Summer is well underwayand Leeds is overflowing with exciting things to do this August.
How is everyone's summer going then?
Yes, the school holidays may have got off to a rather drizzly start (understatement of the century), but the city's event calendar for the month is enough to brighten even the greyest of days.
August is always a big month for Leeds, with Leeds Festival gearing up to takeover Bramham Park at the end of the month for a weekend of incredible live music. But not only that, we've got Leeds Pride painting the town in colour this weekend and another couple of festivals thrown into the mix to make sure this is a month to remember.
Keep reading to find out what you can get up to this August...
Bingley Festival
Thursday 3 - Sunday 6 August | Bradford and Bingley Rugby Club
Image: Bingley Festival
In what has been hailed by festival organisers as the ‘biggest and best’ line-up to date, Bingley Festival is set to be one for the history books, and there are still a few tickets left on sale.
Headline performances include Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds on Friday, Stone Roses’ frontman Ian Brown on Saturday and Scottish rock band Travis will be closing the festival on the Sunday.
For those wanting not to miss a beat, full weekend tickets are still available alongside camping tickets, so you can make sure you won’t be skipping out on any of the action as you lay your head down just minutes away from the site. Day tickets for all days are still available but be quick as they won’t be sticking around for long.
You can get your ticket to Bingley Festival 2023 here.
Six The Musical
Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 August | Leeds Grand Theatre
Image: Six The Musical
The smash hit musical that tells the tale of Henry VIII's six wives is coming to the Leeds Grand Theatre and we cannot wait.
Expert ultimate girl power, incredible vocals and a night of all round fun. Grab your last minute tickets here.
Negroni Month at Friends of Ham
Friday 4 - Thursday 31 August | New Station St, Leeds and Brook Street, Ilkley
Yes, you read that correctly. For the entire month of August, Friends of Ham will be serving £5 negronis in both their Ilkley and Leeds locations.
It's the perfect opportunity to get together with mates, sink a few negronis and indulge on the delicious cheese and charcuterie that Friends of Ham have to offer. You'd be a fool not to get involved in this absolute bargain.
City Beach Summer Sessions
All of August | The Light Leeds, Cookridge Street
Image: The Light Leeds
Following its huge success in 2021 and 2022, The City Beach invites anyone and everyone to take part in fun beach activities throughout the summer.
The Light will be transformed into a huge sandpit to make you feel like you’re on holiday. The City Beach this year will also host a series of exciting events named ‘Summer Sessions’ for families and cocktail lovers alike, throughout the month of August.
From live music nights to evenings dedicated to Aperol Spritz, there's a fun event for everyone to get involved in at The Light this summer.
Popworld Festival will be returning to Millenium Square this summer for an incredible night full of pop hits. The festival was a huge hit last year with ultimate pop legend Peter Andre taking to the stage as well as 5ive, S Club, Fatman Scoop and Paul Chuckle.
This year's event will take place on Saturday 5 August 2023 and the line-up includes huge acts such as Ronan Keating, Claire from Steps, B*Witched, DJ Casper and Chesney Hawkes.
Leeds Pride returns to the city centre this August with thousands expected to gather in Millennium Square for two hours of live entertainment. Leeds Pride is a joyous celebration that invites anyone and everyone to celebrate LGBTQ+ life in the heart of the city centre.
It is the biggest of its kind in Yorkshire, and this year it promises to be even bigger and better than ever before. From live music to the iconic parade, find out all about Pride 2023 here.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park Safari Sessions
Saturday 5 August | Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Park
The county’s top wildlife park is making the most out of the long summer nights and inviting guests to spend the night at the zoo.
Explore Yorkshire Wildlife Park in a completely different light as the gates are kept open until 9:30pm, allowing you to wander the park at dusk. Taking place on Saturday 5 August 2023, ticket entry includes live entertainment from 4:30-8:30pm and park access all day long.
One of the biggest festivals in the UK will of course be taking place at Bramham Park over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
The star-studded lineup includes Sam Fender, Billie Eilish, The 1975, Loyle Carner, The Killers and so many more amazing acts. It's set to be an incredible weekend that will pull in music fans from across the country. Tickets are still available on the Leeds Festival website here.
Projecting Grief Exhibition
Friday 18 - Sunday 27 August | Victoria Gate
Image: Supplied
Projecting Grief is the profound work of photographer Jo Ritchie and writer Laura McDonagh. Collaborating with Leeds International Festival of Ideas 2023, they are presenting an inspiring exhibition focusing on the complexities of loss and how art can be a useful medium for grieving.
Viewers can fully immerse themselves in real-life stories of grief and will also have the opportunity to take part in creative workshops covering textile art, writing and paper flower making.
Sunday 25 - Monday 28 August | Chapeltown and Harehills
Image: Leeds West Indian Carnival
Held annually on the last Monday in August, every year the anticipation for this stunning display of colour and sheer joy that parades through the streets of Leeds presents itself in a celebration that represents the very best of carnival culture.
An explosion of culture will be paraded through Chapeltown and Harehills on the Monday and a live music concert will take place on the Sunday in Potternewton Park.
Featured images - Leeds Pride / Leeds West Indian Carnival | Official Reading and Leeds
Feature
The best bakeries in Leeds serving everything from crusty loaves to flakey croissants
If you're got a sweet tooth, then you're going to want to keep reading.
Oh Leeds, if there's one thing we're good at - it's baking.
Just walking around the city you'll bump into delightful bakeries offering sweet treats galore, and you'll find even better gems when you venture into the suburbs.
We've rounded up a handy little guide for you to make your way through when you're looking to treat yourself to a cheeky baked good, which should be every day if we're being honest.
So, without further ado let's dive into the best bakeries in Leeds.
Bake
Mustard Approach, Mustard Wharf
Images: The Hoot Leeds
From the team behind Things in Bread and Doh'hut comes this absolutely beautiful bakery by the water.
Led by mastermind Tom, they're serving up great British bakes but with a refined twist. Think ultra cheesy cheese twists, sticky school cake and unbeatable sausage rolls.
Fat Pigeon Bakery
406 Broad Lane, Leeds LS13 3DF
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fat Pigeon is a micro-bakery in Bramley that opens every Saturday to queues of adoring fans. And it’s no surprise why, as here you’ll find some of the very best bakes - from croissants to cinnamon buns - that Leeds has to offer. Oh, and owner Ruth is about as lovely as they come too.
Fold
62 Brussels Street, LS9 8AB
Images: The Hoot Leeds
From the absolute masterminds behind The Cheesy Living Co. comes Fold, a hidden bakery serving up from under the arches every Saturday morning.
You can get your chops around their famous focaccia, stuffed sausage rolls, cookies, sarnies, bagels and the creme de le creme for us: the foot-long three-cheese twist.
Underground Bakery
Call Lane
Images: The Hoot Leeds
If you're after a really great almond croissant, then you've got to get yourself to Underground Bakery. They're serving a whole array of baked goods but doing them all really, really well.
Right in the centre of town, it's a great spot to swing by on your way to work because everyone deserves a midweek croissant every now and again.
Laynes
New Station Street
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This one probably doesn't need any introduction, as Laynes bakery are known amongst the city for their exceptional bakes and it's not hard to see why.
They stock a number of coffee shops across Leeds but for the true experience, pop in and enjoy a bake alongside a cup of their fabulous coffee.
Nova
Leeds Dock
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Nova Bakehouse is a beautiful sun drenched spot that serve up irresistible morning buns, chewy cookies and speciality bread.
They focus on 'flavour forward baking' using seasonal ingredients to create monthly specials that'll have you going back time and time again.
Oh, and they've been named one of the best bakeries in the UK by The Good Food Guide two years running now - so you know it's good.
These guys have really made a mark for themselves since opening, and have cured all of LS6’s sweet tooth cravings and caffeine fixes.
You'll find everything from stacked brownies and blondies to incredible red velvet cookie pies, and how could we forget their savoury options too?
Chunk
174 Kirkstall Hill
Images: The Hoot Leeds
If cookies are your kryptonite, then Chunk is where you need to be.
From baking inside her student shared house to opening her very first bakery, the last few years have been a whirlwind for owner Amy Bennett- and there's really no stopping her now.
Her gooey NYX-style cookies are out of this world, served with great drinks to match.
The Savvy Baker
Albion Street
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Again, this one needs absolutely no introduction. A Leeds staple that has been curing sweet toothed brownie-lovers for years, it's The Savvy Baker.
Their new site in the city centre is truly one to behold, baking cookies on site and whipping up speciality matchas from a dedicated matcha bar - you don't want to miss it.
Karpaty Bakery
Leeds Kirkgate Market
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This traditional Polish bakery inside the market is selling some of the cheapest bakes you can get your hands on. Their authentic donuts are as big as your head and the perfect sweet treat that won't break the bank.
Street Lane Bakery
399 Street Lane
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Hidden away just behind Street Lane, is Street Lane Bakery.
These guys have been baking up a storm in the kitchen for over a decade, from their ever-so-famous home-cooked bagels to the sweetest of treats.
Slow Rise Bakery
Sunnybank Avenue, Horsforth
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Can't get over to New York but craving a proper chewy, stacked bagel with all the trimmings? Slow Rise Bakery is the only answer.
Pick your flavour bagel from sesame to everything and then pick your fillings, we'd recommend going for lashings of cream cheese and layers of smoked salmon. Delicious.
The Leeds Chilli Shop selling sauces so hot they come with a warning
Clementine Hall
If you think you can handle your spice, then there’s one shop in Leeds that will put that to the test.
Tucked away on Merrion Street, Chilli Shop has been a staple of the Leeds high street for over a decade.
First opening back in 2014, Chilli Shop was founded by Frank Jay and has built a reputation as one of the city’s most wonderfully niche (and hottest) destinations.
It's basically a shrine to all things hot, a proper haven of everything spicy to get your tastebuds tingilng.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We're talking everything from chilli hot sauces and jams to chocolate, cheese, dried chillies and even novelty gifts perfect for the chilli lover in your life.
But what they're most famous for is a shelf fully dedicated to the Youtube hit Hot Ones, a show where celebrities are pushed to the limit and served hot wings coated in a variety of hot sauces from mild to blow-your-head-off hot.
So if you've ever watched that show and wanted to have a go yourself, this shop stocks all the sauces so you can be the star of your own Hot Ones episode.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Best of all, you can try before you buy. Free, heat-rated tasters are available, meaning you can work your way up from “that’s got a bit of a kick” to “I can no longer feel my face”.
We can't promise there's any milk or ice cream on hand though, so get tasting at your own risk.
So whether you’re looking for a new sauce, a spicy gift for your mate or simply want to discover exactly how much pain your tastebuds can withstand, the Chilli Shop is one Leeds independent that deserves a visit.
Clementine Hall -
1st August 2023 
