This summer, the newly renovated City Square is set to become a hub of outdoor activities, following its transformation by one of the city’s most ambitious transportation projects.
Announced as the new location for an array of events, the square will feature the debut of Thor’s Tipi bar, a monthly artisan market, and a variety of family-friendly activities. Additionally, a large screen will broadcast major sporting events of the season. Starting in June, the event space will host Thor’s Tipi, offering an array of cocktails and street food.
The venue will also provide giant outdoor games, easels for drawing, ice cream, and soft drinks catering to children. Furthermore, local bands and artists will perform live music weekly, creating a lively atmosphere for all visitors. The addition of a new big screen in City Square, partially supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will bring live broadcasts of major sporting events this summer, including Wimbledon, The Olympics, and The Tour de France.
Amanda Monaghan, director at Thor’s Tipi said:
“We’re so excited to have our first ever Thor’s Summer residency in Leeds. We’ll be hosting brilliant summer parties, showcasing the best of sport on the big screen and entertaining families – all within our tipi wonderland on City Square. It’s going to be a glorious Summer in Leeds!”
Alongside Thor’s Tipi, City Square will introduce a new monthly artisan village starting in July, hosted by Little Bird Made. This addition complements the recently announced market on Briggate, enhancing the local shopping experience.
Jackie Crozier managing director of Little Bird Made said:
“Having previously lived in Leeds for 10 years and having organised a number of events in the city, it feels like coming home. Bringing people together by creating a fun space where they can hang out, eat and shop has been our mission ever since I founded the company in 2018 and what better place to do it than City Square.”
The launch of the new summer events coincides with the completion of the City Square improvement works, which have established a new traffic-free gateway and a striking pedestrian area in the city. City Square is now not only a prime location for urban events but also promotes walking, cycling, and the use of public transport, contributing to the broader Connecting Leeds transport improvement initiative.
The addition of new seating in the square makes it a more inviting space for people to relax and enjoy throughout the summer. The council plans to continue developing events and activities to fully utilize the upgraded space and is eager to collect feedback and evaluations after this summer’s events to inform future improvements.
Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and sustainable development said:
“When we set out on the journey to transform City Square, the long term vision was to create a modern, welcoming, pedestrian friendly gateway to the city where people could come together and enjoy the best of Leeds. We also wanted City Square to be a symbolic and stand-out example of our ambition to transform the city’s transport network, reduce congestion and improve air quality.
“This summer, we will see all that work come to fruition, when the square welcomes a programme of events for all ages and we take another huge step toward a cleaner, greener and more sustainable city centre.”
Thor’s Tipi will be featured at City Square from June 14 to September 8, and together with the artisan village, will be provided at no expense to the council. Additionally, City Square will host several events over the next year, including the unveiling of a new artwork, the Yorkshire Sustainability Festival, as well as Light Night Leeds and various Christmas festivities later in the year.
For more details about City Square and the ongoing transport improvements under the Connecting Leeds initiative, please visit Connecting Leeds and Transforming Travel
