Things To Do

Ilkley Food and Drink Festival drops full line-up, including big tribute acts and… banana jousting?

Summer's hottest ticket (especially if you do the chilli challenge)

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 20th April 2026

The live music programme for this year's Ilkley Food and Drink Festival has been released, featuring ABBA and Bruce Springsteen tribute acts, plus loads more entertainment.

The festival will be returning to the riverside setting this summer, with a brand-new arena also unveiled that will host free family challenges and interactive contests.

The weekend will be a celebration of great food and local talent, featuring street food, independent bars, live chef demos, live music, and an artisan market.

And now festival organisers have announced who'll be taking to the stages to soundtrack the weekend too.

There'll be a variety of local soloists, community groups, and bands, with a special tribute performance each evening.

On Saturday, that'll be Planet ABBA, one of the UK's leading ABBA tribute acts; while on Sunday headliners will be The Boss and The Beeston Street Band, a renowned Yorkshire-based tribute to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

The new arena - the Sizzling Showdown Arena - will host an eclectic schedule of family competitions, like a family dog show, a chilli challenge eating competition, and the 'foodie olympics'.

There'll also be a new inflatable 'banana jousting' ring, where friends and family can take part in silly inflatable duels against one another.

Ilkley Food and Drink Festival returns this summer
Ilkley Food and Drink Festival returns this summer

Festival director Michael Johnston spoke on their aims to create a fresh experience for both new and returning visitors, saying: "Heading into our seventh year, we expect to welcome plenty of new faces as well as several returning visitors.

"We want to create an exciting experience for every single person who walks through our doors, which means constantly looking for new ways to enhance what we offer.

"Several ideas that have been in the works for a while are finally coming to life."

Ilkley Food and Drink Festival takes place on 13 and 14 June, you can find out more HERE.

Ilkley Food and Drink Festival line-up

Saturday 13 June

  • 11:00 Wil Forrester Smooth Saxophone - breezy saxophone covers
  • 12:00 Hot Aire Concert Band - community concert band
  • 13:15 Sienna Craven - talented up-and-coming vocalist
  • 14:30 The Johnny Storm Band - classic rock ‘n’ roll
  • 16:00 Tempo Feliz - Samba-driven Brazilian funk
  • 17:45 Planet ABBA - Tribute to ABBA
  • 19:15 Ibiza Sax Classics - Ibiza favourites

Sunday 14 June

  • 11:00 Will Forrester Smooth Sax - vibrant saxophone covers
  • 11:45 Howlin’ Mat - solo blues artist
  • 13:00 Scoble and Friends - charming community acoustics
  • 14:15 Leeds City Stompers - red-hot blues band
  • 15:30 Gaelfroce - Celtic folk rock
  • 17:15 The Boss and The Beeston Street Band - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band tribute
  • 18:30 Ibiza Sax - Ibiza Favourites to close out the festival

Read more: 24 hours in Ilkley | An insider’s guide to one of Yorkshire’s beloved spa towns

Featured image: Supplied

Things To Do

EasyJet axes all flights from Leeds Bradford Airport, including routes to Paris and Barcelona

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson EasyJet axes all flights from Leeds Bradford Airport, including routes to Paris and Barcelona

EasyJet will stop flying from Leeds Bradford Airport, the airline has announced, affecting flights to five popular destinations.

The budget airline has confirmed that flights from the Yorkshire airport to destinations including Paris and Barcelona will cease in the coming months.

EasyJet currently also operate routes to Belfast, Malaga, and Palma, whisking travellers from Leeds to sunnier climes and city breaks.

In a statement, EasyJet confirmed that it will pull out of Leeds Bradford Airport fully on 5 January, 2027.

They said: "Following a review of our routes from Leeds Bradford Airport, we have made the decision to no longer operate flights from the airport after 5 January.

"Our focus is on maintaining and developing routes which prove most popular with customers.

"We value the relationship we have built with Leeds Bradford Airport, and we always keep options for our network under review, with the aim of providing more choice and connectivity where we see demand."

They have stressed that flights will continue to operate as normal until 5 January.

Eight other airlines currently fly from LBA, including Ryanair and Jet2.

Read more:

Featured image: Unsplash, Gabor Koszegi

Things To Do

A new rotisserie chicken restaurant promising to be ‘clucking delicious’ is coming to Leeds

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

A restaurant and cafe is coming to Leeds city centre - and it's all centred around rotisserie chicken.

We live in a world where food trends are really leading the way that we eat.

From matcha and frozen yoghurt to stacked sub sandwiches and acai bowls - it seems us foodies just can't help but jump on the ever evolving bandwagon.

And now there's a new one, rotisserie chicken.

A number of restaurants have popped up all over the UK serving up this protein-lover's dream, and now Leeds is getting in on the action.

Rotisserie Club will be taking over the old Shokupan site on Wellington Street in the city centre and although we don't have many details just yet, we've got a small inclination of what's in store.

It seems that in the morning the space will be occupied by Habitum, a trendy coffee shop that opened on Lower Briggate last September.

They'll be slinging out all the caffeinated beverages throughout the morning until lunch time hits and everything rotisserie chicken takes over.

We're talking wraps, bowls, salads, pittas - all jam-packed with deliciously tender chicken cooked on the rotisserie.

Announcing the very exciting news to Instagram, the Rotisserie Club said: "The secret is out..Leeds is about to get its own Rotisserie Club with an Habitum to boot.

"More details will be revealed in time, but expect us at the back end of Sep - early Oct. Habitum will look after the AM’s with Rotisserie Club stepping in from lunch.

"Two new quality additions to the area - from a bunch of familiar faces from the Leeds Hospitality scene.."

Read more:

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

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