Now in it’s nineteenth year, the UK’s largest annual arts and light festival returns to Leeds next monthwith the theme 'Future Dreaming'.
The streets of Leeds will be transformed into an incredible illuminated playground when Light Night returns to the city this October.
Across Thursday 12 and Friday 13 October 2023 from 6:30 to 10:30pm, more than 50 breathtaking light installations, dynamic projections and spectacular interactive artworks are set to wow thousands of visitors to the highly anticipated, annual cultural event.
Here’s where you can find all the incredible pieces of art work and captivating performances by local, national and international artists around the city.
Millennium Square Zone
Image: Light Night Leeds
There are five beautiful art pieces to view in this zone, the most unmissable being the Theatre of Illumination at the Leeds Civic Hall which was originally commissioned for Light Night back in 2014. This digital spectacle of light and sound propels the historic architecture of Leeds Civic Hall into the next century with the explosive energy of a firework display.
Headrow Zone
Image: Light Night
The Headrow will welcome five installations, two more than last year's event andmake sure you head to the Leeds Art Gallery to see 'Journey into the Light' - a beautiful art piece by Chila Kumari Burman MBE who studied at Leeds Polytechnic.
Briggate Zone
There's a whopping seven installations to view at the Briggate Zone, including Harp -an immersive audio-visual outdoor installation which invites passers-by to form an orchestra for a moment.
Opera North will also be presenting 'The Drop' - where the companies talented musicians will transform the Howard Assembly Room into the depths of the ocean, plunging visitors below sea level.
Station Zone
Image: Light Night
Head to the Station Zone and be wowed by four illuminations. Don't miss out on 'Balloomi' - a breathtaking instillation that consists of balloons filled with air and white light that creates a glowing pyramid with simple light sequences. 'Public Trust' will also ask passers by to make a vow and examine the value of your word, this will be recorded and projected onto a giant board along with others.
Wellington Place Zone
Image: Light Night
Over in Park Square, step back in time to the ancient forest of Leodis which once existed where the city of Leeds now stands and enter an 'Enchanted Glade' filled with glowing flowers, fairies, and mystical stone circles.
And who can resist some free UV face paint? If you’re looking to really embrace the Light Night way of life, then head to the Family Friendly Fun area at Wellington Place.
For The Junction's Light Night debut, the area around the new neighbourhood will be covered in a lit-up installation entitled Droplets (pictured above), plus a huge projection from northern wellness organisation, Feel Good Club.
In addition to the installation, there will also be UV live artwork and face painting to get involved in, as well as food from Homeboy Pizza Co. and Threes A Crowd, live music from local artist BRANDER.
Those attending on the Friday night will also see the on-site bar with signature cocktails and a donation to LATCH: Leeds Action to Create Homes, will be made with every purchase.
South Bank Zone
Image: Light Night
Inspiring charity Simon on the Streets invites you to take 'A Walk in Their Shoes'. Embark on a journey across The David Oluwale Bridge to learn about homelessness, the impact of stigma and what we can all do to help.
Here you will also find a whopping eight other instillations, including a late-night entry to The Tetley and an invigorating 'Shipwrecked' pop-up production at The Royal Armouries which will have audiences captivated.
SOYO Zone (Quarry Hill)
Make sure to keep your eyes peeled and look up when around Quarry Hill as you don’t want to miss out on a huge illuminated pear outside The Playhouse named 'The World has gone Pear-shaped'. There's four other pieces to see here including 'The Service of Light' at the Leeds Minster which will see the Choir of Leeds Minster, accompanied by the Minster’s famous Harrison & Harrison organ, reciting beautiful British choral music.
University Zone
Fancy playing a game? Then head to the University Zone and have a go at 'Pixelate' which will transform gaming into a theatrical, immersive experience. You can also have a go at playing the piano with 'Piano Is A Nocturnal Animal', captivating music and light installation, inspired by the piano.
This zone is interactive as it gets, so don't be afraid get stuck in.
Outside the Centre
Image: Light Night
Venture outside the city centre and we're sure you'll love what you will find. With seven exhibitions spanning across Leeds' suburbs, there's something for everyone to spot venturing in and out of the city.
Explore the illuminated 'Ginnel' in Chapeltown which will be lit up with beautiful lanterns or venture to Elland Road to see the 'Luminosi Trees' - a large scale light and sound art installation featuring two six metre high light trees.
Global superstar Bad Bunny is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show and we're giving you the rundown about this reigning reggaeton artist.
Born in Puerto Rico, Benito Antonio, now more widely recognised by artist moniker Bad Bunny, is a Spanish-speaking act who has transported modern-day reggaeton from Latin America to all new heights.
The Puerto Rican powerhouse has only ever visited the UK once, performing at O2 Forum Kentish Town in London, seven years ago back in 2018, as part of his first ever world tour titled La Nueva Religión.
Since then, El Benito has dropped seven full-length studio albums and nine musical projects overall, which have all helped establish him as a major force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
Alongside his musical career, Bad Bunny has seen himself at the forefront of various pop culture moments thanks to his innovative fashion sense and notable charm.
Bad Bunny is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show on 8 February / Credit: Press Shot via Apple Music(Supplied) / Unsplash via Naveen Venkatesan (Supplied)
What iconic moments is Bad Bunny known for?
With his first album X 100Pre (Forever) dropping back in 2018, Bad Bunny has spent almost a hefty eight years in the limelight, so it will come as no surprise that there's plenty of iconic moments you might remember.
Bad Bunny as a Drag Queen - To coincide with the release of his single 'Yo Perreo Sola' (I Twerk Alone), Benito stepped into unchartered territory, debuting three different Drag personas to combat toxic masculinity in the reggaeton music scene.
WWE - Benito is a huge fan of wrestling. He first appeared for a performance at the Royal Rumble in 2021, before returning later that year and teaming up with Damian Priest to take down The Miz and John Morrison.
VMA Performance - The Latin multi-hyphenate made headlines in 2022 after kissing a male dancer on-stage. Both fans and media outlets stated the performance harked back to Madonna's similar showcase two decades prior - Watch Bad Bunny's kiss HERE (skip to 2:50).
Met Gala - Well-recognised for its glamourous and glitzy outfits, the Met Gala brings together A-Listers for a showcase of all things fashion. Bad Bunny was styled by fashion house Jacquemus and wore a backless suit with a 26 foot train.
The Super Bowl is a huge accomplishment for all artists, now Bad Bunny joins the headlining roster / Credit: Jorge Rojas via Unsplash (Supplied)
SNL - The LATAM star has appeared on American comedy sketch-show SNL numerous times, both as an artist and as a part-time comedian. In 2023, Bad Bunny and Pedro Pascal became an overprotective aunty and mum duo and had crowds laughing uncontrollably.
Carpool Karaoke - James Corden's nighttime show segment was welcomed into the reggaeton world courtesy of Bad Bunny. However, it's his cover of 'Break Free' by Ariana Grande where he discusses it's the first English-spoken song he ever learnt that had people falling in love with him.
Coachella - This desert-based music festival is known for its large-scale productions and in the early summer of 2023, Bad Bunny became the first Spanish-singing artist to headline this mega music celebration.
No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí - Translating to 'I don't want to leave here', this was the title of his Puerto Rico residency. As well as creating lifelong memories for fans, this 31 date experience also boosted the economy of his home country.
What songs will Bad Bunny perform at his Super Bowl halftime show?
With 28 songs over one billion streams, Bad Bunny is going to have a tricky time deciphering which of his hits to include in his upcoming halftime show performance.
His most recognisable album is the beach-inspired Un Verano Sin Ti (A Summer Without You) which features six tracks with over one billion streams, so it's safe to say this LP is guaranteed some love.
The latest addition to El Benito's discography DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (I Should've Taken More Photos) might also steal the spotlight due to its focus on exploring traditional Puerto Rican sounds.
And, after reconciling late last year, Bad Bunny might take his friendship with J Balvin to Super Bowl status, performing songs from their collaborative album OASIS as well as their Cardi B link-up 'I Like It'.
The Hoot's Bad Bunny Super Bowl setlist predicition:
NUEVAYoL
Tití Me Preguntó/ Me Porto Bonito/ Moscow Mule (Medley)
Dákiti
I Like It (With Cardi B and J Balvin)
La Canción (With J Balvin)
Callaíta (With Tainy)
Un x100to (With Grupo Frontera)
Baile Inolvidable
Super Bowl halftime show performances normally contain around 10 songs and the setlist is very tight-lipped, however, it's always fun to throw out a predicition or two before the event on Sunday 8 February.
Which special guests will join Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show line-up?
Bad Bunny has worked with a multitude of artists from reggaeton sidekicks to pop supremes like Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa and Drake.
Although it's highly unlikely these big names will all be free at the same time, when it comes to the Super Bowl anything is possible.
The 'Tití Me Preguntó' songwriter is heading to the UK for the second time ever in his career, for his Debí Tirar Más FotosWorld Tour and he's chosen Tottenham Hotspur as the location for this huge cultural moment.
If you're wondering where to get tickets, you have two chances to watch this superstar in his element as he's performing on June 27 - Tickets HERE and June 28 - Tickets HERE.
Hopefully now you've discovered more about who this Latin American artist is so you're not left clueless when the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots take a quick 15 minutebreak mid-game.
Featured Images - Press Shot via Apple Music(Supplied) / Unsplash via Naveen Venkatesan (Supplied)/ Jorge Rojas via Unsplash (Supplied)
Feature
Inside Pop Mart Leeds – the viral toy store that has taken the world by storm
Clementine Hall
The moment you've all been waiting for has arrived, Pop Mart has opened on Briggate.
If you were one of the many who were swept up in the viral Labubu craze last year, then you'll know exactly what we're talking about.
But if you're not familiar, then allow us to fill you in.
Pop Mart is a Chinese toy chain famed for its huge collection of designer toys and collectible items, often attracting fans from far and wide who are prepared to queue up outside the doors before opening.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The brand is most famously known for stocking Labubus.
A Labubu is the name of the viral plush toy created by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised designer Kasing Lung, who drew inspiration from his love of fairytales to make this worldwide cuddly phenomenon.
They have been flying off the shelves and even creating some controversy, with some shops refusing to stock them due to customers fighting over them in the streets.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The new Leeds store, located in the old Dune site at the top of Briggate, is as joyful and as colourful as you'd expect.
The shelves are stacked to the brim with all the blind boxes you could ever want, but we don't see them sticking around for long as punters were already queueing round the block hours before they opened their doors this morning, 30 January.
With Yorkshire Pop Mart fans now being able to grab their next collectable here in Leeds rather than trekking across the Pennines to Manchester, we've no doubt it's going to go down an absolute storm.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Peter Shipman, Head of Europe and Managing Director at POP MART, said about the opening: "Bringing POP MART to Leeds is more than just opening a new store; it’s a long-awaited thank you to our fans in Yorkshire, who have long championed our brand and products.
"Our arrival here was only a matter of time! We are thrilled to create a space that sparks joy for both longtime collectors and newcomers alike."
Clementine Hall -
22nd September 2023 
