After a busy and, to be honest, pretty rough time in April, I am so ready to say hello to a new month. There was so much going on in Leeds but due to spending the middle two weeks on holiday in Cuba, all the excitement of Leeds International Festival and the Digital Festival pretty much passed me by. Not that I’m complaining – two weeks offline in Cuba was just what I needed and I came back just in time to go to my first Live at Leeds with my best friend by my side.

May will see me heading to Tenerife for a 3-night hen party (and I assume far more drinking than I’m now used to), and spending the rest of the month doing post-holiday catch up with friends and checking out some Leeds Indie Food events. Let’s see what’s on the agenda in May…

2nd-27th: The Graduate at West Yorkshire Playhouse

The Graduate is a film that never fails to pull me in with its universal story of youngsters struggling to find their place in the world, and this month I’ve got tickets to see it on stage at the Playhouse. I always get a bit nervous when I go to see my favourite books and films adapted for theatre, but I’m pretty confident that this is going to be a good one.

4th-6th: LS6 Beer Festival

The 7th annual LS6 Beer Festival is being held at Left Bank this May, featuring a line-up of the best local brewers. Craft beers, ales and ciders will be available to sample, and street food vendors will also be there to help you soak up the alcohol. Tickets are £7 which includes your first drink and a souvenir glass, and funds raised will go towards Left Bank Leeds and their community projects.

9th-14th: The Unfair, Kirkstall Abbey

The Unfair is a twisted fairground, hosted by artist Ellie Harrison as part of her seven-part Grief Series. Pitched as ‘fun, games and a chance to let off steam for all ages’, the Unfair is made up of a series of fairground games that address anger and how we express and process it. Attractions include Angry Jenga, a passive aggressive note-writing stand, karaoke with punching bags, and the chance to ‘bottle up’ your most private thoughts in a sealed vault.

11th-28th: Leeds Indie Food

Leeds Indie Food is back for another year, and although a lot of the best events sold out to Passport Holders within a few days of being announced, there are still plenty of events for the rest of us to take advantage of! A few of my picks are the House of North/Further Koko collaboration, the Grape Debate, Find the Forest, and a special Clerks screening at Hyde Park Picture House complete with American convenience store goodies.

27th-28th: Leeds Gin & Vodka Festival

Trinity Kitchen are hosting this year’s Gin & Vodka Festival, meaning you can conveniently combine your drinking with a day of shopping (although that could lead to some questionable purchases). The line-ups always include lots of small batch and often local spirits, giving you the chance to sample brands you won’t find in the average bar. There’ll be live music and food, plus tasting sessions and masterclasses held by the vendors.

What events are you going to this month? Comment and let me know!