So, summer is properly over now, right? This week I’ve actually not been feeling so sad about that – it’s like I’ve turned a corner overnight and now I’m really ready to break out my autumn/winter wardrobe. My cord dresses and woolly jumpers are staring to look so appealing, and I can’t wait until it’s cold enough to get my bobble hats out.

October is also going to be made better by the trip to Porto I have planned at the end of the month – I’m looking forward to spending a long weekend exploring the streets, tasting port and rolling home at 3am with my favourite travel buddy. Meanwhile there’s a ton of stuff on in Leeds I’m wanting to catch – have you got these events in your diary yet? Continue reading →

One of the reasons I love Leeds is that there’s always something going on. No matter how old you are, how much money you have or what you’re into, you can guarantee that there’s a club night, a charity project, a sports match or an art exhibition that you need to be involved in. The only hard part is keeping up! Here are the dates in my diary for October so far…

2nd: Headrow House Opening Party

Oh my. I am so excited for this one. Headrow House, the second brain child of the guys who brought us The Belgrave, is being launched on the first Friday in October, featuring a cocktail bar, a restaurant by Ox Club street food, a Czech beer hall and a huge events space. The venue will be hosting Beacons Metro throughout autumn, but first up is their opening, which despite being headlined by East India Youth and Ghost Culture is completely free. Clearly these people are magic, and their party will be too.

3-4th: No/Gloss Film Festival

Leeds International Film Festival is almost here, but first up is No/Gloss, a weekend of incredible indies at the Carriageworks. Consisting mainly of shorts with a few feature-length films at the end of each day, No/Gloss aims to highlight original and unconventional films that are breaking the worn-out Hollywood stereotypes, hailing their line-up as ‘films unlike anything you have ever seen’. £24 buys you access to both days, and there’s free popcorn; it’s the best place to recover from your Headrow House hangover!

9th: Light Night

Light Night kinda sounds like my version of Disneyland – a magical night of art, music and dance taking over venues across Leeds to show off the city’s boundless creativity. There’s something about bright lights and colours twinkling in the dark that brings out the child in me; I’m the same on Bonfire Night. I realised a few weeks ago that I’ll be in Spain while this is on, so I’ll most likely be trawling the internet for write-ups and Instagram posts when I get home.

10th: Super League Grand Final

Just a semi-final qualifier against St Helens lies between Leeds Rhinos and the Grand Final! Having already won the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders’ shield this season, the Rhinos are chasing the elusive ‘Clean Sweep’ before the departure of Leeds legends Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock and Kylie Leuluai. The Grand Final isn’t actually in Leeds – it’s held at Manchester’s Old Trafford – but if the Rhinos make it the atmosphere both at the ground and in the city is sure to be electric.

13th-16th: Shakespeare Schools Festival

I’ve always been an avid reader and did an English degree at uni which basically involved lots of hours sitting in my room reading books…so you could say I’m a bit of a literature nerd. Even though Shakespeare can be daunting, I love him and think his stories are still relatable today, so I’m always excited when I see kids getting to grips with his plays. There are four October dates at the Carriageworks as well as several in November, but I’m draw to the night where my old high school are taking part!

17th: Oxjam Leeds

Music and a good cause? It’s a no-brainer really. The concept is simple – like Live at Leeds you buy a wristband for the day and you’re free to enter any Oxjam gig you please, scattered at various venues around the city. Many of the gigs are organised by locals and feature local unsigned bands, so at just £11 a ticket it’s a great opportunity to discover some new talent. And you’re helping fight poverty while you do it…

What are you up to in October? Let me know if I’m missing something awesome!