The annual Bradford Animation Festival is held at the National Media Museum. Featuring themed screenings and retrospectives, talks and special IMAX screenings, it includes the presentation of the BAF! International Awards.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
Bradford's National Media Museum hosts the annual Bradford Film Festival. Alongside dozens of premières and previews, a series of masterclasses, film symposia, director showcases and tributes to cinema veterans mean it's one of Bradford's most comprehensive cultural events.
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Apr 2013 (annual)
Gaudy, gauzy and fun, the Leeds Carnival wends its West Indian way up North during the summer. The weekend-long event happens around Chapeltown and culminates in a colourful procession in Potternewton Park, presided over by the Carnival King and Queen.
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Aug 2013 (annual)
The centrepiece of Saltaire, the model Victorian village built by wool baron Sir Titus Salt in the 1850s, Salt's Mill is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was converted into a lifestyle attraction in 1987. In addition to shops it also houses the 1853 Gallery, which has the largest European collection of drawings, paintings and opera set designs by Bradford-born artist David Hockney.
Available :
Daily
Bingley Music Live presents a weekend of great live music at Bingley's Myrtle Park in the city of Bradford. The soundtrack is pop and indie, with the festival itself billed as one of the friendliest in the UK.
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Aug - Sep 2013 (annual)
Every Christmas Eve the bell of Dewsbury parish church is tolled once for each year of the Christian era, to remind the devil of his defeat. Now with over 2000 tolls each year it's a cacophonous local call for Christmas cheer.
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Dec 2012 - Dec 2013 (annual)
The Friends Provident T20 begins with a group format in June, before quarter finals in July and Finals Day at Southampton's Rose Bowl in August. Yorkshire Carnegie play their home games at the Headingly Stadium in Leeds.
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Jun - Aug 2013 (annual)
Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds is one of Britain's best preserved abbeys. Built between 1152 and 1182 on the northern bank of the River Aire, the Abbey was originally home to a community of Cistercian monks and lay brothers.
Available :
Daily
Salvo's is a traditional Italian restaurant, pizzeria, café and salumeria (Italian delicatessen) in Headingley. The lively eatery attracts a convivial crowd to enjoy authentic fresh pasta, meat, fish and seafood dishes, with a few English favourites for the less adventurous. Welcoming, and with first-class cooking, it's a classic among the city's popular neighbourhood restaurants.
Available :
Daily
Although it's famous for fish and chips, Bryan's Fish Restaurant, in the busy leisure area of Headingley, is no ordinary "chip shop". One of Leeds' favourite and longest-established fish and seafood restaurants, it also offers a range of delicious traditional fresh fish dishes, followed by classic English puddings, in a convivial modern setting.
Available :
Daily
Every Sunday during the summer, 22 of Leeds' parks are filled with the sounds of brass, jazz and concert bands. From Canal Gardens and Roundhay Park to Golden Acre and Middleton parks, there's no shortage of entertainment.
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May - Sep 2013; Sun only (annual)
The Leeds Jewish International Performing Arts Festival presents a 5-day celebration of Jewish arts and culture. A range of performances of Jewish-related drama, music, comedy and dance take place at venues throughout Leeds.
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Jun - Jul 2013 (annual)
Leeds' annual Light Night sees the cosmopolitan city make a legitimate claim at being a 24-hour cultural hot spot. Fifty venues around the city are open throughout the night to host a collection of weird and wonderful events and one-off spectacles.
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Oct 2013 (annual)
The Leeds International Film Festival presents screenings at venues throughout the city. The programme includes premières, retrospectives, new film-makers and old masters, as well as a children's festival, awards and a cult "fringe" section.
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Nov 2013 (annual)
Spectacular fireworks and bonfires in parks across Leeds brighten the city skyline this and every November to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night. At Roundhay Park a huge bonfire is lit at around 7.30pm, followed by fireworks at 8pm.
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Nov 2013 (annual)
Nipple rash, blisters, cramp... it's all part of the fun at the Leeds Half Marathon. The route takes participants through Leeds City centre, with a finish in Millennium Square, where runners are greeted by the Lord Mayor.
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May 2013 (annual)
Leeds Lights has been providing the city with festive illumination since 1983, and the display spans over nine miles. Free entertainment at the switch-on event consists of chart topping acts, guest celebrities and appearances by children's favourite TV characters.
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Nov 2013 (annual)
Community arts are celebrated for three weeks up North in the I Love West Leeds Festival. Featuring activities like tea dances, art exhibitions and local writers' cafes, its highlight is the Big Free Festival Day, held at Farnley Hall Park.
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Jul 2013 (annual)
It's a celebration of youth at the I Love South Leeds Festival. Every summer, kids participate in a range of free activities around the area, especially the Junior Superstars Competition (a pop music talent search), and the South Leeds Olympics.
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Jun - Aug 2013 (annual)
For well over a century, the Gawthorpe Maypole Procession has raised money for elderly members of Gawthorpe village. The May Queen leads a procession of themed floats, majorettes, vintage vehicles and marching bands along the High Street.
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May 2013 (annual)
When Lewis Hartley mocked his drinking buddy Reggie Sedgewick with the words "Ba gum lad tha' looks b******d" in Gawthorpe's Beehive Inn back in 1963, little did he know that his comment would lead to the World Coal Carrying Championships.
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Apr 2013 (annual)
Leeds City Art Gallery houses acclaimed prints, watercolours, paintings, sculptures, photography and contemporary art. The collection includes works by famous regional artists such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, as well as nationally acclaimed artists like Antony Gormley and Francis Bacon.
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Daily
The Northern Art Prize is an annual competition open to professional artists of all ages and working in any medium, living in the north of England. Come and see works by the shortlisted artists at the Leeds City Art Gallery exhibition.
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May - Aug 2013 (annual)
The City Gallery houses an internationally acclaimed collection of works on paper featuring work by Turner, Cotman, Cozens and Girtin. When not on show, these can be seen by appointment in the Print Room. The gallery also continues to collect contemporary art and through its close association with the Henry Moore Foundation can boast a modern sculpture collection second only to that of the Tate.
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Daily
One of the most anticipated mountain festivals, The Banff Mountain Film Festival sets off on a world tour, visiting 30 different countries. Catch it at The Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds for some jaw-dropping and thought-provoking features.
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Feb 2013 (annual)
Middleton Railway in South Leeds, founded in 1758, was the world's first commercial railway and served coal mines two miles from the city. Fully restored, it offers a thrilling 25-minute journey in restored carriages pulled by authentic 19th-century locomotives.
Available :
Weekends only
Brasserie Blanc, in the city's riverside area, is a branch of a high-quality chain with menus by leading chef Raymond Blanc. He offers simple, authentic French food with a leaning to British tastes, such as steak and chips, or Toulouse sausage with mashed potato, as well as Mediterranean favourites like gazpacho or ravioli.
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Daily
The Cockpit, in the city centre, attracts leading indie and alternative bands as well as unsigned local newcomers. Friendly, relaxed, affordable, with no dress code, it's open till late playing everything from contemporary electro to retro rock, hiphop and emo.
Available :
Daily
In Leeds city centre, Anthony's Restaurant offers simple, uncluttered elegance. Winner of numerous awards and acclaimed by leading food critics, it is at the forefront of highly creative "molecular gastronomy", with dishes combining unlikely flavours such as quail, goats' cheese and mango ravioli, or veal with Earl Grey mousse and pear puree.
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Daily; not Mon or Sun
The family-friendly Leeds City Museum occupies the landmark Leeds Institute building in the city centre. Its four storeys of educational and entertaining exhibitions and galleries range from 'Ancient Worlds' to 'Living Planet' to 'The Leeds Story'.
Available :
Daily; not Mon
The Leeds International Concert Season runs throughout the year, but peaks between September and December each year at Leeds Town Hall. Expect exceptional performances from the Leeds Philharmonic Society and other prestigious international orchestras, led by world-renowned conductors.
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Aug - Dec 2013 (annual)
The Henry Moore Institute is a partnership between the Henry Moore Foundation and the Leeds City Council, set up primarily as a centre for sculpture. Its collections, exhibitions and research draws on the work of writers, artists, curators and historians.
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Daily
Leeds' HiFi Club is a favourite with lovers of soul, funk, jazz, indie and hip-hop. Relaxed and friendly, it prides itself on its drinks menu and stages regular DJ and live music nights, as well as a popular comedy club.
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Daily
Crash Records is one of Leeds' best-known independent music shops, having opened in 1985. As well as a large collection of the latest and in-demand vinyl and CDs, the city-centre store sells tickets to major gigs across the city.
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Daily; not Sun
Victoria Quarter, in Leeds' city centre, houses 75 stores selling everything from designer fashion to high-street styles in immaculately restored Victorian arcades with gilded mahogany shop fronts and elegant lighting all under a huge stained-glass roof.
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Daily
The traditionally ornate but newly restored Victorian grandeur of the Leeds Grand Theatre & Opera House is among the North's premier venues. The city-centre home to Opera North, it also features ballet and drama, among plenty of lighter shows.
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Daily
Kirkgate Market in the city centre is one of Europe's largest market-places with browsing locals and a vibrant atmosphere. Around 800 traders inside and outside the impressive Edwardian premises offer a wide variety of local produce and household merchandise.
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Daily; not Sun
The Howard Assembly Room showcases a range of international works including films, classical music, spoken word, world music, folk, jazz and more in its original Grade II-listed Victorian building in the cool northern edge of Leeds city.
Available :
Daily
The Reform is a small, unusual bar with rich, comfortable furnishings, a laid-back atmosphere and a big selection of beers in a trendy nightlife area of the city centre. Upbeat rock and dance music plays into the small hours.
Available :
Daily
Falconry, displays of uniforms and real jousting by knights in armour are among the sights at The Royal Armouries on Leeds' riverside. Modern and purpose-built in 1996, the museum serves as both a family attraction and an important national archive.
Available :
Daily
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