The sun is (hopefully) shining, the nights are shorter and there's bunnies running around the university campuses again.
And naturally with the Easter holidays comes loads of new places to check out, exciting events and non-stop foodie specials, so we've rounded up all the best things to do in Leeds City Centre and beyond in April.
Burrowing Bunnies Trail
Monday 1 April - 16 April 2024 | White Rose Shopping Centre
Image: White Rose
From 31st March to 16th April, families are invited to find eight mischievous bunnies hiding around the shopping centre. Free trail maps are available to collect from the Customer Service Centre, on the Ground Floor near New Look, and can be returned and traded in for an Easter treat and a pair of adorable ears after each bunny has been located and ticked off the map.
Leodis Space Agency
Monday 1 April - Monday 14 April 2024 | Around Leeds
The Leodis Space Agency has launched in Leeds - and there's loads of activities for the little ones to get involved in throughout the Easter holidays. There's family-friendly craft sessions hosted daily from 10am to 3pm at Trinity Leeds; a community Rocket Build with The PlayTent until 5 April and the Merrion Centre is hosting its very own alien zoo as part of an interactive mixed reality exibit.
Find out more here.
Indo-Chinese Specials at Bundobust
Monday 1 April - Monday 14 April 2024 | Mill Hill
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Salt and Pepper Okra Fries, ‘Prawn’ Gobi Toast and Gobi Manchurian are all back by popular demand on the Bundobust menu this spring.
Ever since we got our chops round their ‘Prawn’ Gobi Toast in 2022, we’ve been dreaming about it ever since. Available til 14 April, you don’t want to miss out on these delicious specials.
If you’ve never visited Neon Cactus for their ever-so-famous Taco Tuesday, then you’re doing it wrong. Every Tuesday you can enjoy a massive sharing board of ten tasty tacos for just £20. And of course you can grab £6 Margaritas to go alongside them as well, it’s a no brainer.
Leigh Francis: My First Time
Saturday 6 April 2024 | Grand Theatre, Leeds
Leigh Francis: My First Time is coming to stages across the UK and as the name suggests, it actually marks the Leeds comedian’s first time on the road for a live tour.
The 18 date tour will see plenty of familiar characters brought to life from over the years including Keith Lemon, Bear and Avid Merrion to ‘David Dickinson‘, ‘Ant and Dec‘ and Myrtle.
Tuesday 9 April - Friday 12 April 2024 | Leeds Playhouse
Image: Supplied
The Brit Award winning musician Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures for big imaginations will be leaping from page to screen and we cannot wait. The high-energy 50-minute production features lively original music, and is the perfect introduction to live theatre for youngsters.
Boojum is opening in Leeds on Wednesday 10 April and the first 300 customers will get a free burrito from 12pm.
We flew all the way to Dublin this month to check out the top-rated Mexican eatery ahead of its opening - and if you watch you'll see why.
LS6 Junk Yard Sale
Sunday 14 April 2024 | Left Bank Leeds
Image: The Hoot Leeds
In the heart of LS6 you'll be able to attend a garage sale with a difference in April. The monthly Junk Yard Sale is set up inside the Left Bank with rows-upon-rows of traders and you can bet that there will be plenty of bits and bobs to take home with you.
Find out more here.
Take That
Wednesday 17 April - Saturday 20 April 2023 | First Direct Arena
Image: See Tickets
Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen are heading back on tour for another year – and as with all Take That gigs, there’s a lot of hype around the six-day leg in Yorkshire. Tickets are still available (just about) from £69.05 for seats – £241.95 for VIP package, all available via See Tickets here
A club night dedicated entirely to Taylor Swift is taking over one of Leeds’ best nightlife venues. Swiftogeddon will be taking over Belgrave Music Hall for a night of back-to-back hits from the American pop sensation. Every song on the playlist will be either an original hit, a deep cut, or an extended mix of Taylor Swift’s massive back catalogue.
If you’ve ever been to a Stuzzi pop-up across the city, you’ll most certainly have tried the speciality deep fried lasagna. Now for those that can’t wait until the next big event to get their hands on another one of these comfort dishes, Trinity Kitchen is hosting Stuzzi every single day of the week in April. There’s going to be four different types of deep-fried lasagna to choose from, including tomato mozzarella and basil; sausage and pea; four cheese and the classic.
Find out more here.
Feature Image - Supplied / The Hoot Leeds
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Louis Tomlinson at First Direct Arena – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson is heading out on a UK tour, visiting First Direct Arena for his biggest Leeds solo show to date.
Ten years since launching his solo career with debut single 'Just Hold On', Tomlinson is hitting the road again for his tour, which shares its title with the name of his latest LP - How Did I Get Here?
Tomlinson's last visit to Leeds saw him play an intimate show at The Wardrobe back in 2020 and is set to perform to 13,500 - he has definitely made sure to 'Jump the Gun' in terms of crowd size.
Now, the Doncaster-born musician is visiting one of Leeds biggest indoor live music venues First Direct Arena and it's sure to be a jam-packed night of live music.
Gig guide | Louis Tomlinson at First Direct Arena, Leeds - all you need to know
Are there tickets left for Louis Tomlinson at First Direct Arena?
Louis Tomlinson is bringing the How Did I Get Here? tour to Leeds on 28 April / Credit: Flickr via Javie Rosh / Wikimedia Commons via Kurt Kulac (Supplied)
Well if you've made it this far through, it's safe to say the fact you're after Louis Tomlinson tickets is 'Written All Over Your Face'.
If you're wanting to 'Face The Music' or 'Jump the Gun' you can do so as there's tickets to his Leeds show at First Direct Arena HERE.
Standing tickets are still available priced at £55.85, while seated tickets remaining are priced between £55.85 and £83.35 each.
Louis Tomlinson setlist for 2026 tour
The How Did I Get Here? Tour officially kicked off in Europe and it prioritises songs from his latest LP.
Here is the set list:
Lemonade
On Fire
Written All Over Your Face
Out Of My System
Bigger Than Me
Saturdays
Angels Fly
Dark to Light
Broken Bones
Defenceless
Just Hold On
Lazy
Sunflowers
Lucid
Jump the Gun
Imposter
Sanity
Kill My Mind
Face the Music
Silver Tounges
The Observer
The Answer
Miss You
Palaces
Wristbands and queue system
To manage crowds and ensure a 'fair and comfortable' experience for fans, a randomly allocated wristband system will be in place for standing ticket holders.
This is how it works:
Arrive at the arena between 11am and 2pm on the day of the show, Tuesday 28 April 2026.
Wristbands will be given out in batches at random to standing ticket holders, while availability lasts
Once you have your wristband, you will be asked to leave the area surrounding the venue and return between 4.30pm and 5.30pm
Upon your return to the arena, you will be asked to join a dedicated queue related to the number or colour on your wristband as guided by the dedicated venue team.
Doors open to the show at 6pm for general admission.
Stage times for Louis Tomlinson at First Direct Arena, Leeds
First Direct Arena has a strict curfew of 11pm meaning you can get home before having to watch the sky turn from 'Dark to Light'.
Anyone attending this show is in luck as the North has been well and truly represented in the form of Manc-based rock group Pale Waves and Doncaster talent ADMT.
Alex Spencer, another Northern act from Manchester is also joining the bill, but he's only playing at select Europe dates of the tour.
These are the expected stage times for Louis Tomlinson in Leeds tonight, based on his other shows so far:
Located on Dyer Street next to Leeds City Bus Station and approx. 15min walk from first direct arena and is wheelchair friendly.
Support and help for any persons with a disability is available as the station is a registered ‘Safe place’ to come into and ask for assistance.
Nearest Bus Stops
Clay Pit Lane
Wade Lane/Lovell Park Road
Woodhouse Lane
Nearest Train Station
Leeds City Station on New Station Street is around a 15min walk from first direct arena and a major hub on the national, regional and local rail network providing connections to a wide variety of destinations.
Parking
There are over 7,500 car parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena. The arena doesn’t have it’s own car park however there are lots of options nearby. To receive 5% off Q Park when attending a show at first direct arena click here
The nearest Car Park with EV charging is located on Albion Street click here.
None of the above car parks are operated by the arena so for questions, queries or comments we ask that you contact the companies directly.
Hiring Bikes in Leeds
If you’re looking to hire a bike in Leeds, here are some of the best options you can try:
Beryl bikes – you’ll find the ‘Leeds City Bikes’ from Beryl stationed throughout the city. These are all e-bikes, and they’re available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis. It costs £1 to unlock the bikes, and then 16p per minute to use them. We’d say these are great for zipping around the city and getting from A to B.
Talio – for a wider selection of electric bikes to choose from, Talio based at Buslinthorpe Green is a great option. From this company, you can hire cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes. Prices start from £20 per day for rental, but if you’re hiring for a month or longer you’ll get a good discount.
Featured Images - Press shot / Flickr via Javie Rosh / Wikimedia Commons via Kurt Kulac (Supplied)
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Alex Warren at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Singer-songwriter and social media star Alex Warren is visiting First Direct Arena, Leeds, for two nights of out of the 'Ordinary' live music.
One of the founding members of the TikTok group, Hype House, which also included fellow pop performer Addison Rae, Warren has gone on to receive global recognition for his contributions to music.
Born in California, it's no surprise his music has managed to catapult into the mainstream as he's been mastering content creation since he was 10 on YouTube.
His music journey began back in 2021, when he released music as an independent artist in 2021 before signing a record deal one year later, dropping the chart-topping 'Ordinary' in 2025.
Now, Alex Warren prepares for his biggest UK tour to date, and he's playing two shows right here in Leeds at the 13,500 seater First Direct Arena in April and May.
Gig guide | Alex Warren at First Direct Arena, Leeds - all the info
Alex Warren is visiting Leeds at First Direct Arena on 29 April / Credit: Press Shots (supplied)
Alex Warren UK tour dates
Fri 24 April - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
Sun 26 April - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
Mon 27 April - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Wed 29 April - Leeds, UK - First Direct Arena
Thu 30 April - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
Sat 2 May - Belfast, UK - SSE Arena
Mon 4 May - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Wed 6 May - Dublin, IE - 3Arena
Thu 7 May - Dublin, IE - 3Arena
Are there tickets left for Alex Warren at First Direct Arena?
If you're looking for somebody to 'Save You a Seat', look no further as you can get tickets to Alex Warren's 29 April at First Direct Arena in Leeds HERE.
Stage times for Alex Warren at First Direct Arena, Leeds
Warren has built a cult following thanks to chart-topping hits like 'Ordinary'/ Credit: Press Shots (supplied)
First Direct Arena has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you can get home without having to start ‘Chasing Shadows’.
Supporting Alex Warren on the night will be Claire Rosinkranz, a singer-songwriter from California with tracks like 'Frankenstein' and 'Backyard Boy'.
How to get to first direct arena
Bus Station
Located on Dyer Street next to Leeds City Bus Station and approximately a 15min walk from the arena, it's also wheelchair friendly.
Support and help for any persons with a disability is available as the station is a registered ‘Safe place’ to come into and ask for assistance.
Nearest Bus Stops
Clay Pit Lane
Wade Lane/Lovell Park Road
Woodhouse Lane
Nearest Train Station
Leeds City Station on New Station Street is around a 15min walk from first direct arena and a major hub on the national, regional and local rail network, providing connections to a wide variety of destinations.
Parking
There are over 7,500 car parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena. The arena doesn’t have its own car park; however, there are lots of options nearby. To receive 5% off Q Park when attending a show at first direct, click HERE.
The nearest Car Park with EV charging is located on Albion Street, click HERE.
None of the above car parks is operated by the arena, so for questions, queries or comments, we'd recommend contacting the companies directly.
Hiring Bikes in Leeds
If you’re looking to hire a bike in Leeds, here are some of the best options you can try:
Beryl bikes: you’ll find the ‘Leeds City Bikes’ from Beryl stationed throughout the city. These are all e-bikes, and they’re available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis. It costs £1 to unlock them, and then 16p per minute to use. We’d say these are great for zipping around the city and getting from A to B.
Talio: for a wider selection of electric bikes to choose from, Talio - based at Buslinthorpe Green - is a great option. You can hire cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes. Prices start from £20 per day for rental, but if you’re hiring for a month or longer, you’ll get a good discount.
Sophie Smith -
27th March 2024 
