New month, new guide.
As the colder months start to creep up on us, we’re on the hunt for beer festivals soaking up the last of the light evenings, intimate gigs and cosy evenings inside bars – and it seems like the rest of the city is too.
Leeds International Festival of Ideas will bring some of the UK’s greatest minds together whilst Leeds Beer Festival is bringing back Bundobust for it’s tenth anniversary – and there’s new brunch spots and bars and kitchen takeovers to check out too.
Keep reading for the best of what’s on, new openings and our September gig guide for September 2023…
What’s on this month
Chapel Allerton Arts Festival
Friday 1 September – Sunday 3 September 2023 | Various venues, Chapel Allerton
Celebrating 25 years of the Chapel Allerton Arts Festival, this year is going to be a true celebration. Expect a huge parade and family events throughout the weekend as well as street food, arts trail, festial bar, community choir, jazz Sunday, folk roots fringe.
Find out more here.
£3 cinema tickets
Saturday 2 September 2023 | Hyde Park Picture House, Brudenell Road
In case you hadn’t heard, this Saturday 2 September is National Cinema Day, and lots of cinemas all across the UK have made the decision to slash the prices of tickets down to just £3 on some of the summer’s biggest blockbusters – including Barbie, Equalizer 3, Blue Beetle, and Elemental to name just a few.
But Hyde Park Picture House is taking things one step even further in a bid to give cinephiles a proper reason to celebrate with two showings of Oppenheimer at the slashed price.
Find out more here.
Luna Cinema
Wednesday 6 September – Saturday 9 September 2023 | Harewood House, Harewood
Ranked as the number one outdoor cinema, Luna brings the best of that old school drive-in experience to modern life. Over at Harewood House, films like Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody; Pretty Woman; Top Gun: Maverick and Mamma Mia will all be shown – but make sure to book a ticket in advance to avoid disappointment.
Find out more here.
Leeds International Beer Festival
Thursday 7 September – Sunday 10 September 2023 | Kirkstall Abbey
Now in its 11th year, Leeds International Beer Festival is returning to Kirkstall Abbey for four days of craft beer, street food and live music. As a special anniversary treat to Bundobust, who held their very first pop-up stall here a decade ago, the popular Indian Street Food restaurant return to the site, serving the same
Find out more here.
Springwell Sessions
Friday 22 September – Sunday 24 September 2023 | Springwell Brewery and Taproom
To say farewell to the summer season, North Brewing Co’s biggest beer festival Springwell Sessions will return for one last hurrah. Expect three days of craft beer from local favourites and international breweries, as well as cocktails, street food and live music.
Find out more here.
Leeds Rum Festival
Saturday 23 September 2023 | Royal Armouries Museum
Drawing a crowd of rum lovers across the city, Leeds Rum Festival is exactly what it says on the tin. Expect over 100 brands, pop-up shops, spirit masterclasses and of course, plenty of rum to sample.
Find out more here.
Leeds International Festival of Ideas
Wednesday 27 September – Saturday 30 September 2023 | Leeds Playhouse
Asking some of the most crucial questions of our time, Leeds International Festival of Ideas brings together panels of international experts to discuss everything from handling grief to true crime obsessions and mental health with fireside chats, panel discussions and key note speeches.
Find out more here.
New openings in September
IF… East Parade
Friday 1 September 2023 | East Parade, Leeds City Centre
Having dipped their toe into the nighttime market with If Bar on Call Lane, they most recently opened If Rooftop which took over from East Parade Social. We fell in love with If though for their absolutely banging brunch, and their new location on East Parade will be serving that and so much more.
And the best news is, they will be serving bottomless brunch.
Find out more here.
Pizza Loco
From Thursday 7 September | Inside Meanwood Tavern, Stainbeck Road, Meanwood
Pizza Loco will be taking over the kitchen at Meanwood Tavern this month.
Expect soft, light and airy crusts, with interesting, generous toppings and an emphasis on sustainable British ingredients including Wildfarmed UK-grown and milled organic flour, Yorkshire-grown organic tomatoes, and British charcuterie.
Lunchtime will see the signature Pizza Loco Panuozzi pizza-dough butties showcased, whilst evenings will be reserved for those big Neapolitan slices.
Find out more here.
Farmhouse
From Monday 11 September 2023 | Lands Lane, Leeds city centre
A popular Harrogate brunch spot is opening a Leeds site and to celebrate the new opening, Farmhouse will be giving you the chance to try brunch on the house.
Those heading over to the 100-cover restaurant will be able to get a free main meal to the first 300 customers to book on Monday 11 September and Tuesday 12 September. Bookings are now already from 8am and will be free on a first come first served basis by booking here.
Find out more here.
You can find the full list of new openings across Leeds here.
September Gig Guide
- Monday 4 September: Royal Blood at Project House (here)
- Wednesday 13 September: JP Cooper at Brudenell Social Club (here)
- Thursday 14 September: deathcrash at Mill Hill Unitarian Chapel (here)
- Saturday 16 September: Mint Festival at Newsam Green Park (here)
- Sunday 17 September: Busted at First Direct Arena (here)
- Sunday 17 September: Wheatus at Brudenell Social Club (here)
- Saturday 23 September: The National at First Direct Arena (here)
- Monday 25 September: Anna Erhard at Brudenell Social Club (here)
- Thursday 28 September: Shania Twain at First Direct Arena (here)
Feature Image – Harewood House
