It’s both half term and Halloween this week, so you know we’re in for a week filled with all sorts of frightening fun.
With the spooky season officially here, and schools now officially out for October half term, it obviously comes as no shock that the events calendar is absolutely jam-packed with all sorts of different things to be getting up to right across Leeds and the surrounding areas this week.
As usual we've cherry picked some of our favourite events taking place, have a read.
Horsforth Pick Your Own Pumpkins
Monday 23 – Sunday 29 October 2023
Image: Kemps Farm
There’s far more than just grabbing your pumpkin for spooky season here. There’s 18 different varieties to choose from so grab your favourite white, blue, orange, green, warty big or small one and take a tractor ride through the picking fields. If that’s not enough, there’s plenty of photo ops here, an onsite cafe and even facepainters to bring your spookiest ideas to life
Monday 23 – Sunday 29 October 2023 | Various locations
Image: National Trust
The National Trust is giving families the chance to visit its dozens of sites across England for free of charge this autumn.
When booking, you’ll need to select the free member’s ticket option and use the code ESCAPEINTOAUTUMN2023 when asked for your membership number, but it’s worth nothing that some National Trust places are exempt from this offer, so it’s advised that you check before planning your visit.
Monday 23 - Sunday 29 October 2023 | Leeds City Museum
Image: Leeds City Museums and Galleries
Do you think you've got what it takes to break the code? Because if you do, head to the Leeds City Museum for a fun family-friendly event that will get your brains ticking. Work together to solve clues and break the code!
Stick Man Live
Tuesday 24 - Thursday 26 October 2023 | Carriageworks Theatre
Image: Freckle Productions
This touching and funny adaptation of Julie Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Stick Man is coming to Leeds for the festive season. The heartfelt children’s story follows the journey of a wooden stick who becomes separated from his family home and embarks on an Odyssey-like adventure to return there.
The production will showcase three fantastic actors whom will perform an array of puppetry, live music and funky dance moves. The play will run for 55 minutes and is aimed at children aged 2+, making it the perfect afternoon of fun for all the family.
All That Lives
Friday 27 October – Saturday 4 November 2023 | Venues across Quarry Hill
Image: Supplied
Introducing ‘All That Lives’ – a 9-day celebration of life and death that reimagines the Day of the Dead in Leeds. Homegrown artist Ellie Harrison will present her 13-year-long acclaimed body of work, ‘The Grief Series’, with international collaborators Zion Art Studio from Mexico and the people of Yorkshire.
Friday 27 October - Sunday 5 November 2023 | Lotherton Hall
Image: Lotherton Hall
Head to Lotherton Hall this spooky season where you and your little ones will tiptoe through the woods as you follow the spooky skeletons trail around the estate. Halloween costumes are essential so get creative and be careful, as you might just end up in a Haunted House!
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 -
23rd October 2023 
