One of the biggest events in Leeds' cultural calendar is almost upon us, as the city gears up for Leeds Pride Festival 2025.
From the glittering parade that attracts thousands to the city centre, to the live music and performances on the stages to the nightlife scene that gets busier than ever for one glorious weekend, there’s something for everyone.
This year's event will take place on Sunday 20 July, and it's set to be a fabulous weekend full of music, food, and cabaret - all promising a weekend of celebration and inclusion.
If you're heading there this weekend, here's everything you need to know to make your day as good as it can be.
Parade
Image: Leeds Pride
At 12:15pm, the iconic Pride Parade will begin outside the Town Hall, marching through the the city, down to Lower Briggate onto The Calls.
Expect plenty of colour, impressive floats and amazing energy.
The line-up
This year you'll find three stages dotted across the city, all with great lineups to keep you dancing throughout the day.
On the Main Stage on Lower Briggate, music will go on from 12 - 10pm with performances from Angie Brown, Booty Luv, the Cartoons and a Chappell Roan tribute act.
Just down the road on the Cabaret stage you'll be blessed with performances from Koko Popperz, Dedelicious and Tonya Kneez amongst so many more.
Make your way to Millennium Square and you'll find the Community Stage, music will start earlier here at 10:30am so if you want to get warmed up before the parade this is where to be.
By grabbing yourself a 2025 Leeds Pride Wristband, you'll get exclusive perks such as discounted drinks, dedicated entry lanes and so much more. You can get your wristband from Viaduct Showbar or the Briggante Hotel. Find out more here.
Afterparties
If you want to keep the party going, then there's plenty of after parties on offer.
Leeds Pride will be hosting an official after party at Under The Arches, and you can buy your ticket for entry here.
Elsewhere, Leeds' famous speakeasy Behind Closed Doors will be hosting music until 5am with a special Pride cocktail menu, live DJS and best of all? Free entry.
And if that doesn't take your fancy and you're looking to celebrate Pride in style, White Cloth Hall will be hosting an all-day street party with live music, an outdoor bar and a delicious BBQ to keep you fuelled up for the day.
Whitelock’s Ale House has announced the return of its annual Beer Festival - hoorah!
There’s nothing quite like a nice fresh pint, and we all know Whitelock’s Ale House know how to pour a good one.
So it's with great glee that we can fill you in on their upcoming Beer Festival which will be returning to the iconic festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June 2026.
The four-day festival will celebrate the best of independent brewing in Leeds, with beers sourced exclusively from local breweries.
Featured breweries will include Northern Monk, Kirkstall Brewery, Anthology, Amity Brew Co. and more.
Known as the oldest pub in Leeds, Whitelock’s Ale House has long championed independent beers and local brewing culture.
Image: Supplied
This year’s festival aims to spotlight the strength and diversity of the city’s brewing scene, with the tagline 'Beer tastes better up north!'
Beer will be pouring throughout the weekend across Whitelock's Ale House and The Turk's Head, with further brewery announcements and festival details set to be shared in the coming weeks via their Instagram.
The best part? Entry to the festival is completely free.
Talking about this year’s festival, General Manager Beth said: “Beer has always been at the heart of Whitelock’s, so this felt like the right year to celebrate both the breweries on our doorstep and the city we’ve called home for more than 300 years.
"Leeds has a brilliantly strong independent beer scene right now, and we’re looking forward to showcasing some of the best breweries the city has to offer across the weekend.”
You can find out more about Whitelock's Ale House and their fabulous Beer Festival here via their website. Cheers to that!
Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch
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.
Clementine Hall -
16th July 2025 
