Holi Festival, known as the Festival of Colours, is back this year as a celebration that can finally return in person.
To mark the end of the two-year hiatus, Leeds Holi Festival is Leeds biggest festival of colour and you can bet that this year's celebration is going to more than make up for lost time.
The event celebrates forgiveness and peace and is widely celebrated in places like India, Nepal and Pakistan, as well as around in a whole host of events around the world.
Image: John Thomas, Unsplash
Here in Leeds, the celebrations will involve the traditional dry powder paints, as well as the serving of street food, live DJs and performances right in the heart of the city.
On Sunday 20 March, a seven hour festival run by the Leeds Indian Student Association will return to the Beaverworks.
Leeds Holi Festival is all about celebrating peace, love and equality with bright colours and live music- and we can't wait to celebrate the Festival of Colour in such a friendly environment.
Organiser Eshaan told The Hoot Leeds that: "Colour festival is all about peace, love, equality. It eliminates all negativity like racism, religion etc. It unites people from different cultures" and sounds like the ultimate celebration to us.
Image: Leeds Holi Festival
There will be four live DJs including Bollynights team, performances from talent near and far, as well as street food from local takeaway and catering service Punjabi Heaven.
Slingsby Gin have agreed to sponsor the event, where you'll leave covered head to toe in bright colours from Ministry of Colours.
"Holi is a festival of love, peace and happiness. A celebration of fertility, colour, and love, as well as the triumph of good versus evil. Join the party as we welcome the spring and celebrate the new life and energy of the season through music and colour."
The festival last took place in 2019, and the long-awaited return has been highly anticipated. Tier one tickets have already sold out for the seven hour event, but remaining tier two tickets are still available for purchase.
UK singer-songwriter Tom Odell is set to play a huge outdoor Leeds show this summer.
Sounds of the City is making a triumphant return this summer and we couldn't be more excited.
Being added to the already star-studded lineup is Tom Odell, a Chichester-born singer-songwriter known for his heartfelt piano ballads and distinctive tone.
You may also know him from a certain John Lewis advert which made sure there were no dry eyes in the house.
The announcement follows a huge year for Tom Odell, who released his latest album A Wonderful Life and completed a major UK arena tour.
Known for his emotionally charged, piano‑led anthems, Tom Odell first rose to prominence after winning the BRITs Critics’ Choice Award in 2013 and has since become one of the UK’s most successful contemporary artists, with massive global hits like “Another Love”, which has now surpassed three billion streams on Spotify.
The ‘Another Love’ singer will perform on Saturday 4 July and will be supported by Matt Maltese.
Already announced for Sounds of the City are Dylan Gossett, Alabama Shakes, Wet Leg, The Human League and The Cribs.
The Millennium Square gigs are always fantastic fun, with previous acts including Blossoms, McFly and Mika bringing huge audiences to the city.
Tickets go on sale this Friday 6 February at 10am and you can get your tickets here.
Pre-sale starts this Thursday 5 February which you can access by signing up to Millennium Square's mailing list here.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening
Clementine Hall
Emba in Leeds will be closing its doors with the owner blaming rising costs and pressure on the hospitality sector.
Back in April last year, one of Leeds' top restaurants The Owl closed its doors.
Run by renowned Chef Liz Cottam, The Owl was reimagine into Emba - a trendy restaurant tat bridged 'the gap between cosy bar and vibrant dining room'.
To open Emba, Cottam opened a Crowdfunder where supporters would be awarded with prizes such as VIP dinners and merch depending on how much they donated.
But sadly just months after opening, Emba is to close permanently.
Cottam confirmed the sad news with a statement shared with customers over the weekend, saying she was completely "heartbroken".
She said: “This is no longer the right time to own independent restaurants like Emba,” she said. “Under the current conditions they cannot survive and the recent budget confirmed what so many of us already knew: no meaningful help is coming for hospitality.
"The experience of being here and the harsh financial reality of running a business here no longer stack up.
"Being award winning, popular, admired and loved no longer means profitable and as an industry if we’re honest most of us have not truly been okay since Covid."
She signed off the statement promising to return to the restaurant world, she said: “What I do know is this, I am not done. I will keep cooking, keep creating and keep finding ways to do the thing I love.”
Sophie Smith -
28th February 2022 
