave and Bring Me The Horizon are set to headline each day, with a further 70+ performers from around the world taking to the stage across the three-day festival.
Some of the most notable names include Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Willow (Smith), Beabadoobee, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, All Time Low, The Lathums and The DMA’s.
This month, there's five new tasty street food options to choose from at Trinity Kitchen. There's Yoi Fried Chicken with Pan-Asian fried goodness, The Waffle Cone's sweet treats with ice cream and fruit options; Dog Almighty's artisan hot dogs, as well as The Little Pasta Company's carb-fuelled pasta options with burrata (a personal favourite) and Yard Burger, a US-inspired menu with burgers aplenty.
Throughout August, all vendors will be serving up a small, but considered menu from Trinity Kitchen on the top floor of Trinity Shopping Centre.
Monday 1 August - Wednesday 31 August 2022 | Various locations
Image: The Hoot Leeds
You might have already spotted a few of these as you walk about Leeds, but there's a total of twelve speciality built, life-size beasts dotted around the city for children to seek out and explore.
Spanning across 4km (or 2,000 dino steps), there's a trail to track each dinosaur from the dedicated programme across Leeds or use the digital map, which can be found here on the Leeds Jurassic Trail website.
In case you missed the landmark announcement yesterday, it has been confirmed that social media is to be banned for under-16s in the UK.
That’s right – in what is said to be a bid to ‘give kids their childhood back’ and set ‘a new normal’ for future generations by kickstarting a cultural shift, the Government has announced that social media platforms will be banned from offering their services to under-16s – meaning less time for scrolling and more time for play.
The Government says it plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia, which was introduced back in 2024.
But what exactly does that mean? And what social media platforms are set to be included within the upcoming ban and which ones aren’t?
Well, according to the Government and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, the UK’s ban would capture user-to-user platforms, whose purpose is to enable social interaction, allow users to post their own material, alongside algorithms.
The Government has announced a social media ban for under 16s / Credit: Julian Christ (via Unsplash)
The ban will, therefore, include popular social media platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
But crucially, at this time, it is not intended for messaging services like WhatsApp to be included.
The Government says it is also planning to go even further than any other country, as on top of a blanket ban on social media, world-leading blocks on harmful functions – such as livestreaming and stranger communication with children – will also be blocked for under-16s, and will apply to a wider range of online services, including on gaming sites.
Restrictions on these functionalities will also be on by default for 16- and 17-year-olds to prevent what ministers are calling a ‘cliff-edge’ at 16.
And to go even further, the Government says it will be ‘looking in more detail’ at the potential to introduce overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for those under 18 – with more information to be provided on this next month.
“This is a decisive first step which marks a clear choice to put children’s wellbeing first and give them a healthy life online,” the Government said in a statement. “We stand ready to take further measures in the future.”
Speaking on the upcoming ban and further restrictions, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Parents want to keep their kids safe and happy, but the online world has made that harder than ever.
“I’ve heard first hand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them.
“That’s why we’re going further than any country in the world by banning social media for under-16s and putting wider protections in place to give kids their childhood back.
“This is a line in the sand. Tech giants had their chance and failed, but we’re stepping in to protect children, back parents and set a new normal for future generations.”
SIR Kevin Sinfield knighted as part of King’s Birthday Honours list for 2026
Danny Jones
While many individuals were already public knowledge, we're made up to hear that SIR Kevin Sinfield has now finally received his long-overdue knighthood, and he's not the only familiar face to have been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours list for 2026.
There are numerous worthy names on the list, but it goes without saying that the 'Sir Kev' campaign is one that many have been flying the flag for rather high over the past few years.
Sinfield, 45, is not only a rugby league and England legend, but he has warmed hearts across the country and beyond through his superhuman '7 in 7' ultramarathon efforts on behalf of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) in recent times, all in memory of his old teammate, local hero and best friend, Rob Burrow.
In fact, our mates at The Manc and we here at The Hoot are among countless others who've been calling for this for some time.
Following his 2014 MBE, OBE in 2021, and CBE in '23, we struggle to think of anyone more deserving of the accolade than Leeds Rhinos legend, to be honest.
Announcing his seventh and final '7 in 7 challenge' earlier this month, he's now managed to generate more than £11 million in vital funding for the cause.
Set to channel that same sentiment that Burrow and fellow late, great rugby legend, Doddie Weir, tried to reiterate so often once again - "MND isn't incurable, it's just underfunded" - the scenes are no doubt going to be more emotional than ever.
Hero, legend, inspiration - these words don't even begin to cut it.
The Greater Manchester native was one of the first confirmed new knighthoods made known to the public; here he is talking about the great privilege with the BBC:
There are also several Lionesses named, too, such as Euros winners and WSL stars Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo, Michelle Agyemang, Jess Carter, Hannah Hampton and Lauren James, who join the quintet of other national team players given MBEs as part of King Charles III's New Year's Honours List, with the prior official ceremony taking place last month.
Sinfield is not the only ex-sportsman to have been honoured this year, either.
As per The Manc, former Scotland international and Manchester United player Lou Macari (who still has a chippy in his name right near the ground) has also been made an MBE.
While Sinfield was recognised for services to sport and charity, 77-year-old Macari has been awarded the accolade for his work helping the homeless across not just the North but all over the country.
Another local sportsperson listed this year is our very own Head of GB Para Badminton, Richard Mark Morris, 36, who has been awarded an MBE for services to sport and disabled people.
He's been hailed not only for his coaching and improvements to accessibility, but also for helping create a world-class training environment over in Sheffield; he was clearly bowled over when he realised he was being recognised.
Besides the athletics community, others who received OBEs this week include Catherine Handcock, who founded the media brand and magazine Creative HEAD (a major outlet in the hairdressing industry), and fellow York native, Barrie Stephenson, who co-founded the crucial homeless charity, Restore.
Awarded for services to people experiencing homelessness in the city, Christian-backed non-profit Restore has helped accommodate, support and rehouse rough sleepers since 2010.
Speaking to fellow local outlet YorkMix, Stephenson said: "I may be the only person who has been with the charity from its inception, but I have worked with so many others who should share this honour, especially Ed Hambleton, our co-founder, who gave up a secure job to pioneer Restore with me.
Well in, Barrie.
You can find the full list of 1,182 people named on this year's list online, or simply look at which other Yorkshire/Northern legends made the 2026 honours right HERE.
Sophie Smith -
1st August 2022 
