Leeds will be illuminated in neon lights this week, and that can only mean one thing.
The return of Light Night.
As one of the official markers of the autumn season, Light Night is one of the key calendar events to bring people together across the city and celebrate an array of beautiful installations and pieces of artwork, all of which can only be seen once the skies go dark.
Over at The Junction, the celebrations will be taken to a whole new level, with an on-site bar serving drinks, live circus performers and street food pop-ups serving delicious grub to get stuck into.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This has got to be one of the cosiest spots to take in the wonders of Light Night.
The Junction will be a standout location over the two spectacular nights, Thursday 24 and Friday 25 October.
The first installation at, ‘Globoscope’, is a magnificent immersive display of over 200 luminous spheres dotted across the landscape of the gardens. Located over Monk Bridge Viaduct, the light and sound pulse sequences will transform the gardens into a glowy, otherworldly landscape sure to awe visitors.Â
Image: Supplied
The second art installation, ‘Reflect’, is nestled in The Arches under Monk Bridge Viaduct, and is a mindful and meditative experience where shafts of light dance and bounce off moving water. Guided by an ambient soundtrack, attendees will trail their hands across the water and watch as ripples are reflected off the archway.Â
Beyond the incredible art instillations, The Junction will also welcome the Roller Girl Gang from 6:30-7:30pm, and Yorkshire Circus,  hosting their event ‘Starlight  Developing Artist LED Show + LED ‘have-a-go' area’ on the Multi Use Sports Pitch.
Younger visitors (and older, we don't judge) can also get involved with UV Face Painting, ensuring the whole family can take part in the festival fun.
Local Leeds traders Neighbourhood Fried Chicken and The Savvy Baker will be there to keep you fuelled up, and at The Junc Shed New Citizen will be hosting a bar serving up all the tipples.
Farmer Copley's Tulip Festival is back and it's just as beautiful as we remember.
Spring has officially sprung and with it, so does Farmer Copley's iconic Tulip Festival that officially opened last Sunday.
Based in West Yorkshire, nestled between Pontefract and Featherstone, the Copley family really know how to get you feeling ready for the season ahead.
Just moments after entering the festival, we can assure you that winter will feel like a distant memory.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Spanning over 8 acres, Jack and the team have planted over 600,00 tulip bulbs consisting of 100+ different varieties of all shapes and colours that arrived directly from the Netherlands.
In addition to the 500,000 planted last year, that means there's over one million tulips to enjoy - now that is pretty impressive if you ask us.
Varieties include Carnaval de Rio, Tom Pouce, Gavota, Lily Flowering Mix, Blushing Appledorn, Wedding Dress and Rodolfo.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The festival includes five sections that have been split by 5 metre walkways enabling the best customer interaction in the field.
There's two dedicated pick your own areas where a mix of bulbs have been planted to ensure that visitors have a wide range of tulips to explore, pick from and create the perfect bunch of tulips. How lovely is that?
Of course there's plenty of photo opportunities, fairground rides and a bar to enjoy the view with a tipple or two.
This really is the perfect family-friendly day out and with the weather looking gorgeous (for now), we'd take the opportunity to see the tulips looking their best whilst you can.
The festival is on until Sunday 3 May 2026, with tickets starting from just £9.
To find out more and to book your ticket, take a look at Farmer Copleys website. We'll see you in the tulip fields.
Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for student nightlife
Clementine Hall
Our city is bursting at the seems with brilliant late night venues for students, but now it’s officially been confirmed.
And it's all down to accommodation provider Canvas who analysed key nightlife factors such as drink prices, the number and ratings of venues, and local safety scores to reveal the best cities in the UK for a night out.
If you've got Leeds as your student city of choice then you're in for a brilliant three years, as we ranked number four in the top ten list. Get in.Â
Leeds has a whopping 325 venues and a strong 4.40 average rating, drink prices are relatively affordable drinks with a pint costing an average of a fiver and soft drinks at £1.71.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Leeds also came out with a solid safety score of 47.28, so it's fair to say Leeds it’s a well-rounded option for students.Bath took the top spot with 10 venues per 10,000 people and an impressive average rating of 4.45 stars.
Coming in second, Manchester boasts the highest number of bars and clubs overall, with 606 venues, 15 for every 10,000 people and a strong average rating of 4.37 stars and a pint costing slightly less than Bath at £5.50.
In third place was Newcastle and in fifth place was York. It's safe to say that the North dominated the top spots, and rightly so.
The top ten best cities for student nightlife in the UK are:
Clementine Hall -
21st October 2024 
