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.
As one of the top ten places to live, as voted for by The Sunday Times, Chapel Allerton is a hive of community-spirit withlots to explore.
Back in 2021, The Sunday Times judges said that Chapel Allerton is: “a well supported independent high street – with a fishmonger, bookshop, cheese shop and much more – and an inspiring and imaginative community group, CA Spaces, make this urban village our favourite corner of Leeds.”
They’re not wrong. One of our favourite points about Chapel Allerton is its strong focus on supporting local businesses- there aren’t many places in Leeds, or indeed the UK, that you can visit a separate butchers, greengrocers, cheese mongers, wine store and more to complete your food shop with all locally grown and sold produce.
That’s not all that Chapel Allerton has to offer: there’s a host of indie cafes, plenty of green space and even a posh Aldi (whatever that means) that keeps this a family favourite place to visit.
Keep reading to find out what The Hoot recommends for a weekend in the leafy suburb…
House of Koko
62 Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton, Leeds LS7 4LA
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The overwhelming success of the cafe is well-known about Leeds- and it comes with a whole host of raving reviews.
Bringing fine-dining to a laid back setting is a winning combination that House of Koko have got down to a tee in Chapel Allerton. The menu here comprises beautifully presented dishes like pancakes drenched in syrup and you can't leave without trying their famous hash browns...if you know, you know.
George and Joseph, an incredible Cheesemongers on Chapel Allerton high street, is the place to go for everything squeaky and delicious.
You can grab everything from truffle brie to charcuterie essentials like cooked meats, fresh sourdough and local low-batch bottles of booze to accompany your dishes. This truly is the place to shop local and experience some brand new tastes you’d never pick up in the supermarket.
Originally a bike clothing brand, Paria has grown from an online side hustle to a full time business online and in Chapel Allerton. There’s coffee from local roasters Hard Lines and sweet treats from Laynes Bakery to choose from, all whilst you browse the cool collabs on the wall.
Name a better duo than a nice cold pint and a fluffy bao bun...we'll wait. Because that's exactly what you'll find at Brew + Bao, Chapel Allerton's newest watering hole offering banging drinks alongside asian street food. A real match made in heaven.
Yoga Kula
114 Harrogate Rd, Chapel Allerton, Leeds LS7 4NY
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Looking to feel zen? Then look no further than Yoga Kula, Chapel Allerton's newest Yoga studio helping you to feel your absolute best.
The space is absolutely. beautiful and they offer classes for all abilities with lovely staff by your side every step of the way.
The Woods might be in the running for our favourite beer garden in Leeds, and since coming under new ownership by the legends at Roland's last year it's only gotten better and better.
It's the perfect spot for a sunny pint with mates whilst tucking into a couple of pizzas, a great oasis outside of the city centre that still has a lively feel about it.
Bloc Studios
31 Well Lane, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, LS7 4PQ
Images: The Hoot Leeds
If you haven't heard, Reformer Pilates is all the rage at the moment. And luckily for us, there's a fantastic little studio in Chapel Allerton where you can do it.
Bloc Studios is a gorgeous boutique space offering the very best reformer pilates classes. Whether you're a complete newbie or a seasoned pro, there's a class for you at Bloc to get your workout in.
Jacob Elordi says the sexiest thing about Yorkshire is ‘rocks and sheep’
Clementine Hall
As women around the world swoon over Jacob Elordi, he's too busy loving rocks and sheep.
In case you haven't been on social media over the past week and managed to avoid the influx of paparazzi images, the hotly anticipated 'Wuthering Heights' adaptation is out soon and with that comes heaps of red carpets, screenings and glamorous premieres.
Famously set against the brooding hills of Yorkshire, Wuthering Heights by our very own Emily Brontë follows the tumultuous love story of Heathcliff and Cathy.
Played in the upcoming film by Australian heartthrobs Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie.
During the recent London premiere where Elordi was seen wearing a rather dashing green three piece, the stars were asked what they thought the 'sexiest' thing about Yorkshire is by HitsRadioUK.
A valid question to which Jacob replies "rocks and sheep". I mean, he's got a fair point.
Margot Robbie went into a little more detail, she said "Sunrise and sunset in Yorkshire is a pretty dramatic experience. The sky is literally like red and orange. I honestly couldn't believe it when I was out there. The landscape is stunning."
Why thank you Margot, we absolutely agree. She continues to shower us with compliments stating that the "People are lovely. Pubs are great. I love it"
It seems like Margot has got Yorkshire pretty bang on there, and if she ever needs any pub recommendations then we'll absolutely help her out.
Jacob on the other hand, we know rocks and sheep are sexy but...have you ever met us?
Hopefully he fell in love with our county enough to come back, as we wouldn't mind bumping into him on a hike up the Yorkshire moors.
Sophie Smith -
13th October 2021 
