Is it really February already? January is my birthday month and for the first time in a long time I turned a year older on a Saturday and got a work-free day of presents, cakes and treats from all my loved ones. But to be honest I’m never that sad to say goodbye to January; it usually means saying goodbye to my post-Christmas slump, sale season and the worst of the winter weather. February, on the other hand, is looking like a good month…

2nd-3rd: Banff Mountain Film Festival

Last year I went to the Adventure Film Festival at the Carriageworks and had a fantastic night – the Banff Film Festival has a similar 2-day programme of mountain and adventure sports films. There’s a blue and a red programme running on different nights, with films telling the stories of professional climbers turned paragliders, kayakers tackling the world’s most challenging rivers, free-fallers taking on a daring stunt in the Alps, and many more.

10th: Bongo’s Bingo Friday Special

Bongo’s Bingo has been going in Leeds for over a year but I’ve never got around to going – I heard about it sometime last year and though I’ve never put bingo and raves together in my head it sounds like great fun. The standard Wednesday nigh events are running weekly throughout February, but on the 10th there’s a one-off Friday night event that’s much more full-time worker friendly. Bring on the dance offs and shit prizes…

17th: Girl Gang Leeds Launch Party

The Girl Gang collective that started in Sheffield and spread to Manchester is now coming to Leeds, and the launch party is this month at Sela Bar. The group focus is on bringing women in creative sectors together and giving them a platform to make new connections, develop their skills and celebrate each other’s achievements, and it sounds right up my street. They’ll also be appearing at FemFest on 12th February and are holding a Crafts fair in March, so look out for them.

22nd: Shears Yard x Slingsby Gin Tasting Dinner

I’ve been getting emails about Shears Yard’s tasting dinners for ages but I’ve never found one that fit me just perfectly, until now. I’ve just booked this Slingsby Gin collaboration night and I am so excited – at £60 a head it’s not a budget night out but for 5 courses and 6 drinks it feels worth it. The cocktail menu covers Slingsby’s London, Rhubarb and Navy Strength gins plus their vodka, paired with a food menu designed by Shears Yard’s head chef.

23rd: Leeds Soup No.6

Leeds Soup is a fab idea – get a bunch of people in a room with food, a few great community project ideas and a pile of money, and see if we can help someone get their plan off the ground. Each event, all the ticket money is put in a pot and four people are given the chance to pitch their idea for a project that will benefit the Leeds community. All the attendees vote for their favourite idea, and the winner takes the money pot to help put their plan into action. Crowdfunding at its most sociable!

Tell me about your plans for this month! What are you looking forward to in February?