If you’ve already been off all summer, you probably won’t bat an eye, but this weekend, hordes of nine to five-ers will be switching on their ‘out of office’ email alert with glee: it’s the August Bank Holiday weekend!
So what to do with a glorious three-day weekend in Leeds and Manchester? Knot your tie around your head, kick off your heels and get your maracas out to shake off the weekday blues with JLife’s guide to this coming bank holiday…
LEEDS
Leeds West Indian Carnival
Held annually on the last Monday of August, the Leeds West Indian Carnival is a sensory delight and a true highlight of the summer season in the city. Probably the most colourful day in Yorkshire’s event calendar, revellers can expect great music, exciting food and outrageous carnival parade creations!
Leedscarnival.co.uk
Leeds Festival
With GCSE and A-level results in mind, you can guarantee that many of West Yorkshire’s youth will be celebrating their grades and hard work at the iconic music festival at Braham Park. Playing in tandem with its sister rock music extravaganza in Reading, if you don’t fancy queuing up for the remaining day tickets, you can always tune into BBC Radio 1 to catch the acts before they head to Leeds.
Leedsfestival.com
City Beach
So apart from the odd blast of stifling heat and sunshine, we admit it, this summer’s weather has been a bit of a damp squib. But this weekend is one of the last opportunities to make the most of the pop-up City Beach in Millennium Square before the summer truly fades for another year. This ‘Leeds-by-the-sea’ has a special Copacabana theme with deckchairs on a real sandy beach area right in the middle of the city. City Beach Radio, courtesy of Heart, will be playing a wide range of popular hits and summer tunes throughout the day too. Plus, entry is completely free!
Whatson.leeds.gov.uk
MANCHESTER
Bolton Food & Drink Festival
A bit further afield, Masterchef’s John Torode, The Great British Bake Off 2015 winner Nadiya Hussain, and telly chef James Martin will all be in attendance at this year’s food and drink festival in Bolton. The four-day foodie bonanza will feature speciality markets, cookery demonstrations and live music and entertainment across the city. Taste the world in four days from 26th – 29th August.
Boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com
Lowry Outlet Maker’s Market
This year, the Lowry Outlet mall is hosting a Maker’s Market, which hopes to become a monthly feature near to MediaCityUK. There’ll be stalls all over the open air plaza area, selling everything from cheeses and pies to locally brewed ales and artisan breads, as well as vintage items, crafts, photography and artwork.
Lowryoutlet.co.uk
Vintage at the Cathedral
This Friday and Saturday, more than 30 specialist traders will set up in Manchester Cathedral for Vintage At The Cathedral, selling furniture, clothes, jewellery, and crockery. Ahead of The Gin Society Festival in September, The Gin Society will be manning the bar at the fair so you can shop until you, well, drop! Free entry, as well as late night opening tonight (closing at 8pm on 26th August)? It’s no wonder that Manchester’s huge vintage and gin fair is back by popular demand!
Manchestercathedral.org