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The Best Northern Summer Festivals
Summer is synonymous with festivals. Have you even had a summer if you haven’t spent at least a few days of it wandering round with a drink fixed permanently in your hand, trying to find your friends and suffering an existential crisis when you look at your bank balance afterwards.
However, if your budget has excluded you from the likes of Glastonbury, Creamfields or Edinburgh Fringe, the good news is that there are plenty of cheaper and even free events happening not too far from your Leeds student accommodation.
So, from great music to art and culture, here are our pick of the best student events in Leeds and the north.
Leeds Pride, Millennium Square and Lower Briggate
Returning for its 18th year, Leeds Pride has cemented itself as Yorkshire’s biggest LGBT+ celebration.
And if you’re looking for cheap student events in Leeds, this one is free!
Start your Pride by watching live music, drag queens and vogue performances from local Ballroom houses on the Sainsbury’s stage in Millennium Square. Then at 2pm, follow the parade down to Lower Briggate.
Here, you’ll be able to catch headliners Aston Merrygold, Drag Race winner, Danny Beard and a DJ set from Gok Wan, eat delicious food from the market place and shake your stuff at Queens Court Fibre and Popworld’s traditional courtyard party.
Sunday 6th August
Mint Festival, Newsam Green Farm, Leeds
Leeds’ electronic dance institutions, Mint Club and Mint Warehouse bring their particular brand of fist-pumping magic to this annual festival at Newsam Green Farm. Featuring six stages, a food village and a lineup including Dennis Cruz, Skream and Pawsa, this is a must for lovers of house, techno and D&B.
A weekend ticket costs £85 but if you’re going in a group, you can take advantage of their ‘buy four get one free’ offer. Plus, you’ll get a free shuttle bus ticket if you buy before 31st July, making it even more value for money.
Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th September
Freedom Festival Hull
The Freedom Festival is Hull’s award-winning arts festival featuring performers from across Yorkshire and around the globe. Set in various indoor and outdoor locations throughout the city, you can wander around and find exciting distractions on every corner.
From musical performances, daring acrobatic displays, contemporary dance and street comedy, you’ll find plenty to entertain you and the best part is the majority of it is free. For capacity reasons, some events are ticketed, but these are split into pay-as-you-feel and set price performances.
30th August to 3rd September
Leeds West Indian Carnival and the Black Music Festival
While it’s now been eclipsed by its more famous Notting Hill cousin, Leeds can lay claim to holding the first ever Caribbean carnival parade. That was in 1967 and over the years it’s become a key fixture in the Leeds calendar, always held on August bank holiday Monday.
Starting and finishing in Potternewton, just outside the city centre, find a spot on the route to enjoy the colourful costumes, infectious music and delicious food.
On Sunday, Potternewton Park plays host to the Black Music Festival. Free to enter, this festival celebratemusic of Black origin with a host of performers from Leeds and around the world.
Sunday 28th and Monday 29th August
Malton Food Festival
This picturesque market town in between York and Scarborough has garnered itself a reputation as a top foodie destination, thanks to its artisan producers, monthly food market, cookery school and bi-annual food festival, the biggest of its kind in the north.
Celebrating the best of Yorkshire’s produce and cooking, foodies will be in seventh heaven wandering around the produce stalls, sampling street food and soaking up the convivial atmosphere.
There are also live cooking demonstrations, this year including David Atherton from Bake Off, live music and sofa chats about all things food. All you’ll need is some cash and clothes with an elasticated waistband.
Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th August
Rock N Roll Circus, Don Valley Bowl, Sheffield
Featuring a ream of big names performing under an impressive big top, the Rock N Roll Circus incorporates music, circus performances and workshops and delicious food all under one incredible construction.
This year, Noel Gallagher, Self Esteem, Confidence Man and Bimini are heading up the lineup on Friday and Saturday, followed by a huge Gatecrasher event on the Sunday.
Day tickets cost £49.50 but if you can find a friend’s sofa to crash on, the weekend tickets are great value at £141.
Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd September
Want to find out more about student events in Leeds? Head back to our blog where we have plenty of inspiration about what to do and where to go.