What's On In August

School’s out and summer is in full swing! This August, the Bradford district is brimming with family-friendly events and activities to keep everyone entertained throughout the holidays. From creative workshops to outdoor adventures and standout performances, there’s something for all ages to enjoy. Take a look at some of the highlights below.

Kick off August by celebrating the very best of Yorkshire at Yorkshire Day events across the district on 1st August. Bradford and Ilkley are co-hosting this year’s festivities, with plenty to enjoy — from the Yorkshire Calling concert at Bradford Live to the Epic Yorkshire film season at Pictureville Cinema.

Visit the meadow behind the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth on Saturday, 2^nd August for a fun family day. Join in with storytelling and writing workshops, watch street theatre or wander through the meadow trail on this wonderful day with something for everyone.

Discover ancient things at Cliffe Castle Museum in Keighley on 2^nd-3^rd August as the Festival of Archaeology concludes. This fun-filled weekend features special workshops, crafting, local heritage stories and much more as you dig into the past.

Find amazing selfies and photo ops at Island of Foam: Version 40 with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture in Centenary Square, Bradford on Wednesday, 6^th August. Twice in the afternoon the area will be filled with brightly coloured foam forming a spectacular art piece before you are invited to dive in for an impromptu foam party!

Enjoy family fun at Bradford Museums throughout August with creative activities across Cliffe Castle Museum, Bolling Hall, Cartwright Hall, and the Industrial Museum. From crafting Ice Age jewellery and tie-dye t-shirts to exploring gruesome Tudor medicine, creepy masks and industrial machines, there’s plenty to spark imaginations and keep kids entertained all summer long.

Look back at the history of Ilkley’s railways at a new exhibition at Ilkley Manor House on 9^th-25^th August. Learn about this fascinating aspect of Ilkley’s past, from the railway’s opening to the effects of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s.

Celebrate 75 years of Cliffe Castle Park on Saturday, 9th August, with performances from well-known local acts and a special appearance by STATUESQUE, bringing the park’s statues and historic characters to life in a magical, walkabout spectacle.

Pride bursts into Bingley and Keighley on Saturday, 16th August and lights up Bradford on Saturday, 30th August with a dazzling celebration of love, identity and community. Expect vibrant parades, show-stopping performances from drag kings and queens and show-stopping sets from LGBTQIA+ artists. Browse colourful stalls, join inclusive workshops and soak up the electric atmosphere at these loud, proud and joy-filled events. From family-friendly fun to glittering after-parties, it’s a celebration you won’t want to miss.

Board the miniature engines of the Keighley and District Model Engineering Society at their open day on Sunday, 17^th August. Kids of all ages and grown-ups too are welcome to enjoy rides round the track and have some refreshments whilst you watch the train chuff past.

Step into a technicolour dreamscape at Ilkley Lido on 22nd–23rd August, where Bradford 2025 and Wild Rumpus present immersive open-air screenings of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Sexy Beast. Expect glittering installations, surreal surprises, costumed characters and a whole world to explore before the films begin—making this more than just a movie night, but a cinematic adventure under the stars.

Follow Bradford 2025’s The Beacon to Lister Park from Friday, 28th August, for fabulous family fun, performances and summer activities. Highlights include bold cabaret from The Cocoa Butter Club, fresh sounds with BBC Introducing, vibrant culture from the Hindu Sangh and Somali Village, high-energy Caribbean beats, hands-on creativity at Art and Play Day, laid-back vibes with Blankets and Wine and heartfelt family theatre in Khoogi.

Bradford Live opens its doors this August, transforming the city’s iconic former Odeon into a stunning new venue for live entertainment with big-name acts and bold programming including Bill Bailey’s Thoughtifier, it’s set to be the district’s cultural heartbeat.

Relax outdoors in the grounds of NT East Riddlesden Hall in Keighley for a production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night or, for more of the Bard’s works, pop into Ilkley for the annual Bard in the Yard performance at Ilkley Playhouse and Ilkley Manor House. Enjoy a night of comedy at Loaded Laughs at Loading Bay in Bradford.

Music fans will love a concert by the ever-popular Haleys at Silsden Town Hall or a visit to the Underground in Bradford for BBC Presents… in association with Bradford2025. Join the two-day music festival Summer Sounds at The Beacon - Cliffe Castle Park in Keighley or pop into Bradford Cathedral for a tribute to the music of Max Richter.

---

Enjoy your time in the Bradford district and don’t forget to tag @visitbradford #VisitBradford in your photos.

Visit www.visitbradford.com/events for more inspiration, like us on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky and sign up for the visitBradford newsletter to receive the latest updates in your inbox.