Summer is well underway and Leeds is overflowing with exciting things to do this August.
How is everyone’s summer going then?
Yes, the summer may have got off to a rather grey start (understatement of the century), but the city’s event calendar for the month is enough to brighten even the drizzliest 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.
Keep reading to find out what you can get up to this August…
Yard Act Takeover
Saturday 3 August | Northern Market
Image: Supplied
Yard Act are teaming up with The Northern Market this Saturday 3 August on the day of their massive Millennium Square show.
Situated just 100 yards from the concert venue, Yard Act have curated a personalised day of pop-ups, food collabs and more for a celebration of some of their favourite things in the city, all hosted inside the Northern Monk run venue.
Get ready for a summer adventure like no other as the streets of Leeds come alive with the world’s first city-wide MONOPOLY experience.
Players can roll the dice, get out of jail free and pass go, with key sections of the city colour-coded into zones, and find a series of visual, mathematical and word puzzles to solve in a bid to buy back the city – designed for the whole family to get involved in.
And the whole event is completely free.
Leeds African and Caribbean Food Festival
Saturday 24 August | Kirkgate Market
Get ready for a culinary adventure as the African and Caribbean Food Festival makes a triumphant return. So, be prepared to tantalize your taste buds and experience a culinary & colourful explosion of African and Caribbean Food and drinks.
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 Liam Gallagher, Lana Del Rey, Fred Again and so many more amazing acts. It’s set to be an incredible weekend that will pull in music fans from across the country.
Leeds West Indian Carnival
Monday 26 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.
Open Air Cinema
Throughout August | Kirkstall Abbey
Grab a blanket and your favourite snacks, ‘cause Millennium Square is transforming into an open-air cinema this month. From classics like "Grease" to modern hits like "Bohemian Rhapsody", there’s something for everyone. Perfect for a date night or a chilled evening with mates.
Feature
A slice of New York has arrived in Leeds – and the pizzas are 18 inches wide
Popular pizza pop-up Edges Pizza has opened a permanent home in Leeds city centre.
Last summer you may have had the privilege to enjoy a slice of Edges Pizza at one of their many pop-up residencies across the city.
Their longest stint was at the sun-drenched roof terrace of Green Room, and it's safe to say their pizza went down an absolute treat.
Since then they've been a little quiet, but all for good reason. Edges Pizza has just opened a permanent new takeaway under the arches in Holbeck, and it's absolutely class.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Owners Grace and Edge who are from Harrogate opened Edges two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
They've completely transformed the space into a proper love letter to the big apple. It will operate mainly as a takeaway, but there is a small seating area where you can perch and tuck into your pie.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The menu is perfectly curated, consisting of eight pizzas and three dips. And trust us, they are absolutely massive.
We opted for the American Hot with spicy pepperoni, banana peppers and parmesan as well as the mushroom pie topped with garlic creme fraiche and chestnut mushrooms.
Drizzled and dunked into moreish hot honey, it's rivalling some of the best pizza in the city.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
For now, grabbing a pizza from Edges operates through a pre-order system. Pre-orders open at 12pm the day before via their website, you can pick your collection time and then you simply have to rock up and get your pizza.
There's loads of parking available nearby and if there are any remaining slots available you can pre-order up to an hour before collection.
We've got a feeling they're going to very busy indeed.
A cafe dedicated entirely to matcha gelato has just opened in Leeds
Clementine Hall
Matcha is well and truly taking Leeds (and the country) by storm.
You're probably bored of hearing us talk about matcha, and to be honest we're getting a little bit bored writing about it.
But, this time it's different.
This is M Plus Matcha, a brand-new matcha store that's just opened near Leeds University who not only serve your classic matcha lattes but also bucket loads of freshly-churned gelato.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And to make things even better, they've got four on offer all at different percentages to suit your taste.
Soft and grassy, smooth and creamy, full and velvety…or deep and bold (they said it, not us) - this spot is truly a matcha lover’s summer paradise.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
If you're not sure what flavour you fancy, the lovely staff are on hand to help and can offer tasters of each percentage before you commit to a cone or a tub so you're not left disappointed.
The space is gorgeously light and airy, complete with matcha-coloured walls and plenty of matcha-coloured seating for you to perch and enjoy your treats.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Right opposite the Parkinson Building, we can see M Plus Matcha becoming a fantastic hub for students to whack their laptops out for a couple of hours whilst getting their caffeine fix.
The drinks menu includes iced matcha lattes, hot matcha, matcha lemonades and loads more. Basically, if you're of the opinion that matcha tastes like grass then we do not recommend you going.
But if you love it like us, then you're in for a treat.
Clementine Hall -
1st August 2024 
