As the colder months start to creep up on us, we're on the hunt for beer festivals soaking up the last of the light evenings, intimate gigs and cosy evenings inside bars - and it seems like the rest of the city is too.
Leeds International Festival of Ideas will bring some of the UK's greatest minds together whilst Leeds Beer Festival is bringing back Bundobust for it's tenth anniversary - and there's new brunch spots and bars and kitchen takeovers to check out too.
Keep reading for the best of what's on, new openings and our September gig guide for September 2023...
What's on this month
Chapel Allerton Arts Festival
Friday 1 September - Sunday 3 September 2023 | Various venues, Chapel Allerton
Celebrating 25 years of the Chapel Allerton Arts Festival, this year is going to be a true celebration. Expect a huge parade and family events throughout the weekend as well as street food, arts trail, festial bar, community choir, jazz Sunday, folk roots fringe.
Saturday 2 September 2023 | Hyde Park Picture House, Brudenell Road
Image: Supplied
In case you hadn’t heard, this Saturday 2 September is National Cinema Day, and lots of cinemas all across the UK have made the decision to slash the prices of tickets down to just £3 on some of the summer’s biggest blockbusters – including Barbie, Equalizer 3, Blue Beetle, and Elemental to name just a few.
But Hyde Park Picture House is taking things one step even further in a bid to give cinephiles a proper reason to celebrate with two showings of Oppenheimer at the slashed price.
Wednesday 6 September – Saturday 9 September 2023 | Harewood House, Harewood
Image: Harewood House
Ranked as the number one outdoor cinema, Luna brings the best of that old school drive-in experience to modern life. Over at Harewood House, films like Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody; Pretty Woman; Top Gun: Maverick and Mamma Mia will all be shown - but make sure to book a ticket in advance to avoid disappointment.
Thursday 7 September - Sunday 10 September 2023 | Kirkstall Abbey
Image: Leeds Beer Festival
Now in its 11th year, Leeds International Beer Festival is returning to Kirkstall Abbey for four days of craft beer, street food and live music. As a special anniversary treat to Bundobust, who held their very first pop-up stall here a decade ago, the popular Indian Street Food restaurant return to the site, serving the same
Find out more here.
Springwell Sessions
Friday 22 September – Sunday 24 September 2023 | Springwell Brewery and Taproom
Images: The Hoot Leeds
To say farewell to the summer season, North Brewing Co’s biggest beer festival Springwell Sessions will return for one last hurrah. Expect three days of craft beer from local favourites and international breweries, as well as cocktails, street food and live music.
Saturday 23 September 2023 | Royal Armouries Museum
Image: Chapter 81
Drawing a crowd of rum lovers across the city, Leeds Rum Festival is exactly what it says on the tin. Expect over 100 brands, pop-up shops, spirit masterclasses and of course, plenty of rum to sample.
Wednesday 27 September – Saturday 30 September 2023 | Leeds Playhouse
Image: Chapter 81
Asking some of the most crucial questions of our time,Leeds International Festival of Ideas brings together panels of international experts to discuss everything from handling grief to true crime obsessions and mental health with fireside chats, panel discussions and key note speeches.
Friday 1 September 2023 | East Parade, Leeds City Centre
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Having dipped their toe into the nighttime market with If Bar on Call Lane, they most recently opened If Rooftop which took over from East Parade Social. We fell in love with If though for their absolutely banging brunch, and their new location on East Parade will be serving that and so much more.
And the best news is, they will be serving bottomless brunch.
From Thursday 7 September | Inside Meanwood Tavern, Stainbeck Road, Meanwood
Image: Supplied
Pizza Loco will be taking over the kitchen at Meanwood Tavern this month.
Expect soft, light and airy crusts, with interesting, generous toppings and an emphasis on sustainable British ingredients including Wildfarmed UK-grown and milled organic flour, Yorkshire-grown organic tomatoes, and British charcuterie.
Lunchtime will see the signature Pizza Loco Panuozzi pizza-dough butties showcased, whilst evenings will be reserved for those big Neapolitan slices.
From Monday 11 September 2023 | Lands Lane, Leeds city centre
A popular Harrogate brunch spot is opening a Leeds site and to celebrate the new opening, Farmhouse will be giving you the chance to try brunch on the house.
Those heading over to the 100-cover restaurant will be able to get a free main meal to the first 300 customers to book on Monday 11 September and Tuesday 12 September. Bookings are now already from 8am and will be free on a first come first served basis by booking here.
Find out more here.
You can find the full list of new openings across Leeds here.
September Gig Guide
Monday 4 September: Royal Blood at Project House (here)
Wednesday 13 September: JP Cooper at Brudenell Social Club (here)
Thursday 14 September: deathcrash at Mill Hill Unitarian Chapel (here)
Saturday 16 September: Mint Festival at Newsam Green Park (here)
Sunday 17 September: Busted at First Direct Arena (here)
Sunday 17 September: Wheatus at Brudenell Social Club (here)
Saturday 23 September: The National at First Direct Arena (here)
Monday 25 September: Anna Erhard at Brudenell Social Club (here)
Thursday 28 September: Shania Twain at First Direct Arena (here)
Feature Image - Harewood House
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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 -
1st September 2023 
