Set in the heart of the county of Yorkshire, which has inspired writers from the Brontës onwards, this festival in Ilkley focuses on talks from some of the nation's finest writers. Expect readings, discussions, writing workshops, children's events and performance.
Available :
Sep - Oct 2013 (annual)
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.
Available :
Aug - Sep 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
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.
Available :
Apr 2013 (annual)
The Moor Music Festival brings live music and festival fun to Heslaker Farm in Skipton, North Yorkshire. Three main stages host live music from all genres with performances by bands and DJs.
Available :
Aug 2013 (annual)
The Grassington Festival brings a variety of classical and popular music, comedy and lectures to the Yorkshire town. Festivities kick off with a colourful carnival parade and there's also a fringe festival where "there are no selection criteria other than enthusiasm".
Available :
Jun 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.
Available :
Aug 2013 (annual)
Just outside Harrogate, garden lovers can immerse themselves in floral heaven at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Harlow Carr, themed to reflect the trends of gardening in the past 200 years.
Available :
Daily
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
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
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
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.
Available :
Jun - Aug 2013 (annual)
The Royal Pump Room Museum in Harrogate pays homage to a time when 15,000 visitors a year would flock to the town's wells to sip a glass of sulphur water, revealing the history of the town and how it became the European spa, popular with royals, politicians and fashionable socialites.
Available :
Daily
Harrogate's annual Summer Festival encompasses live classical, jazz and global music performances, held at venues throughout the town. It has attracted leading international performers such as BB King, Dionne Warwick and Wynton Marsalis, as well as talented newcomers.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
The Knitting and Stitching Show at the Harrogate International Centre comprises almost 300 exhibiting companies selling a galaxy of products for knitting, sewing, embroidery, quilting and crochet. Contemporary and historic exhibits, workshops and lectures complete the programme.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
Just beyond Alwoodley, on the edge of Leeds, Harewood House is a vast estate with a beautifully furnished 18th-century stately home, a superb art collection and fascinating exhibition on servant life. It's set in landscaped grounds perfect for country walks.
Available :
Apr - Oct 2013 (annual)
One of Leeds' most magnificent stately homes, Harewood House hosts the White Rose Winter Music Festival. A fusion of opera, West End-inspired performances and a night at the proms, each night presents a different genre in a magnificent Georgian setting.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
The exquisite Thai cooking at Sukhothai in the Chapel Allerton neighbourhood has long been acclaimed as some of Yorkshire's finest food. The authentic dining experience is enhanced by impeccable, attentive service, a calm yet bustling atmosphere, tasteful décor and modest prices. The restaurant has opened a second branch in Headingley.
Available :
Daily; not Mon
The Great Yorkshire Show - a countryside showcase held at Harrogate's Great Yorkshire Showground - has been running for over 150 years. The packed programme features show-jumping, pole-climbing, marching bands and cattle parades.
Available :
Jul 2013 (annual)
The Tockwith and District Show provides a wealth of rural entertainment every August. Visitors can wander around a vast display of trade stands, livestock exhibits and craft stalls in the Great Yorkshire Showground at Harrogate.
Available :
Aug 2013 (annual)
The Harrogate Spring Flower Show, held at the Great Yorkshire Showground, is the year's premier spring horticultural event. It features nurseries, garden designers and craftsmen offering gardening accessories, rural arts and crafts and fine country food.
Available :
Apr 2013 (annual)
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.
Available :
Feb 2013 (annual)
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
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.
Available :
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.
Available :
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.
Available :
Daily
Tropical World at Roundhay Park is one of the UK's most popular garden attractions, with a large collection of tropical plants. It also has home-from-home environments for fascinating birds, butterflies and exotic animals like meerkats.
Available :
Daily
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.
Available :
Daily
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.
Available :
Aug - Dec 2013 (annual)
It almost feels like stepping into a Bollywood movie every summer at the Roundhay Park when the Leeds Asian Festival takes place. Live Bhangra performances and the smell of spices fill the air as thousands crowd here to extol multiculturalism.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
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 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.
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
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.
Available :
Daily; not Sun
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.
Available :
Daily; not Mon or Sun
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.
Available :
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.
Available :
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.
Available :
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.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
08457 76 76 76
