July is really in full swing across Leeds now, and there’s absolutely no shortage of exciting things happening.
If the region’s events calendar wasn’t already exciting enough as it is all year round, summer brings with it everything from outdoor music gigs, highly anticipated venue openings, cultural art festivals and so much more for everyone to be getting involved with.
As usual we have cherry-picked a few of the best bits taking place in the city this weekend.
Keep reading to find out what you could be getting up to...
Leeds Bear Hunt
Begins Saturday 1 July 2023 | Various locations around Leeds
Image: Leeds Bear Hunt
Leeds Bear Hunt is an exciting new trail popping up around Leeds city centre all summer long. Raising money for Leeds Hospital Charity, there will be 35 different giant beat sculptures to find hidden in plain sight, and taking inspiration from the Michael Rosen classic children’s book, you can go on a bear hunt to find them all.
To find out the locations and collect rewards for your bear hunt efforts, you need to download the app on your phone.
Monday 10 July – Saturday 15 July 2023 | Various locations
Image: LEEDS2023
The debut week-long festival celebrates dance, artwork, poetry, film and above all, rich heritage and culture, brought to life through art. Featuring a Jollof Cook Off and Cinema Africa at Hyde Park Picture House, there’s something to get involved in every night of the week.
Events are held at Leeds Trinity University, Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds City College, Reginald Centre Library, and Leeds Beckett University throughout the week
Sounds of the City: Morrissey
Wednesday 12 July | Millenium Square, Leeds
Image: Supplied
British singer-songwriter Morrissey will be playing a major outdoor show at Leeds Millennium Square this week. Supporting Morrissey at this huge outdoor gig will be The Slow Readers Club and The Lottery Winners.
Brudenell, Belgrave Music Hall and Welcome, Project House have joined forces to bring the city a brand new gig spot. The 1,000 person capacity venue is set to bring together far more than just a new space to jam out on a Friday night.
Named Project House, expect a multi-purpose venue that combines music, markets, parties, even adding in a new restaurant concept and exhibition and conference space.
British indie-rock group Bombay Bicycle Club have already been confirmed to play at the new un-named venue, as well as fast rising jazz virtuoso saxophonist Nubya Garcia, and award-winning Canadian jazz outfit BADBADNOTGOOD.
Find out more here.
Streat North
Friday 14 July - Sunday 16 July | Springwell
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Streat North is the ever-changing street food weekender that takes place every Friday – Sunday over at North Brewing Co’s taproom and brewery. Every week you can taste test a new indie food truck and watch the sunset with pints of North Brewing Co‘s signature to wash it all down with.
New Leeds restaurant Tamatanga has already proved a huge hit amongst foodies, and now they are hosting a bottomless brunch not to be missed. Every Saturday until 2pm, Tamatanga are bringing the party with their ‘Bangin Bottomless Brunch’.
Enjoy 90 minutes of unlimited drinks alongside a delicious brunch dish of your choice, and trust us when we say that the menu is simply mouthwatering.
It doesn’t take long to see why this place has become such a firm favourite with the Farsley crowd.
We finally took a trip to Grumpy's Bar and Wood Fired Pizza and safe to say, you were absolutely right about this one.
Tucked away inside Sunny Bank Mills, Grumpy’s has built a huge reputation for its incredible wood-fired pizzas, laid-back atmosphere, that more or less has a proper community feel at the forefront.
Created by sisters Alex and Cassie, the family-run restaurant was even named after their dad, 'Grumpy' himself, and that personal touch runs through everything they do.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
From supporting local community events to creating a genuinely welcoming space where you can rock up in trainers or stay for hours without realising, it feels like much more than just somewhere to grab food. It feels like part of the neighbourhood’s personality.
And then there’s the pizza.
Everything is made fresh in-house, and watching the team stretch out the dough before piling on all the toppings adds a bit of theatre to the whole experience.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The wood-fired pizzas are definitely the stars of the show, coming out with that perfect crispy base, soft airy crust, and smoky finish that makes you immediately think, “yeah, that’s the good stuff.”
They also offer a gluten-free base, so there’s something on the menu for everyone to dig into.
But the small plates deserve their flowers too. Dishes like their burrata are a proper crowd-pleaser, served with fresh seasonal tomatoes and bread perfect for scooping up every last bit of creamy goodness.
Add in dough balls and arancini, and suddenly the table starts looking less like a couple of starters and more like a full-on sharing feast.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
One thing we loved? The personality behind the menu. A lot of the pizzas are named after famously grumpy TV and film characters, which gives the whole place a bit of humour and fits the vibe perfectly.
And while we came for the pizza, one surprise standout was the banana split dessert. Fun, nostalgic, slightly over-the-top in the best way, and exactly the kind of thing you don’t think you’ll order… until it shows up and suddenly everyone’s fighting for the last spoonful.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
What makes Grumpy’s special, though, is that it never feels like it’s trying too hard - it’s casual, friendly, and welcoming.
Add in the sunny terrace, a few drinks, and a table full of pizzas shared between mates, and it’s easy to see why people end up staying way longer than planned.
There’s no rush here, just good food, good company, and a place that quietly gets everything right without making a fuss about it.
We finally get why Grumpy's Bar + Wood Fired Pizza is such a Farsley favourite… and trust us, we’ll definitely be back.
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
Clementine Hall
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.
Clementine Hall -
10th July 2023 
