Autumn is here and October’s now well underway…and Leeds is overflowing with exciting things to do this week.
This week sees one of Leeds' most highly anticipated events illuminate the city, Light Night 2023 will be ending off the working week in the best way possible, bringing starry-eyed visitors from far and wide to marvel at the instillations.
Not only that but music lovers will want to get to town for Live at Leeds Festival on Saturday and foodies have just this week to get munching on Oktoberfest specials.
So without further ado, here's what you can get up to this week in and around Leeds.
Horsforth Pick Your Own Pumpkins
Monday 9 – Sunday 15 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 9 – Sunday 15 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.
Thursday 12 October – Friday 13 October 2023 | Around Leeds
Image: Light Night Leeds
Light Night is back for another year, and there’s just two weeks until the streets of Leeds will be transformed into an incredible illuminated playground. Now in it’s nineteenth year, the UK’s largest annual arts and light festival returns with the theme ‘Future Dreaming’ and will span across two nights.
There’s more than 50 breathtaking light installations, dynamic projections and spectacular interactive artworks are set to wow thousands of visitors to the highly anticipated, annual cultural event – and it always feels like the whole city has come out to visit in anticipation.
Extending Light Night into a three-night adventure, Chapeltown will be hosting a walk down the ginnels across the suburb. The idea is the night brings locals together for a mile-long walk and then it’s over to Mandela Centre for a film night – it’s perfect for the whole family.
It’s time to dust off your Lederhosen and head to Mill Hill because Bundobust are raising a stein to Oktoberfest.
From Friday 15 October, they’ll be shaking a spice rack over some iconic German dishes for hungry punters to enjoy alongside a cold craft beer. A real match made in heaven.
Making a triumphant return is the Bundo Pretzel, in collaboration with Bolton-based Bavarian bakery Pretzel & Spelt, the German baked good is spiced with garam massala and turmeric, flecked with ajwain seeds, black salt and mango powder.
Live at Leeds Festival
Saturday 14 October 2022 | Various locations, Leeds
Image: Live at Leeds
150+ Artists. 14 Venues. 16 Stages. 1 Day. 1 Wristband. The festival has previously seen the likes of Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, The 1975, Lizzo, Sam Fender, Royal Blood, Sam Smith, Tom Grennan and many more take to the stage before going to become global successes, so those looking to find up-and-coming talent will be sure to find some independent names destined for cities far bigger than Leeds in the future.
Food critic Camilla Long visited Leeds for her latest review for The Times with her sights set on Horsforth's finest - Bavette Bistro.
Ever since opening back in 2024, Bavette Bistro nestled in the leafy suburb of Horsforth has made waves across the country for its sheer brilliance.
It's pretty much received five star reviews across the board and been handed awards from left, right and centre. And rightly so.
The Good Food Guide crowned Bavette the best local restaurant of 2024, and Michelin handed them a well deserved Bib Gourmand - so it's safe to say it's not just us who think it's really something special.
So it was only a matter of time until The Times popped in for a review, and this one is truly glowing.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The review labels Bavette as "warm, unmannered and unpretentious" as well as "authentically French".
Long describes the food as "gorgeous, confident, surprising" with a menu that "isn’t too long" and "filled with sturdy, noble dishes, whiffing mightily of the sea and the soil."
It continues: "All of it made with generosity and cheer, served fast by nimble waiters, with a long, if slightly eccentric, wine list. To bang out French dishes with this much fiddly detail and to do it to a full room is not easy. Yet all four courses came in under two hours, for about £75 a head, which in London terms is nothing.
"It’s not that this place was perfect, it’s that it was decidedly not perfect. A bit too much chat about the menus; the oeufs in the meurette not quite runny enough. But the point is: it didn’t matter. All of it came charmingly together. It felt relaxed, just right."
The review is then wrapped up with a pleasing five stars, the cherry on top of the cake.
It's a review only restaurants can dream of, and we can't think of a more deserving team - congratulations Bavette.
A new female-founded business has opened in Leeds and it’s a trinket-lover’s paradise
Clementine Hall
Lisa Angel has just opened inside the Victoria Gate and it’s an Aladdin’s Cave full of jewellery, prints, gifts and everything in between.
The best part? It’s a female-founded brand that has chosen our wonderful city for their first Yorkshire site. We absolutely don't blame them.
Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has gone from strength to strength every since.
The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Shoppers can expect beautifully handcrafted jewellery, unique trinkets and wonderful staff who are open to have a natter.
It's the perfect shop for when you don't exactly know what to buy that someone special, just pop in here and you'll be hit with a wave of inspiration immediately.
We could've genuinely spent a good hour in there and come out with a much lighter wallet.
Lisa herself spoke about the opening: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.
"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Managing Director James Moody said: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.
"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."
Clementine Hall -
9th October 2023 
