Get ready for the most colourful event of the year, because Leeds Holi Festival 2024 is back.
Holi Festival, known as the Festival of Colours , is a joyous celebration of peace, love, happiness and equality through live music and bright colours.
The beloved festival has grown exponentially since its inception in 2016 and is now hailed as the biggest open air colour festival in the UK.
This year it is set to be bigger and better than ever before, once again uniting cultures and spreading love and positivity through music, colours, and street food.
Image: Leeds Holi Festival
The journey began in 2016 when Leeds' first Holi Festival saw 230 Holi lovers paint the town, followed by 1200 people in 2022 which proudly earned Leeds the title of the "Biggest Colour Festival in Yorkshire".
And it didn't stop there, a whopping 2700+ people gathered last year, hailing from various cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and walks of life, to celebrate the festival.
And we are certain it's only going to get even bigger this coming March, as the festival is expecting to host over 5,000 guests.
Image: Leeds Holi Festival
This year, the festival has been extended to a two-day extravaganza and is set to light up the iconic Beaver Works venue on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 March from 12.30 to 8pm.
The Sunday will be a special day dedicated to families, specifically children, with the addition of family-friendly activities including bouncy castles and funfair rides.
The joyous celebration is globally renowned for the colourful powders friends and families throw at each other, as well as well as the serving of street food, live DJs and performances right in the heart of the city.
Image: Leeds Holi Festival
Red is the sign of love, yellow is synonymous with healing properties, blue is the colour of Lord Krishna and green symbolises new beginnings. Through the use of these vibrant colours, Leeds Holi Festival aims at bringing different cultures together with different genres of music under one roof.
British-Indian singer-songwriter, Jaz Dhami, will be headlining the event and providing the ultimate party tracks for guests to dance all day
Eshaan Kapoor, founder of Leeds Holi Festival said: "We owe our heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed sponsors who have made this journey possible. Our valued partners include Kirkstall Brewery, Slingsby Gin, and the culinary delights of Punjabi Heaven restaurant for a mouthwatering street food experience.
Image: Leeds Holi Festival
"The colours that will light up the festival are proudly sponsored by the renowned Ministry of Colours, ensuring they are herbal and skin-friendly. Leeds Holi Festival is more than just a festival; it’s about finding the right partners who believe in our vision and share our passion for bringing cultures together.
"It’s all about celebrating Yorkshire, embracing the spirit of Leeds, and collaborating with like-minded individuals to grow this festival into a colossal event, with the goal of hosting 20,000 attendees in the next 3 years."
Tickets are on sale now, and you can buy yours here on the Leeds Holi Festival website.
A beloved Sheffield bookshop is back but this time, there's booze.
You may remember back in January when Novel sadly had to close its doors due to circumstances beyond the team’s control.
Since opening in Crookes in 2024, co-owner Katie and the team had experienced ongoing intimidation and harassment, eventually leading to the decision to close the much-loved bookshop and bar indefinitely.
It was a heartbreaking turn of events for a business that had quickly become a much-loved part of the Crookes community.
Images: The Sheff
At the time, it felt like it might be the end of Novel but thankfully, it wasn't. Because Novel is back - but not quite as you might remember it.
Introducing Proof, your new bookshop/cafe/wine/beer bar.
It's basically everything we love in this world rolled into one, and we're big fans of it along with the rest of Crookes.
Of course the book selection is just as brilliant as it was at Novel, with shelves stacked with some of the hottest books around, all hand-picked by Kate, so you know you’re in safe hands when it comes to the reading recommendations.
Images: The Sheff
Great coffee is on hand courtesy of Cloud so you can settle in for a brew and a browse, but if that won't quite cut it they've also got a selection of natural wines and beer on offer. Genuinely, what more could you want?
Just grab a brew, pick up a book and settle in for a while. Is this one of the coolest new openings to hit Crookes? We reckon so.
They're open Fridays and Saturdays 12 - 10:30pm, so make sure you swing by and welcome Proof back to Crookes.
The 42-year-old Kirkgate Market stall serving freshly shucked oysters for £1.90 a pop
Clementine Hall
Tucked away in Leeds Kirkgate Market you'll find a wonderful seafood stall selling freshly shucked oysters for £1.90 each.
It's places like these that remind us why we love Leeds so much.
Established in 1880, Hayes Seafood is widely regarded as the oldest trader within the historic Kirkgate Market.
For the past 42 years, it has been run by Cliff and Michelle, the loveliest couple who welcome every customer with open arms.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The menu here is small but perfectly formed, focusing on fresh, ready-to-eat seafood that you can enjoy with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of mayonnaise at most.
Delivered fresh every morning, there's pre-cracked crab shells, brown and white crab meat, cockles, crawfish tails - all perfectly prepared for you to eat at their bar or high tables opposite.
But, it's the oysters that you'll see people queueing for. And rightly so.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Everything here is prepared to order right in front of you, and for no extra fee. You can choose from two types of oysters: super salty Lindisfarne oysters or the slightly sweeter English Loch Fyne.
We recommend having a couple of each, pulling up a stool right by the counter and getting stuck in. If you ask Cliff nicely, he might tell you a bit about the history of the place - but you may have to order a couple more oysters for that.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You're left to dress them yourself, whether you prefer dash of fiery tabasco or a few pickled shallots. But to be honest, they're delicious just as they come.
This spot is a real piece of Leeds history, and the queues at lunchtime as well as the repeat regular customers proves just how special it is.
All it's missing is a champagne stall next to it...now wouldn't that be perfect?
Clementine Hall -
27th February 2024 
