Roll up, roll up. The circus has come to Leeds and it needs some young volunteers to learn some new tricks during half term.
Throughout the half term holidays, Briggate will be brought to life with everything but the big top as it transforms into a circus scene with everything from performances and workshops to entertaining activities for a week of free family fun.
Brought to the city by LeedsBID in association with The Yorkshire Circus and Super Friendz, the pop-up experience aims to provide children with the chance to become the performers with Leeds city centre as their stage as they learn the skills of the circus.
There's going to be aerial hoops, trapeze, stilts, parkour, tightropes, juggling, unicycling and far more adrenaline-pumpical activities to get involved in.
Whether you want to try your hand as a plate spinner, want to have a go at acrobatics and hula hooping or reach for the sky by stilt walking, you can watch and learn from circus performers and teachers before testing out your abilities at the pop-up circus.
Offering activities for all ages and abilities, there’s the opportunity to get involved with an array of circus disciplines. And that’s not all with daily story time sessions, arts and crafts, face painting and free candyfloss for those taking part.
Image: Leeds BID
The following events will be available on the following dates:
Saturday 19th February - Aerial Hoop, Trapeze & Stilts
Sunday 20th February - Acrobatics & Parkour
Monday 21st February - Spinning Props (Diablo, Flower Sticks, Poi)
Tuesday 22nd February - Balancing & Equilibristrics (Tightrope and Slackline)
Wednesday 23rd February - Juggling
Thursday 24th February - Wheel Props - Unicycle and Hula Hooping
Friday 25th February - Spinning Props - Diablo, Flower Sticks, Poi
Saturday 26th February - Aerial Hoop, Trapeze & Stilts
In addition, there are circus themed crafts to enjoy and face painting every day between 12.30-2.30pm, and Story Corner running 11am-12pm and 3-4pm, not forgetting the free candy floss and a stilt walker or two to be spotted on both Saturdays.
The pop-up circus will run activities from Saturday 19 – Saturday 26 February, with workshops and performances every day between 11am-4pm outside the former Debenhams location on Briggate.
Feature Image- Unsplash
Leeds
The full route for the Tour de France Femmes through Leeds has been revealed
The full details of the Grand Départ of the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift have been released - and the action will be kicking off right in the heart of Leeds.
Preparations have moved up a gear this week, with the full map of the first stage revealed, which will see the world's leading female cyclists setting off from none other than The Headrow.
Leeds will make sporting history on 30 July next year, when we host the start of the world's biggest women's professional cycle race.
When our city was added to the 2014 Tour de France route, around 230,000 people packed into the city centre, with another two million lining the rest of the Yorkshire route - so we're expecting even bigger scenes next year.
The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will move from the centre of Leeds to travel through communities including Headingley, Kirkstall, Bramley, Farnley and Drighlington.
Now, an interactive map has been published that gives people the chance to see for the first time exactly which streets will be in the thick of the action next summer.
Riders will set of from The Headrow before travelling down Briggate and Boar Lane - then they'll head via via Woodhouse Lane, Hyde Park Corner and Otley Road into Headingley before travelling west on North Lane and Kirkstall Lane.
Key roads on the rest of the route include:
Bridge Road at Kirkstall, which will take the riders across the River Aire;
Broad Lane, Waterloo Lane, Lower Town Street and Henconner Lane in Bramley;
Butt Lane between its junctions with Pudsey Road – near Farnley Reservoir – and Tong Road at Farnley;
Whitehall Road, from its junction with Back Lane at New Farnley, to Drighlington.
From Drighlington, the riders will cross into Kirklees and then head over the Pennines into Manchester.
Leeds City Council will be keeping people fully updated about the planning involved to host the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, including road closures and other traffic management measures.
Following its visit to Leeds, the Grand Départ of the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will run from Manchester to Sheffield on July 31 before finishing in London on August 1.
The event will make Leeds the first place outside mainland Europe to host the start of stage one of a Grand Départ for both the men’s Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: "The Grand Départ of the 2027 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift promises to be a great occasion for Leeds and one that will raise our profile on the international sporting stage while also delivering a boost to the local economy.
“Today’s announcement of further route details is a reminder that the countdown to July 30 is well and truly on, with a huge amount of planning and preparation work already taking place.
“As part of that work, we will be doing our utmost to ensure residents and businesses have all the information they need about the arrangements for the day.
“People in Leeds are famed for the passionate support they show when the city hosts major sporting events and I’m sure this one will be no different. Roll on next July!”
A new bar dedicated to Guinness and games is coming to Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
Expect live music, a load of craic and plenty of Guinness at Leeds' brand-new bar.
Opening on Leeds' bustling Merrion Street, 'Love, Jackie' is the latest concept from the team behind Roxy Ball Room and King Pins.
Love, Jackie will be taking over a 7,000 sq ft space,and will be promising proper prints, late nights and plenty of Irish charm.
Pouring will be the holy trinity of Irish stouts - Guinness, Beamish and Murphy's.
Image: Supplied
These will be served alongside Leeds' own Kirkstall Virtuous IPA and a vast whiskey selection that celebrates the best of Ireland.
Games wise, try your hand at crazy pool, interactive darts, shuffleboard and karaoke. There will also be live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The opening comes as Merrion Street enjoys a new wave of investment and hospitality openings, helping bring new life to one of Leeds' best known night life attractions.
Image: Supplied
Matt Jones, CEO of Professionals at Play, said: “Everyone knows a Jackie. She’s the one who gets everyone together, convinces you to stay for another and makes sure there’s never a dull moment.
“We wanted to create a pub with that same personality. Somewhere with brilliant drinks, live music, plenty of games and the kind of atmosphere that makes you forget you were only popping in for one.
“Merrion Street is coming back to life, and we’re excited to be part of its next chapter. We think Jackie will fit right in. And because Jackie’s never been one to turn up empty-handed, the first drink’s on her."
We'll keep you updated on opening times as and when we find out, but for now you can sign up here for a pint of free Guinness. Cheers to that!
Sophie Smith -
18th February 2022 
