Witness Leeds in a new light as the UK’s largest annual arts and light festival returns to city centre tomorrow.
For two days only, Leeds Light Night will transform the city into an illuminated piece of artwork. Installations, exhibitions and performances can be found around every nook and corner across the city on Thursday 14 October and Friday 15 October.
This year, a particular focus will be on fighting climate change. All proceeds will go directly towards a local tree planting initiative to offset the festival's carbon footprint through the Leeds Woodland Creation Scheme.
Millenium Square
Expect spooky scenes ahead of Halloween at Millenium Square. / Image: Leeds Light Night
Try and catch a lightning bolt without being struck over at the Civic Hall. Leeds will be at the mercy of nature, being regularly hit by bolts of lightning during the festival.
This installation, amongst the four others at Millennium Square will be safe and enjoyable for all the family to get involved in. Other works will include giant neon dogs and larger-than-life insects at the City Museum.
Headrow
Feel as though you're in heaven down at Headrow, where installation On Earth (as it is in Heaven) portrays moments between worlds.
On Earth as it is in Heaven crosses the border between the visible and the invisible, the material and the spiritual, and is truly mesmerizing. Nature lovers will also have the chance to mimic a pollinating insect, moving from flower to flower installation at The Nectary installation.
Town Hall
The clock has previously featured in Glasgow, Korea and Kazakhstan. Image: Leeds Light Night
The most striking installation at this year's Light Night might just be the Climate Countdown Clock at Leeds Town Hall. The live clock counts down the critical time window for us to reach zero emission and tracks progress towards a safe climate future.
There's nothing like putting something into large-scale perspective to help us realise how important it is to reduce carbon consumption. There will also be two late-night openings at the Art Gallery and a spectacular audio visual show around the Town Hall.
Victoria
Peculiar tentacles have been spotted emerging from some familiar city centre buildings, but what planet are they from? The Creature Invasion! installation has been designed as a colourful and playful scene that will keep visitors of all ages looking up at the skies.
If you'd rather party to the beat of a DJ, head inside Kirkgate Market for the Flower Power Silent Disco and enjoy an evening of 70s music.
Briggate
Dear Leeds is a poem dedicated to revisiting 2020, understanding the present, and looking into the future with optimism. / Image: Light Night Leeds
Exhibitions at Briggate is all about looking forward to the future. The Dear Leeds installation is a giant poem hanging in two tonnes of neon to give a message of hope and solidarity.
The pandemic has been a pivotal moment in all of our lives and the poem pays homage to the people of Leeds that have kept us all going during this difficult time. Another interesting installation in Briggate is the Hourglass piece from Emergency Exit Arts. The sculptural piece maps an epic quest for safety where the young child at the centre of the story must migrate to find 'new hope'.
Station
Walk in wonder through this forest installation of oversized robotic flowers near the station in a futuristic exhibition called Digital Playground. The city oasis aims to remind us all to take it more slowly, breathe and play.
Rather than replacing nature with robotics, the installation reminds us of our relationship with the environment and its importance in our everyday lives. The environmental theme spans round the station with a lifesize polar bear sculpture on display and meditative projections.
Arena
Fly around space at the Gaia exhibition at Queen Square. / Image: Leeds Light Night
Gaia, at Queen Square, is an incredible replica of our planet, created using NASA imagery of the Earth's surface. The giant sculpture will give you an out-of-this-world experience, whilst also reminding us of the fragility of our planet.
The artist hopes this will inspire Leeds to protect the planet for future generations but if you're more interested in the relationship of light and the planet, the Entwined Light at Merrion Gardens clashes natural and the man-made to create a beautiful exhibition.
SOYO (Quarry Hill)
Quarry Hill will be full of character over the Light Nights: with performances from the Leeds Dance Partnership, Leeds City College, Choir of Leeds Minster and more. Shown three times each evening, Mutation Space is an immersive dance and visual experience exploring the nature of viruses and the human impact on our environment and health.
If you'd prefer a break from anything pandemic-related, the Quarry Hill campus will be focusing on the theme of getting back to nature with their If You Go Down To The Woods Tonight exhibition. Live performances, rooftop conversations and never-seen-before images will all be a part of the immersive experience.
Outside the centre
This sensory experience will be in Holbeck and Chapeltown. / Image: Leeds Light Night
Not all of the experiences are available in the city centre, but are certainly worth travelling for. The Mystery Bird, in particular, is a moving installation that represents the loss of freedom in 2020.
The inspiration for this exhibition came from the simplicity of lockdown, when. hearing birdsong at a time when the world was quietly held at a temporary standstill represented the change in lifestyle for us all. The installation will be in Holbeck on Thursday 14 October and Chapeltown Friday 15 October.
South Bank
What's eighteen metres long and looks like a whale? What could sound like the start of a bad joke is actually a huge kinetic light sculpture that recalls big marine mammals and fossil skeletons.
Witness the poetic dance of what could be the ghost of the last remaining whale on earth and take a moment to understand the impact of mankind on our biodiversity at this thought provoking installation. There will also be magical fibre optic water poured from cans and a number of other animal and agricultural-based installations around South Bank over the two days.
For more information on Leeds Light Night 2021, visit their website. The two-day event will take place on Thursday 14 October and Friday 15 October, but check in advance for timings of performances and installations as some will not be available across the entire festival.
Following one of the most iconic returns to music late last year, Lily Allen is heading to Leeds with her West End Girl UK tour.
The 'Nonmonogamummy' herself will be performing at the First Direct Arena in Leeds this weekend, following a run of intimate gig dates up and down the country earlier this year.
The demand for this British pop star to add more dates was inevitable and that's exactly what Allen did, as she now kicks off an arena tour across the UK.
Once wasn’t ‘Just Enough', and we've been blessed new Lily Allen dates, including her gig at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Sunday 21 June.
Although the 'Smile' singer refrains from playing some of her older smash hits, this gig is still remarkable, with the Hammersmith-born singer performing the previously mentioned tongue-in-cheek LP in full.
Meet us at the ‘Pussy Palace’ for an evening of messy lyrics and quality vocals, fulfilling all of our nosey desires, she even provides text receipts for us to read.
Expect to feel like you’re having your friend relay the truth about their toxic relationship post-break up and then celebrating them finally leaving that loser - Lily just gets us.
Gig Guide | Lily Allen at First Direct Arena, Leeds
Lily Allen returns to Leeds for a gig at First Direct Arena. Credit: Henry Redcliffe
Lily Allen UK tour dates
16 June – Newcastle Utilita Arena
17 June – Glasgow OVO Hydro
19 June – Manchester AO Arena
20 June– Manchester AO Arena
21 June – Leeds First Direct Bank Arena
23 June – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
24 June – Cardiff Utilita Arena
26 June – Birmingham BP Pulse Live
27 June – London The O2
30 June – Dublin 3Arena
Are there tickets left for Lily Allen at First Direct Arena?
Yes and it’d be a real ‘Shame For You’ to miss out on this one.
On Sunday 21 June you can get seats for £49.85, £66.35, or £88.35, or standing tickets for £66.35 - see the latest HERE.
Seriously, ‘What You Waiting For?’ - get it booked.
Lily's gone for a rather novel support act on her West End Girl tour, which is proving to be quite a laugh at arenas so far.
She's pulled in Dallas Minor Trio to warm up the crowds, a trio of cellists who perform a setlist of Lily Allen's biggest hits from through the years.
And if that's not enough, they put the lyrics on screen too, so it's like a true karaoke moment.
Lily Allen setlist for 2026 tour
The show ‘Lily Allen Performs West End Girl‘ will see the singer/songwriter play her brand-new album in its entirety, in the order the songs appear on the record:
West End Girl
Ruminating
Sleepwalking
Tennis
Madeline
Relapse
Pussy Palace
4chan Stan
Nonmonogamummy
Just Enough
Dallas Major
Beg For Me
Let You W/In
Fruityloop
Stage times for Lily Allen at First Direct Arena, Leeds
Lily Allen has announced a gig at the First Direct Arena in Leeds. Credit: Charlie Denis
These are the only times that are confirmed, but it's expected that Lily Allen will be on stage around 9pm:
Doors open 6pm
Starts 7.50pm
Getting to First Direct Arena
Bus Station
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.
A slice of New York has arrived in Leeds – and the pizzas are 18 inches wide
Clementine Hall
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.
Sophie Smith -
13th October 2021 
