The second Graves Park Food Festival will occupy the south Leeds park across the late‑August bank holiday, offering a compact programme of food, music and family entertainment from 29–31 August.
What’s on and when
Organisers have announced a weekend schedule that mixes independent food stalls with live performance and participatory attractions. The event opens on Saturday 29 August at 10:00 and runs until 20:00; on Sunday hours are 10:00–19:00; and on Monday it closes at 18:00.
- 70 independent traders and a pop‑up foodie street showcasing local produce, sweets, crafts and preserves;
- Four live stages presenting 20 main‑stage performances over three days and a rolling schedule of community acts, soloists and bands;
- Family attractions including Magic Matt, the Entertainers Stage with Kimmo and Poppy Pippins, and Wally Woof’s Family Dog Show;
- Novelty and competitive events such as the Foodie Olympics, The Chilli Challenge and Pies Down Eyes Down Bingo with Barry Bingo;
- A Cookery Theatre run in partnership with Yorkshire Food Guide, featuring live demonstrations from chefs Jon Appleby, Sandy Docherty, Sumith Babu and Chris Hobson.
Headline acts and attractions
Live music highlights include an Arctic Monkeys tribute, The Mardy Bums, performing on Saturday and Planet ABBA on Sunday. Comedian Neil Frost will host the Sizzling Showdown Arena, adding a slightly competitive comic edge to the food programming. Other curiosities on the site will range from a Viking heritage kitchen to a paintball target gallery.
Alongside staged entertainment, organisers say the market will be formed largely of local entrepreneurs and artisans — over 70 stallholders promising a mixture of handmade goods, artisan food and small business offerings. Ten local businesses will also form two streets of independent bars to complement the food traders.
| Day | Opening hours | Key highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 29 Aug | 10:00–20:00 | The Mardy Bums (Arctic Monkeys tribute), cookery demos |
| Sunday 30 Aug | 10:00–19:00 | Planet ABBA, family stage shows |
| Monday 31 Aug | 10:00–18:00 | Market and community performances |
Context and audience
Having debuted the previous year, the festival appears to be aiming for a neighbourhood‑scale celebration rather than a large commercial fair. The mix of tribute bands, chef demonstrations and children’s entertainment suggests organisers want to attract families, foodies and local music fans rather than destination festivalgoers.
For independent traders and nearby small businesses the event offers a concentrated three‑day trading window in a public green space. For visitors it provides a chance to browse independent food producers alongside light entertainment and participatory challenges — a formula that has become increasingly common in regional food festivals.
Practical details released by organisers include free parking for attendees, and a timetable that spreads headline draws across the weekend so visitors can choose between music, cookery demonstrations and family shows without the need to rush.
Why it matters
City and regional festivals like Graves Park’s are important both culturally and economically: they give local businesses visibility, create casual performance opportunities for community groups and provide an accessible day out for families. With a packed weekend line‑up and a clear emphasis on homegrown traders and performers, this second edition aims to build on last year’s launch by broadening its programming while keeping the event community‑centred.
Ticketing and further programme details are available from the festival’s official channels, and anyone going should check the latest schedule for demonstration times and stage listings.
