Roll up, roll up. The circus has come to Leeds and it needs some young volunteers to learn some new tricks during half term.
Throughout the half term holidays, Briggate will be brought to life with everything but the big top as it transforms into a circus scene with everything from performances and workshops to entertaining activities for a week of free family fun.
Brought to the city by LeedsBID in association with The Yorkshire Circus and Super Friendz, the pop-up experience aims to provide children with the chance to become the performers with Leeds city centre as their stage as they learn the skills of the circus.
There's going to be aerial hoops, trapeze, stilts, parkour, tightropes, juggling, unicycling and far more adrenaline-pumpical activities to get involved in.
Whether you want to try your hand as a plate spinner, want to have a go at acrobatics and hula hooping or reach for the sky by stilt walking, you can watch and learn from circus performers and teachers before testing out your abilities at the pop-up circus.
Offering activities for all ages and abilities, there’s the opportunity to get involved with an array of circus disciplines. And that’s not all with daily story time sessions, arts and crafts, face painting and free candyfloss for those taking part.
Image: Leeds BID
The following events will be available on the following dates:
Saturday 19th February - Aerial Hoop, Trapeze & Stilts
Sunday 20th February - Acrobatics & Parkour
Monday 21st February - Spinning Props (Diablo, Flower Sticks, Poi)
Tuesday 22nd February - Balancing & Equilibristrics (Tightrope and Slackline)
Wednesday 23rd February - Juggling
Thursday 24th February - Wheel Props - Unicycle and Hula Hooping
Friday 25th February - Spinning Props - Diablo, Flower Sticks, Poi
Saturday 26th February - Aerial Hoop, Trapeze & Stilts
In addition, there are circus themed crafts to enjoy and face painting every day between 12.30-2.30pm, and Story Corner running 11am-12pm and 3-4pm, not forgetting the free candy floss and a stilt walker or two to be spotted on both Saturdays.
The pop-up circus will run activities from Saturday 19 – Saturday 26 February, with workshops and performances every day between 11am-4pm outside the former Debenhams location on Briggate.
Feature Image- Unsplash
What's On
Leeds Tattoo Expo to return to the First Direct Arena for 10th anniversary
The tenth annual Leeds Tattoo Expo will showcase some of the best in tattooing both local and internationally.
If you fancy getting yourself a fancy new bit of ink, then look no further than the iconic Leeds Tattoo Expo that will be returning to the First Direct Arena this June.
Taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025, over 200 tattooists and 70 traders will be flocking to the city to show off their skills.
And not only that, but there’ll also be a whole host of market traders for you to browse as well as live music to have a boogie to.
The artists will be tattooing with options for both pre-booked appointments and walk ups available throughout the weekend.
Image: Leeds Tattoo Expo
There will also be a piercer, tooth gems and a henna artist ready to adorn your body.
Alongside getting tattooed, there’s plenty to do and to see over the whole weekend; there'll be an alternative drawing class, an illustrators market with kids’ workshops provided by Art Gecko, an art fusion event on the main stage, burlesque performances and competitions, a small vintage clothing pop-up, fire breathing and break dancing demonstrations in the square outside the arena.
The annual tattoo competitions will also be taking place each evening, where tattooists showcase their work to a panel of judges, sponsored by Killer Ink!
To celebrate Leeds Tattoo Expo's tenth anniversary, they'll be hosting a Pre-Party at Belgrave Music Hall on Thursday 5 June which is a completely free entry event complete with live music and free pizza.
You can find out more about the event and book your tickets here via the First Direct Arena's website.
Two new arena dates have been added to their forthcoming UK tour, after selling out the entire run within two hours.
Ahead of dropping their fifth studio LP Rushmere at the end of the month, the cult favourite folk-rock outfit announced a brand-new European tour in support of the record, including a limited UK leg.
The now sold-out arena run starts in Europe in November before now arriving in Leeds on Sunday 30 November.
The significance of the band’s return can be found in the title of the new album, as Rushmereis the spot where it all began for the boys: a pond located on Wimbledon Common in south-west London where Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane first hung out.
However, the multi-award-winning acoustic-driven British rockers and folk revivalists are now a trio following the departure of Winston Marshall, who quit the band back in 2021 following controversies surrounding his right-wing beliefs.
Image: Supplied
With that in mind, it’s rather fitting that they have insisted that beyond just a place and a title, Rushmere is alsothebeginning of a new phase.
Following an intense period of creativity, the project was produced by fellow nine-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb and recorded at the famous RCA Studio A in Nashville, as well as in Savannah, Georgia and back home at Marcus’ studio in Devon.
The album itself drops on this Friday 28 March and judging by the little that we’ve heard so far, they’ve been well worth the wait.
As for the arena show, tickets will go on sale this Thursday 27 March at 10am.
Best of all, they’re donating £1 from every ticket sold straight to War Child UK – this sort of stuff should be standard for any big act as far as we’re concerned.
Sophie Smith -
18th February 2022 
