A huge, completely free festival will be taking over one of Sheffield's proudest independent neighbourhoods this weekend.
A whopping 20 venues will come together for Abbeydale Live, turning Abbeydale Road into a bustling hive of live music, family-friendly activities, and more.
The free event will be back this weekend after a successful debut last year - and this time, it's even bigger than before.
Abbeydale Live will be taking place on both 18 and 19 April right across Abbeydale Road, with different venues hosting live performances all weekends.
Expect to hear everything from jazz to alternative, with the festival running into the early hours at local bars and nightlife hotspots.
Corner will be taking part in Abbeydale LiveTwo Thirds is another spot on the Abbeydale Live trailAbbeydale Picture House
There's a new stage being added to Abbeydale Live's line-up this year, with the Sarah Nulty Music Foundation Stage in the Abbeydale Ballroom car park, raising awareness for its work supporting grassroots music and community projects.
Some of Sheffield's top independent venues, which all happen to be based here in Abbeydale, will be taking part this year, including The Broadfield, The Gin Bar, Simz Golf, Two Thirds, Corner, Abbeydale Ballroom, Abbeydale Tap, Jameson’s, Over The Yardarm, Best Boy Bagels, Cole’s Corner, STYR, Smashed & Pulled, Dead Donkey, Rumkeg 876, Amici & Bici, Nether Edge Pizza, and The Bear.
The line-up will include two-time Grammy-nominated vocalist Steve Edwards, Louis Louis Louis, and Montuno, with more acts to be announced.
There'll be a trail all the way along Abbeydale Road, encouraging visitors to explore the full length of the road and all of its many local traders.
Nicole Jewitt, organiser of Abbeydale Live and Chair of the Abbeydale Independent Traders Association, said: "Abbeydale Live is about what happens when a street really comes together. It’s independent businesses, artists, students, families, everyone playing their part.
"You can start at one end of Abbeydale Road and walk all the way through, discovering music, food and new places as you go. It’s completely free, open to everyone, and it’s something we’re really proud to build together as a community."
Sheffield based curator and archivist Alex Wilson is taking over a refurbished Victorian unit down the historic Chapel Walk.
The space will be transformed into a record shop, gallery space and micro cinema dubbed 'Sheffield's Smallest Cinema'.
The space will be rooted in, and be a champion of, Sheffield/Yorkshire/Northern cultural heritage; focusing specifically on sound, moving image, design and photography.
Titled 'Memory Dance', the opening exhibition, WE'LL MISS THEM WHEN THEY'RE GONE, will reboot a popular display held on The Moor, Sheffield back in 2012.
Images: Supplied
The exhibition will explore the history of record shops in the city, from Bradleys to Virgins, and includes original 78 RPM sleeves, old and new record shop bags, related ephemera from lost Sheffield vinyl retailers, alongside prints by designer Simon Robinson responding to the imagery of these old sleeves.
They're also asking the Sheffield community to come down with anything relating to the history of Sheffield record shops and if suitable, Memory Dance can scan the items on site and hand back a digital file. Or, they can hang them in the venue for the duration of the exhibition.
The ground floor will also open its racks for the first time to a curated selection of used vinyl for sale drawn from some of the best collections the city has to offer, with a real focus on Sheffield artists and labels past/present to carry the legacy forward.
At the end of June, the walls will be refreshed for the first ever exhibition telling the amazing story of 'SHEFFIELD CABLEVISION TV (1972-76)'.
With newly printed photography from surviving staff members and crew, plus archive artefacts and merchandise, the Memory Dance micro cinema space will also be launched with an exclusive, rarely seen collection of Cablevision TV Station archive video.
Memory Dance at Chapel Walk will soft launch on 05.06.26, and you can find out more here.
True North Brew Co. to host outdoor fan zones across Sheffield for the World Cup
Clementine Hall
Football isn't just coming home, it's coming to True North Brew Co.
It's almost time to get your very best England merch on and get cheering on the lads in the 2026 World Cup.
Luckily for us, True North Brew Co. will be providing the ultimate scenes with a number of fan zones across the city.
The hospitality group will be transforming a number of their bars and venues into football viewing hotspots throughout the tournament.
The Abbeydale Ballroom will be on of the city's largest outdoor fan zones, showing every England fixture across multiple screens so no one misses out on the action.
Not only that, but The Ballroom's car park will be converted into a large-scale viewing area featuring a huge LED screen for fans to watch matches together.
Elsewhere, The British Oak in Mosborough will be hosting its very own outdoor screening zone with a brand-new LED screen.
Also getting in on the action is The Common Room, Forum, The Old Grindstone, Riverside and The Broadfield - it's safe to say True North have got us covered.
A spokesperson for True North Brew Co said: “There’s nothing quite like tournament football in Sheffield. Whether you’re watching in one of our fan zones, booking your own private viewing area, or joining hundreds of other fans for the big England games, we want our venues to be the best places in the city to experience the World Cup together.
“The atmosphere is going to be incredible and hopefully we’ll all be celebrating deep into the tournament.”
You can find out more about True North Brew Co's World Cup schedule here.
Daisy Jackson -
16th April 2026 
