Things to do this summer in Leeds and Yorkshire

We'll be updating this round-up of the best events in Leeds and beyond throughout the summer; if you have an event you want to tell us about, or think we've overlooked something, drop us a line at jess@theskinny.co.uk.

Bongo’s Bingo Summer Specials

Bongo’s Bingo returns to Canal Mills for two summer specials, before resuming to the usual mid-week shenanigans come September. These weekend events will be the perfect opportunity to truly embrace Bongo’s Bingo for what it is, without worrying about that sore head in the morning… 22 Jul & 20 Aug, Canal Mills, 6pm, £5

The Film House on the Square

Embrace life en plein air with Millennium Square's outdoor screenings of family favourite blockbuster films, with Grease, Avengers Assemble, Skyfall and Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens all on the line-up alongside themed immersive elements – think everything from American burgers and fairground attractions to cocktails and mobile casinos. 27-29 Jul, Millennium Square, times vary, £5-£10

[False Advertising, photo: Alexander Bell]

Clarence Park Festival

Wakefield Music Collective return with this year’s Clarence Park Festival, an annual, eclectic weekend of free live music from across the UK. For 2016 you can catch Skinny favourites False Advertising, Americana and folk-infused pop group Dear Friends, synthpop duo Them & Us and many more. 30-31 Jul, Clarence Park, Wakefield, 12pm, free

[Pulp Fiction]

Outdoor Cinema Club

One of Leeds' favourite al fresco spots lets itself in for a little moonlit movie action this summer, as The Faversham's lawn becomes an outdoor cinema screening Pulp Fiction on 31 Jul and Dirty Dancing on 1 Aug. Kick off is at 7.45pm, so grab some food from Sela Bar, who'll be serving their pizzas and hotdogs, get the beers in and sit back and wait for the setting sun to provide the atmosphere. 31 Jul-1 Aug, The Faversham, 7.45pm (doors 6pm), £12.50

iVamos! Festival

Part of the programming for Millennium Square's Summer Series, iVamos! Festival is a free one-day fiesta of Latin American culture, spanning music, dance, art, food and drink. Featuring UK-based Cuban salsa/son/timba band Cuban Combination, who'll be using the opportunity to lanch their debut album, it'll be a good chance to lap up some sunny sounds, whatever the Great British weather decides to do... 31 Jul, Millennium Square, 1pm, free

Yorkshire Day

Halifax is on hosting duties for this year’s Yorkshire Day, welcoming mayors from across the county to celebrate alongside 200 people parading through the centre of Halifax. Local businesses will also be getting into the spirit; check out the ‘Costumes of Yorkshire’ exhibition at Bankfield Museum or head down to Halifax Visitor Centre for their Yorkshire Tea Party. 1 Aug

[Leeds Pride, photo: Bryan Ledgard]

Leeds Pride

This summer, Leeds stands poised to celebrate not only 10 years of LGBT Pride, but also ‘love, equality, sexuality and gender worldwide’, following what has been some year in proving that we’re still not anywhere near where we should be in tackling discrimination.

The Parade will take place on 7 Aug, leaving Millennium Square at 2pm, while stages at Trinity and Millennium Square welcomes the likes of Alexandra Burke, Soft Cell's Marc Almond, Sarah Harding, Joe & Jake (us neither), Rozalla and Bears Aloud. 5-7 Aug, various venues and times, free

Summer Sounds Leeds

Relive the sounds of much simpler times with Summer Sounds Leeds, providing a much-needed dose of unadulterated nostalgia through the likes of Toploader, 911, S Club, B*Witched, The Hoosiers, Damage and others as part of Millenium Square's Summer Series. Unbridled 90s/00s joy. 6 Aug, Millennium Square, 7.30pm, £20

[Virginia Hey in Farscape]

Wakefield Comic Con

Wakefield gets itself its very own Comic Con this summer, taking over Unity Works with stars from TV and film including Dr Who’s Simon Fisher-Becker and Ian McNeice, Game of Thrones’ Neil Fingleton and Miltos Yerolemou, Farscape’s Virginia Hey, Primeval star Andrew Lee Potts and the first female Stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Samantha Alleyne. 6-7 Aug, Unity Works, Wakefield, £8-10 (day tickets); £18 (weekend tickets)

Tribfest

The world’s biggest tribute band music festival, Tribfest lets you soak up the songs of all your favourite singers and bands without the Glasto price tag. On the line-up you’ll find Antarctic Monkeys, Meet Loaf, AC/DC UK, Viva La Coldplace, Bee Gees Fever, ABBA Revival, Spice Up Your Life, Happy Mondaze and much, much more by way of music-based wordplay. 18-21 Aug, Sledmere House (East Yorkshire), £85 (£50 day tickets)

[Temple Newsam, photo: Stephen Bowler]

Heartbreak Productions' open air theatre

Temple Newsam becomes the setting for Oscar Wilde's famed comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, as Heartbreak Productions head out into the open air for a round of outdoor theatre. This will be followed later in the month by an interactive performance of an original murder mystery by David Kerby-Kendall, Murder on the Terrace. 19-28 Aug, Temple Newsam, times vary, £10-£18

[Castle Howard, photo: Michael D Beckwith]

Proms Spectacular

Over in York it's time for the return of Castle Howard's annual summer Proms Spectacular, where you'll need to pack a picnic blanket and a bottle of fizz for seasonal outdoor concert action the lawn, complete with a firework finale.

Baby-faced Welsh singer and presenter Aled Jones steps in as guest soloist, joined by soprano Janet Mooney, while Jae Alexander will lead the English National Orchestra for an evening of rousing traditional orchestral anthems. 20 Aug, Castle Howard, York, 5pm, £33.50

[Photo: Leslie Duss]

Vintage Weekend at Lotherton Hall

Time to take it back to the old, old school with a Vintage Weekend, where you can get your summer wardrobe in check with over 25 stalls of vintage fashion and homewares, or simply amble down to soak up the live music, dancing, classic cars, games and the splendour of Lotherton Hall’s grounds. 20-21 Aug, Lotherton Hall, 11am, regular admission prices (£4.40-£5.50)

The Garden Party: Part 3

Time for the third and final instalment of The Garden Party, one of Leeds’ favourite annual parties. It’ll be back where it all began at The Faversham to soundtrack your bank holiday Sunday with sets from Dusky, Alan Fitzpatrick, Denis Sulta, Grainger and Matt Long. 28 Aug, The Faversham, 12pm, £20-£30

[Leeds West Indian Carnival, photo: Carl Milner]

Leeds West Indian Carnival

Europe’s longest-running Caribbean carnival parade, Leeds’ annual West Indian Carnival started life in the 1960s and has since become a much-loved spectacle of vibrant costumes, tropical rhythms, authentic food and more. This year, the big parade takes place on 29 Aug, leaving Potternewton Park at 2pm. 29 Aug, Potternewton Park, 2pm, free

Food and drink

We've also rounded up the best food and drink events in Leeds and beyond, because what would summer be without Pimm's, lager from a plastic pint cup and James Martin doing the festival rounds in crisp pink shirts?