Ten of the best things to do in Leeds | July 2022
It’s summertime in Leeds- and there’s plenty to help you make the most of the (better than usual) doses of sunshine.
We made it. It’s officially summer, Leeds. Whether you’re looking forward to long country walks whilst getting a tan, beer gardens to while away the afternoon or festivals and live music to provide that all-important feel-good soundtrack to the light days, we’ve got you covered.
With live performances from Tom Grennan and no less than three festivals (see our gig guide); bottomless brunch with Mamma Mia, more new foodie openings than we can count and a whole lot of sunshine forecast, it’s going to be a busy month.
Keep reading to see where we’ll be hanging out this month in and around Leeds…
Tom Grennan Live
Friday 1 July 2022 | Halifax Piece Hall
The Found What I’ve Been Looking For singer-songwriter will be taking over Halifax’s Piece Hall and kicking off everyone’s weekend with melodic riffs and feel good summer anthems aplenty.
Tickets cost £32.50 but there are also a number of premium tickets availble at £70 each.
Find out more here.
Curry and Beer Festival
Sunday 3 July 2022 | Roundhay Park, Roundhay
After the success of the 2021 festival, Leeds’ Curry and Beer Festival is returning to the city for 2022 with a whole host of independent traders offering food and drink from around the world. Located in the leafy back garden of the city: Roundhay Park, Sunday 3 July 2022 will see one of Europe’s largest parks transformed into a foodie hub that champions independents from around the city and beyond.
Whether you’re a fan of the dhansak, saag, korma, jalfrezi, or vindaloo, there’s sure to be something for everyone here with the festival promising a ream of different street food traders turning up to cook on the day. Of course, it goes without saying that Leeds knows what it’s doing when it comes to top beer – so we expect to see some of Yorkshire’s finest pulling up with their freshest craft brews too.
Sunday 3 July 2022 | Find out more here.
Aagrah turns 45- with 45% off food
Tuesday 5 July 2022 | Aagrah City, Quarry Hill and other restaurants
Well it’s not everyday you get to celebrate a big birthday, and even rarer for a Leeds-based brand to hit a whopping 45 year milestone. Aagrah, which now has nine restaurants across Yorkshire, including sites in Chapel Allerton, Leeds City, Garforth, Doncaster and Wakefield, is celebrating their huge birthday and thanking their returning customers that have supported them through the past 45 years with an impressive 45% off the bill on their birthday.
The offer will be valid in all Aagrah restaurants on Tuesday 5 July 2022 on food only. To ensure you’re able to grab a seat at the table, make sure to book a table in advance.
Find out more here.
Kino Opening
Wednesday 6 July 2022 | Briggate, Leeds City Centre
Located on New Briggate inside the Opera North’s gorgeous Grade II listed space, Kino is set to open its doors from Wednesday 6 July 2022- and they’ll be serving up a range of wholesome Yorkshire foodie faves like George & Joseph, North Star Coffee Roasters, Latitude Wines and Northern Monk.
Inspired by the cinematic experience formerly hosted inside the Grade II listed building, Kino means ‘cinema’ in multiple languages, but also encompasses the minimalist style that the restaurant is set to take on as part of its opening identity.
Inside you’ll see 100 covers across a whopping three floors with clean lines to create a relaxed and welcoming space perfect for pre-show drinks, post-performance bites and everything in between at Opera North’s very own restaurant site.
Find out more here.
Newsam Park Festival
Saturday 9 July 2022 | Temple Newsam, Leeds
On top of the exciting headline acts like: Marco Carola, Jamie Jones, Mall Grab and Jayda G deeper house will come from Dan Shake and Chaos in the CBD, there will be spaced-out sounds from flying Dutchman Chris Stussy and no-frills beats from Djoko as well as plenty of goodness from local residents Annie Errez, Bobby O’Donnell, Foz, Reeshy and Sara Garvey.
Tickets start at £60.50, but if bought as a group, you can buy four and get your fifth free of charge. All tickets can be purchased from the Newsam Park website.
Find out more here.
An evening with Stu Hennigan
Wednesday 13 July 2022 | Truman Books, Farsley
Author of Ghost Signs: Poverty and the Pandemic is taking over Truman Books for an evening to discuss his first non-fiction title and what it means to have witnessed some of Leeds’ most vulnerable communities in such an unprecedented time. Described as “a timely reminder of how life was for most of us during those unprecedented times, and paints a blistering portrait of the hardships being endured by deprived communities even before the current cost of living crisis hit.” and ” a visceral piece of reportage that is already drawing comparisons with George Orwell’s classic work The Road To Wigan Pier”, this will be an eye-opening evening for all.
Tickets cost £5 each and are available, along with more information, on the Truman Books website.
Find out more here.
Leeds Tequila Festival
Friday 22 July 2022 | The Tetley, Hunslet Road
One of Leeds’ favourite cultural arts spaces will be transformed into a tequila-infused haven to mark Leeds’ first dedicated Tequila Festival, with an appearance from Tequila Ocho, the world’s first Single Estate tequila, amongst other exciting household names.
Fans of the Leeds Whisky Festival or Rum Fest from Rolling Social Events will be delighted to see another boozy day of takeovers across the city.The one-evening-only event will showcase over 50 agave products, including tequila, mezcal and other exciting Mexican spirits whilst The Tetley’s fully-stocked bar will allow those looking to up their cocktail game with a splash of tequila to find their new favourite mix.
Find out more here.
80s Classical
Friday 22 July 2022 | Millennium Square, Leeds City Centre
If you love to head down to the club on 80s night but would rather party outdoors than in a packed out nightclub, the 80s Classical is the summer festival you don’t want to miss. Kim Wilde, Belinda Carlisle, Johnny Hates Jazz, Hue and Cry, Denise Pearson, and The Orchestra of Opera North will all be taking to the stage on Friday 22 July 2022 in Millenium Square.
Tickets start from £35.20 and can be booked via Millenium Square Leeds. For more information, including how to book your ticket, visit their website.
Find out more here.
Mamma Mia Bottomless Brunch
Sunday 31 July 2022 | Explore Hidden
The brunch is themed around the hit-musical, Mamma Mia. / Image: London Theatre
The Dancing Queen bottomless brunch is the latest themed brunch from Explore Hidden and it’s full of Mamma Mia themed activities- so much so that booze will be the last thing on your mind, it’s all about the singing, the dancing and the fancy dress here. If you don’t know the words to Mamma Mia yet- we’d recommend re-watching the movies before you head over to this bottomless, it’s for hardcore ABBA fans only.
All this singing and dancing is bound to work up an appetite and this Mamma Mia brunch has plenty of delicious options available that aren’t far from what we’d expect Donna and Sophie to snack on in Greece. There’s drinking options aplenty, both soft and boozy, which will vary at different bottomless brunch experiences. At the alcoholic bottomless brunch, you’ll find a spread of Aperol Spritz, Ketel V&T, Blank Canvas, Amstel, Prosecco, Bloody Mary, Heineken 0.0% and selected soft drinks available.
Let’s talk Money, Money, Money. Tickets start at £35 for bottomless soft drinks and £45 for the boozy ones.
Sunday 15 May 2022 at 11am, 1.30pm, 4pm and 6.30pm. Find out more here.
Rudy’s Chapel Allerton Opening
Opening in July (date unknown) | Stainbeck Road, Chapel Allerton
Taking over the former Casa Mia site at 10 – 12 Stainbeck Lane, this will be the second site for Rudy’s pizza here in Leeds. Having opened their debut Leeds restaurant on New Station Street restaurant in 2020, the Manchester-born joint has only grown in popularity over the pandemic and beyond.
On the mouth-watering menu, diners will look forward to Napoli pizzas like traditional marinara, margherita and calabrese, as well as a range of regularly changing specials, including the likes of White Pizza and vegan speciality dishes too. Whilst the exact date hasn’t been confirmed just yet, Rudy’s has issued a statement to tell customers to prepare for a July opening.
Find out more here.
Feature Image- Gary Butterfield