Can someone tell me how we’re halfway through the year already? It feels unacceptable that it’s July, especially as the weather recently has been distinctly un-summery. Instead of breezing around in floaty dresses, I’ve spent the last fortnight cowering from the rain under my slightly broken umbrella that is way too frail to cope with the winds around Granary Wharf.

That’s not to say there haven’t been some bright moments in June – I attended a fab rum event at Call Lane Social for Leeds Loves Cocktails, tried out the spectacular brunch at Ham & Friends, and went to The Botanist this week to taste a few highlights from their new summer menu. The best day of the month was watching one of my oldest friends get married – the venue was amazing, my friend looked the happiest I’ve ever seen her, and everyone spent a large portion of the day sat outside in the hot sunshine getting slowly drunk. It was perfect.

So what’s coming up in July? It’s actually looking like a fairly quiet month in terms of stuff I want to go to, which actually suits me just fine as I have a new job and a weekend in London to keep me entertained. Here are a few things I’d like to show my face at…

1st-2nd: Gin Festival Leeds

On the first weekend in July Gin Festival is coming to Leeds, its home city. Hosted at the Town Hall, the event has four bars where you can try over 100 gins, all of which are listed in the event guide with a recommended garnish and Fever Tree tonic. There’s also a cocktail bar and masterclasses going on throughout the night, and in the basement a number of distillers have stands where you can enjoy tastings and find out more about the gins.

13th: The Graduate 50th Anniversary Restoration

Hyde Park Picture House is my favourite cinema in Leeds, and for me one of the best things about it is its screenings of classic films. In July they’re hosting a special 50th anniversary screening of The Graduate, which has undergone a digital restoration by Studio Canal. Although I quite like the charm of the original, slightly grainy version…

22nd-23rd: North Leeds Food Festival

It’s time for North Leeds Food Festival, back for a second year! Roundhay Park is one of my favourite places in Leeds and a great space for an event like this with so much going on. It’s a food festival with tons of street food and drink traders, but it also has live music, comedy shows, craft stalls and activities for kids. Early bird tickets are £4, and the festival runs several fundraising opportunities for charity partner Leeds Mind.

27th: Anyone Meet Up

I’m always looking for new meet-ups in Leeds, as the digital scene networking events often lean towards tech and DevOps rather than the more creative/marketing side of digital. I found out about Anyone on Twitter; they’re a creative meet-up who are hosting their first event at the end of July at Duke Studios, with 3 talks from a photographer, a graphic designer and an art director. They also have a super cool website – just go and have a play around with their homepage!

Let me know what you’re up to in Leeds this month, and have a great July!