What’s on this half term?
Leeds February half term 2025 runs from on Saturday 15 February until Sunday 23 February
This half term Leeds Storytelling Festival arrives in Leeds! Starting on 14 February the festival runs all the way to 8 March including World Book Day on Thursday 6 March.
The brand-new family festival will illuminate our city with the magic of storytelling! From award-winning family theatre and acclaimed author readings to costume-making workshops and a city-wide trail, this truly is a festival for everyone.
Donate your World Book Day costumes!
World Book Day takes place on 6 March 2025. It is a fantastic day that many Leeds schools take part in, celebrating literacy and inviting children to dress up as a character, word or anything book-related!
This year, to try and make World Book Day more affordable and sustainable for Leeds families, all Leeds Libraries are accepting donations of old costumes. These will be re-homed with new families who can use them!
What’s on…
Leeds Storytelling Festival: Authors
There are 5 author events throughout the storytelling festival, including events with Old Gods, New Tricks author Ashley Thorpe, Safiyah’s War author Hiba Noor Khan and 3 Little Vikings author Bethan Woollvin, and featuring events with Cressida Cowell and Burhana Islam:
Where: Tiled Hall Cafe, Leeds, LS1 3AB
When: Monday 17th February 2025
pay-what-you-decide, recommended for children aged 7+
Cressida Cowell is the creator of How to Train Your Dragon and is a multi-million-copy selling, award-winning author! For this family-friendly event, Cressida will introduce her newest books DRAGON TALES: SHORT STORY COLLECTION and WHICH WAY ROUND THE GALAXY, talk about her inspiration and give writing and drawing tips. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Where: Hunslet Community Hub and Library, Leeds, LS10 2NS
When: Monday 24th February 2025
pay-what-you-decide, recommended for children aged 7+
Hear from Burhana Islam, author of the hilarious Laugh Out Loud book series and the hugely popular Amazing Muslims Who Changed the World. Find out more about writing funny fiction and hear Burhana will read some extracts from her book and share her experiences of being a children’s author.
Don’t miss: Leeds Kirkgate Market – FREE rollerskating!
LS-TEN will be bringing free guided roller-skating sessions to Leeds Kirkgate Market during February half term!
Tuesday 18 Feb to Thursday 20 Feb, 11:00 to 16:00
Leeds Storytelling Festival: Theatre and Storytelling
Don’t miss Leeds Young Film on tour showing short films at Halton Community Hub & Library, The Compton Centre, and Seacroft Community Hub & Library. You can also visit your nearest library to pick up a ‘Stargazer’ digital production pack to enjoy at home.
Where: The Compton Centre Community Hub & Library, Leeds, LS9 7BG
When: Saturday 8th March 2025 14:00
pay-what-you-decide, recommended for children aged 5+
This is an interactive, in-character storytelling workshop where two characters, Snow and Ice, are stuck indoors on a rainy day. As the story unfolds, participants work together to construct the blanket fort.
Where: Rothwell Community Hub and Library, Rothwell, LS26 0AD
When: Mon 17th February 2025 14:00
pay-what-you-decide, recommended for children aged 5+
Come along to this interactive performance where the Station Master will welcome you to the Lost Property Library – a place where lost stories, memories, and objects come to be archived and kept safe. All around you trunks and suitcases brim with exciting tales and adventures to discover.
Where: Hunslet Community Hub and Library, Leeds, LS10 2NS
When: Wednesday 19th February 2025 14:00
pay-what-you-decide, recommended for children aged 4 to 11
Mika and The Polar Bear is a new dance theatre show that will be touring the North of England this year. A 45-minute practical workshop of story telling, dance and props to test and explore creative ideas. Come along for play, movement, drawing, talking!
Don’t miss: FREE Miffy activities at Leeds City Museum
Miffy Family Fun Day
Meet Miffy for a photo opportunity and drop in to our craft stations, before exploring Miffy’s world in our exhibition space.
Saturday 8 Feb, 11:00 to 15:00
Miffy Illustrations & Animations
Meet Miffy for a photo opportunity and drop in to our craft stations, before exploring Miffy’s world in our exhibition space.
Tuesday 18 Feb to Thursday 21 Feb,
10:00 to 12:00 & 13:00 to 15:00
AND Miffy Family Fun Day FREE drop-in activity
Leeds Storytelling Festival: Poetry and writing
Don’t miss the poetry and writing activities, including Poetry for Parents with Maria Ferguson. As well as a poetry emporium on wheels, and events with Steven Camden (aka Polarbear), an acclaimed spoken word artist.
Where/when: St George’s Centre Community Hub and Library, Middleton – Friday 21st March AND Seacroft Community Hub and Library, Deacon House – Saturday 22nd March
11:00 to 16:00
poems free of charge
The world’s first mobile poetry emporium! Come along and meet our team of experienced poet chefs, who’ll conjure up unique and bespoke poetry for you to keep forever.
Where: Room 700, Leeds Central Library, Leeds, LS1 3AB
When: Saturday 1 March 2025 14:00 to 16:00
pay-what-you-decide, recommended for children aged 4 to 11
The world’s first mobile poetry emporium! Come along and meet our team of experienced poet chefs, who’ll conjure up unique and bespoke poetry for you to keep forever.
Don’t miss: Who Do You See in the Gallery? FREE drop-in activity at Leeds Art Gallery
Inspired by the portraits in our exhibition Silent Echoes, Spoken Truths: Curtis Holder, have fun drawing people in this school holiday workshop in Artspace, our relaxed, family friendly, creative studio space.
Tuesday 18 Feb to Friday 21 Feb, 11:00 to 15:00
