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.
Because one Fern Modern Sushi wasn't enough, we've now got two.
And guess what? It's even better than the first.
Fern Modern Sushi located in the unassuming Central Arcade has become a firm foodie favourite after opening just a couple years ago.
Run by the wonderful Chef Fern, who you could say is somewhat of a local celebrity at this point, the restaurant is known for serving delicious sushi with the freshest fish possible and traditional Japanese dishes with modern flair.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Full with hungry punters no matter the time of day, it's no surprise that Chef Fern has just opened Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 on Park Row.
This beautiful new space is serving up all the classic Fern dishes, from stacked donburi bowls and perfectly rolled sushi to miso glazed cod and hearty bowls of ramen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Different for this location, though, is their exclusive cocktail menu - so you can wine and dine to your heart's content.
The interior has also levelled up, complete with a huge open kitchen so you can pull up a chair and eat whilst watching the magic happen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And this isn't all that Chef Fern is up to, after opening Tori Nori on Vicar Lane a few months ago this will be her third restaurant in the city centre, and that is no easy feat.
She's even got another restaurant imminently opening in the Central Arcade which will be focused on traditional katsu dishes, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if she had something else lined up in the pipeline.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 officially opens on 19 November, but is open now for soft launch with limited bookings.
Independent Leeds matcha stand forced to close by council despite 3,000 people signing petition
Clementine Hall
An independent matcha stand in Leeds has been forced to closed due to council concerns.
You may remember back in August when the whole of Leeds rallied to save Sips Matcha over in Headingley.
The front garden matcha spot has become a firm favourite for students and locals alike over the past year, gaining more than 12,000 followers on Instagram.
The self-proclaimed 'tiniest matcha stand in Leeds' is located in the residential area of Little Woodhouse and is run by the lovely Matt and Julia.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
However, in August their retroactive planning application was rejected by the council and they were given 28 days to remove the shed.
In a published document via Leeds City Council website, multiple reasons were listed for the decision to refuse planning permission for the bright-green matcha shed.
The electronic letter signed by Martin Elliot, Chief Planning Officer, listed spoiling the property's character, increased footfall, and a failure to comply with numerous development and design policies.
In response, Matt and Julia launched a petition urging people to save Sips Matcha, labelling the painted wooden shed-turned-coffee shop as a 'Community Stand'.
Despite over 3,000 signatures, Sips Matcha have announced on their social media today that the shed must be removed by the end of November.
The statement reads: "our retrospective planning was declined, we appealed, and the appeal was dismissed. then the dreaded email arrived: the shed has to come down by the end of november.
"we don’t have all the answers yet, but we’re working out what happens next. over 3,000 of you signed the petition and it meant the world. thank you for every sip, share and signature. come say hi while we’re still here."
We're absolutely gutted for them, so make sure you pop by for a matcha before the end of November to give them a proper farewell.
Clementine Hall -
27th February 2024 
