Handmade in Yorkshire first event at newly refurbished Kirkgate Market

The first event to be held in the newly refurbished Kirkgate Market will take place this weekend.

This year ‘Handmade in Yorkshire’, a specialist market for small food and craft producers, is being held on Saturday 4 June at 10am to 4.30pm, in the new event space at Kirkgate Market, instead of on Victoria Gardens as in previous years.

Visitors will be able to choose from produce from over 20 stalls all selling products made or sourced from Yorkshire. The stalls on show will vary from chocolate, cheese, honey, jewellery, stained glass, pretzels, spice mixes, handmade bread and cakes, pottery, preserves and fudge.

Alongside the craft and food stalls there is a whole programme of entertainment which will be suitable for the whole family. Handmade in Yorkshire, which is being held as part of the Leeds Food and Drink Festival, will see a day full of activity, featuring music, cooking demonstrations, sporting partners and celebrities.

Councillor Richard Lewis, executive member for regeneration, transport and planning said:

“It is great to see the new areas of Kirkgate being used for this exciting and family-orientated event, celebrating Yorkshire produce in Yorkshire’s best market.

“We have invested in the future of one of Leeds’ most important and historic buildings and created a truly unique space which will mean we can hold events like this all year round, creating new business for our existing and new traders.”

Amongst the activity and entertainment taking place includes cookery demonstrations by Mark Dale from Circus of Food. Using produce from the market, he will cook up a storm with some of the traders, showcasing their skills for the general public.

Leeds Rhinos will be holding a skills zone which will be manned by community coaches to allow young people to try out their rugby skills. “The Rhinestones” cheerleaders will also be entertaining the crowds in the new event space

Leeds United fans will also be in for a treat with a special visit from Leeds United legend Peter Lorimer and mascot Lucas Kop Kat.

Throughout the day the event space will be used by a number of different performance acts including acoustic artist Lucy Zirins, country music band Fitzwallace, singer-songwriter Jen Armstrong and a Jazz trio led by Leeds young musician Alex Fisher.

Leeds City Council’s youth activity scheme Breeze will be hosting children’s activities all day throughout Saturday’s event. Breeze will also have inflatables and activities at the market for young people of all ages to enjoy, from 7 to 25 June.

As part of a £13 million investment to modernise and future-proof the building, two new areas of the market opened for trading this week. Due to the nature of the market it is a staged opening to allow each trader to move to their new location when they are ready to do so. Although the new areas have now been opened to the public there may be some disruption whilst work is completed on the roof, which was not able to be carried out during the winter months, and further phases of the refurbishment are carried out.

ENDS