Feature

Here’s everything you need to know about Light Night 2024

Light Night is back.

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall - 17th October 2024

Marking its 20th year, Light Night Leeds will return transforming the city into a dazzling array of illuminated artworks.

Light Night Leeds is the UK’s largest annual arts and light festival and will return next Thursday 24 and Friday 25 October 2024, from 6 - 10pm.

Celebrating its 20th year in the city, this year's festival will welcome a mesmerising array of new creations as well as some popular artworks from previous years making a comeback.

With a colossal programme of artworks to view, we've highlighted ten of the best pieces covering all locations which you won't want to miss out on.

Monad at Leeds Dock

Image: Leeds City Council

Created by Norwegian artist Anastasia Isachsen, Monad, will be projected onto the water at Leeds Dock.

Inspired by the circular nature of life, rebirth and the universe, the piece will be accompanied by a compelling soundscape.

Where: The Dockside, Leeds Dock, LS10 1EG
When: Thursday and Friday 6.45-10pm

Parallels at Aire Park

Image: Leeds City Council

Parallels will see thousands of multi-coloured laser beams pulse and flicker overhead to an amazing electronic soundscape.

Inspired by dynamic movement and tones from the natural environment, the stunning artwork is sure to be one of the highlights of this year’s event.

Where: Aire Park, The Tetley, Hunslet Road, LS10 1JQ
When: Thursday and Friday 6.30-10pm

The Bookbinder at The Queens Hotel

Image: Leeds City Council

A magical journey into the realm of fiction and fairy tales The BookBinder is set to be one of the highly-anticipated cultural event’s most spectacular installations when it is projected onto the façade of the iconic Queens Hotel.

A collaboration with the British Library, the enchanting, large-scale artwork is inspired by their vast collection, and features a stunning, specially commissioned animation and an immersive soundscape.

Where: Queens Hotel, City Square, LS1 1PJ
When: Thursday and Friday, 7pm-10pm. Performance duration: 10min (repeats throughout the evening)

Out of the Aire at Leeds Civic Hall

Image: Leeds City Council

The fantastic Out of the Aire returns after first being shown during a memorable Light Night 2017. With some updated content, the piece celebrates Leeds as a centre of innovation, engineering, sports and the arts.

Featuring Leeds singers and bands, Out of the Aire includes tributes to the testing of rocket powered torpedoes on Waterloo Lake, the world’s first motion picture and the city’s many sporting achievements.

Where: Leeds Civic Hall, Millennium Square, LS1 1UR
When: Thursday and Friday, 7pm-10pm

The Spark Drummers at Trinity Leeds

Image: Leeds City Council

Always one of the most popular performers at Light Night, The Spark Drummers return to Trinity Leeds for what’s sure to be a showstopping spectacle.

A mix of high-impact drumming, stunning costumes and kaleidoscopic lighting design the drummers interacts with the crowd during each performance.

Where: Trinity Leeds Main Atrium, LS1 5AR
When: Thursday and Friday: 6pm 7pm, 8pm, 9pm (20min performances)

Dragon Heart Beats at The Royal Armouries

Image: Leeds City Council

Featuring a five metre fire-breathing dragon, this spectacular piece is inspired by carnival from Trinidad and Tobago.

Accompanied by high energy percussion and special fire effects, it’s set to be a magical performance.

Where: Armouries Square, Armouries Drive, LS10 1LT
When: Thursday and Friday, 6.30pm, 7.30pm and 8.30pm. Duration 15 minutes.

NocturnFox: The Silent Observer on Cookridge Street

Image: Leeds City Council

A striking illuminated fox will prowl the city centre, adorned with floral mandalas representing life cycles in nature.

One of a number of illuminated animals that can be spotted at this year’s event, including a giant hedgehog at Leeds Bus Station and two huge glowing owls at the Stourton Park and Ride.

Where: Cookridge Street, LS1 8TL
When: Thursday and Friday, 6pm-10pm

Valkyrie at Soyo Square

Image: Leeds City Council

Crafted from recycled plastics, Valkyrie is a huge suspended glowing orb which responds to sound and voices.

Inspired by the Northern Lights, visitors will be able to create their own aurora by speaking into the sculpture, creating new colours to ripple across its surface.

Where: Soyo Square, LS2 7PA
When: Thursday and Friday, 6pm-10pm

Ghost Caribou on Briggate

Image: Leeds City Council

A stunning street performance, Ghost caribou features giant illuminated creatures, part caribou, part spirit which roam a mystical world after dark.

With music, song and shadow puppets they tell stories of lost homes, impossible migrations and seeds of hope.

Where: 58 Briggate, LS1 6AS
When: Thursday and Friday 6.10pm, 7.35pm and 9pm.

Celestial Sound Cloud at Wellington Place

Image: Leeds City Council

Celestial Sound Cloud is an interactive digital sound and light sculpture inspired by cosmic clouds and nebulas – the clouds of dust and gases in which stars are formed.
Underneath the suspended sculpture, you can sing, move or dance to create your own visual and sound experience.

Where: Rose Walk Frames, 5 Wellington Place, LS1 4AP
When: Thursday & Friday 6-10pm

To find out more about this wonderful event, take a look at Light Night Leeds’ website.

Featured image – Light Night Leeds

Feature

The family-run neighbourhood Leeds restaurant that’s about more than just pizza – it’s about community

Declan Kelly Declan Kelly

It doesn’t take long to see why this place has become such a firm favourite with the Farsley crowd.

We finally took a trip to Grumpy's Bar and Wood Fired Pizza and safe to say, you were absolutely right about this one.

Tucked away inside Sunny Bank Mills, Grumpy’s has built a huge reputation for its incredible wood-fired pizzas, laid-back atmosphere, that more or less has a proper community feel at the forefront.

Created by sisters Alex and Cassie, the family-run restaurant was even named after their dad, 'Grumpy' himself, and that personal touch runs through everything they do.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

From supporting local community events to creating a genuinely welcoming space where you can rock up in trainers or stay for hours without realising, it feels like much more than just somewhere to grab food. It feels like part of the neighbourhood’s personality.

And then there’s the pizza.

Everything is made fresh in-house, and watching the team stretch out the dough before piling on all the toppings adds a bit of theatre to the whole experience.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

The wood-fired pizzas are definitely the stars of the show, coming out with that perfect crispy base, soft airy crust, and smoky finish that makes you immediately think, “yeah, that’s the good stuff.”

They also offer a gluten-free base, so there’s something on the menu for everyone to dig into.

But the small plates deserve their flowers too. Dishes like their burrata are a proper crowd-pleaser, served with fresh seasonal tomatoes and bread perfect for scooping up every last bit of creamy goodness.

Add in dough balls and arancini, and suddenly the table starts looking less like a couple of starters and more like a full-on sharing feast.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

One thing we loved? The personality behind the menu. A lot of the pizzas are named after famously grumpy TV and film characters, which gives the whole place a bit of humour and fits the vibe perfectly.

And while we came for the pizza, one surprise standout was the banana split dessert. Fun, nostalgic, slightly over-the-top in the best way, and exactly the kind of thing you don’t think you’ll order… until it shows up and suddenly everyone’s fighting for the last spoonful.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

What makes Grumpy’s special, though, is that it never feels like it’s trying too hard - it’s casual, friendly, and welcoming.

Add in the sunny terrace, a few drinks, and a table full of pizzas shared between mates, and it’s easy to see why people end up staying way longer than planned.

There’s no rush here, just good food, good company, and a place that quietly gets everything right without making a fuss about it.

We finally get why Grumpy's Bar + Wood Fired Pizza is such a Farsley favourite… and trust us, we’ll definitely be back.

Read more: Inside Leeds’ new neighbourhood bakehouse from the team behind Silver’s Deli

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

Feature

Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept has landed in the city centre.

Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast has brought its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.

Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds combines saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.

The Leeds space features two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

The space is absolutely gorgeous, complete with trendy tin ceilings, fairy lights and soft furnishings.

Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

The same goes for the saunas, with one silent and one sauna giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.

Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.

There's a fab little cafe too offering all sorts from electrolyte slushes to ginger shots and a range of coffees and matcha.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of
community in the city.

Officially opening their doors this Friday 29 May, Kontrast are offering free sessions over the weekend so you can try before you buy. Book your spot here.

Read more: Inside Leeds’ new neighbourhood bakehouse from the team behind Silver’s Deli

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

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