Northern Life Magazine

UK City of Culture 2025
2025-01-01 - 2025-12-31 | Various venues Bradford
Bradford district’s year of culture is set to deliver more than 1,000 new performances and events including 365 artist commissions, a series of major arts festivals and major national and international collaborations. Visit the website for further details.

From Haworth To Eternity: The Enduring Legacy Of The Brontës
2025-02-01 - 2025-12-31 | Bronte Parsonage Museum, Church Street, Haworth
The Brontës’ enduring popularity is largely explained by the power and originality of the stories they created, but the story of the Brontës’ own lives is as compelling as their fictions. The family’s home at Haworth Parsonage, and the moorland surrounding it, were a profound influence on the Brontës, and became part of the irresistible draw of Haworth for visitors from all over the world.

Axe-Throwing
2025-03-24 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 (Europe/London) | The Axe Imperium, The Fun House, Colne
Axes to Ashes is coming to The Fun House, Colne. Inject some spontaneity, some excitement, some togetherness! Reconnect with your partner, your children, your friends. Do something that makes you feel alive.
​Release that inner Viking
Lose your pent-up frustration
It’s therapy. It’s fun. It’s addictive.

Axes to Ashes isn’t an ordinary axe throwing venue with very limited equipment; it has Tomahawks, Angel Axes, Throwing Knives and its very own Axes to Ashes Dragon Axe®. Plus there is an Axelings™ Range which is suitable for children and those with physical impairments which may limit their ability to throw regular projectiles.

Various times and prices.

Life Goes On - Exhibition
2025-03-29 - 2025-12-31 | Salts Mill, Saltaire, Shipley
An exhibition featuring Ian Beesley, a celebrated Bradford-born photographer. Known for his powerful images of Northern England, Beesley will showcase a collection of previously unseen works from his extensive archive.
Wed – Sun 10am – 5pm. Free.

Bradford on Foot
2025-09-06 - 2025-12-31 | Bradford on Foot, Bradford
Discover Bradford on Foot, a collection of themed walks and tours exploring hidden streets, scenic countryside, and local heritage. Curated for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, these routes have been selected by walking groups, historians, schoolchildren, artists, and locals. All available to download or pick up in paper format at Bradford libraries.

Katharine Holmes and Three Generations of Painting and Living in a Malham Cottage
2025-09-27 08:00 - 2026-01-03 17:00 | The Folly, Victoria Street, Settle BD24 9EY, The Folly, Victoria Street, Settle, BD24 9EY
This exhibition explores Katharine Holmes’s stunning modern paintings alongside the work of her mother and grandmother, Phillipa Holmes and Constance Pearson. Selected works by Katharine Holmes will be for sale. Runs until Sat, 3 January 2026

THE ELF EXPLORER
2025-10-29 08:00 - 2025-12-24 17:00 | Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, The Railway Station, Station Road, Haworth
Step into a world of festive wonder with The Elf Explorer – a heart-warming steam train journey packed with Christmas cheer, mischievous elves, and a visit from Father Christmas himself.

Snow White - Christmas Pantomime 2025
2025-11-22 - 2026-01-04 | Blackburn Empire Theatre, Aqueduct Rd, Blackburn
Tom Rolfe Productions are thrilled to be back with a brand new production bursting with dazzling costumes, hilarious comedy, sensational singing, beautiful scenery, and the coolest Magnificent Seven ever! Various times & prices.

Snow White Family Panto
2025-11-28 - 2025-12-28 | The Grand Theatre, St. Leonardsgate, Lancaster, LA1 1NL
Get ready for a magical adventure as Lancaster Footlights proudly presents: Snow White – The Fairest Panto in All the Land! Bursting with humour, dazzling costumes, and toe-tapping songs, this traditional tale comes to life with all the charm and sparkle you’ve come to expect. Various times & prices.

Aladdin: The Rock 'n' Roll Panto
2025-11-28 - 2026-01-11 | City Varieties Music Hall, 46 New Briggate, Leeds
This isn’t your average Christmas pantomime – this is a Rock ‘n’ Roll Pantomime! Imagine the perfect blend of laugh-out-loud audience participation, hilariously cheesy jokes, and a high-energy jukebox bursting with iconic rock anthems and chart-smashing hits. And the best part? Every note is performed live on stage by a showstopping cast of multi-talented actor-musicians. It’s a festive extravaganza like no other! Various times. £20.50 – £40.

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PETER PAN
2025-11-29 - 2025-12-31 | Albert Halls, Victoria Square, Bolton
The celebrity and West End cast will leave you believing in the power of magic in this perfect festive treat that features all the best elements of a traditional pantomime. Various times. £18 – £22.

Santa Live!
2025-12-13 - 2025-12-24 | Albert Halls, Victoria Square, Bolton
Join our magical elves as they help Santa save Christmas and fix Muddles’ mistake and deliver the presents to lots of exciting characters the meet along the way. Various times.

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
2025-12-29 08:00 - 2025-12-30 17:00 | Skipton Town Hall, High Street, Skipton
This year, Same Difference invites you on a festive adventure like no other. Jack and his mum is busy preparing their annual Christmas offering to keep the Giant away from the village—but disaster strikes when the cupboards are bare!

The HAPPA Café and HAPPA Direct Shop
2025-12-31 08:00 - 17:00 | Happa, Shores Hey Farm, Briercliffe,, Burnley
The HAPPA Café, open seven days a week including until 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, serves a selection of food and drinks, including Walling’s Ice Cream and a variety of cakes and treats. The onsite tack and gift shop offers a fantastic selection of toys, second-hand and new equipment for your horse, and gifts for your dog.

LANCASHIRE READING TRAIL BOOK CLUB
2025-12-31 14:30 - 16:00 | Burnley Library, Grimshaw Street, Burnley
Children ages 6 – 12 are invited to join the book club, where they will be challenged to read a book by a specific author every four weeks, then meet up to chat, share reviews, craft, and become one step closer to completing the Lancashire Reading Trail.

Aladdin
2026-01-03 - 2026-01-18 | The Muni Theatre, Colne, BB8 0AE
Join our hero Aladdin, his mother Widow Twankey and his brother Wishee Washee as they embark on a magical adventure and try to defeat the evil Abanazar and his plan to become master of the world. Various times. From £16.50.

MEET FRANCES TEMPEST AT BOLLING HALL
2026-01-04 11:00 - 15:30 | Bolling Hall Museum, Bowling Hall Rd, Bradford
English Civil War, 1642 – 1649. Bolling Hall was the temporary Royalist Headquarters after winning a great battle against the Parliamentarians under Oliver Cromwell, the Battle of Adwalton Moor in June 1643. Frances, as mistress of the house, would protect herself & her family by always having 2 Flintlock Pistols at the ready, “keeping her powder dry” under her apron. Every Sunday.

WINTER LIGHTS YORK
2026-01-06 08:00 - 2026-02-14 17:00 | York City Centre
The Winter Lights adorn more than 50 streets in York. Miles of swags add yet more fairy-tale whimsy to this enchanting city. The Tree of Light captivates with its ever-changing display, using the latest Twinkly LED technology.

ANNE LISTER FESTIVAL
2026-01-07 08:00 - 17:00 | Shibden Hall, Lister's Road, Halifax
The Anne Lister Festival is an annual cultural event in Halifax, West Yorkshire, celebrating the life, legacy and wide-ranging story of Anne “Gentleman Jack” Lister—19th-century landowner, entrepreneur, mountaineer, traveller, scholar and diarist. It typically takes place around the anniversary of her birthday each spring, with a programme featuring walks, talks, heritage tours, exhibitions, creative workshops and community events, often including visits to her former home at Shibden Hall and displays of related historical costumes and archives. The festival brings together local partners and international visitors, honours Lister’s contributions to LGBTQ+ history and Yorkshire heritage, and forms part of Calderdale’s broader cultural calendar.

IN LOVING MEMORY
2026-01-07 10:00 - 16:00 | Bankfield Museum, Akroyd Park, Halifax
Death is something that affects us all, and the need to remember those we have lost is an important part of being human. Featuring displays of mourning wear, jewellery and imagery, this exhibition explores our changing attitudes towards death and the ways in which we cope with loss.

TROUBLE AT MILL: THE RADICAL WORLD OF ETHEL CARNIE HOLDSWORTH EXHIBITION
2026-01-08 12:00 - 16:00 | Queen St Mill Textile Museum, Harle Syke, Burnley, BB10 2HX, United Kingdom
Don’t miss a truly unique and beautifully presented exhibition celebrating local writer Ethel Carnie Holdsworth and the Rickard Sisters’ new graphic novel adaptation of her radical story, This Slavery.

LITTLE SCIENTISTS
2026-01-09 10:00 - 11:15 | Abbey House Museum, Abbey Walk, Kirkstall, Leeds
Discover Abbey House Museum’s three Victorian streets in a new way using the magic of science! Explore Abbey Fold, Harewood Square and Stephen Harding Gate and learn some simple science on the way. This discovery session is perfect for under-5s.

WINTER ILLUMINATIONS
2026-01-10 17:00 - 21:00 | Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Hurst Ln,, Doncaster
Discover the magic Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s Winter Illuminations, the most magical winter lantern trail. Winter Illuminations is one of the UK’s most magical Christmas light experiences and perfect for all the family or a festive date idea!

BRONTË BABIES – THORNTON
2026-01-14 10:00 - 11:00 | South Square Centre, Thornton, Bradford
These relaxed sessions for little ones aged 0-walking feature sensory play, song, and stories and a chance to meet other parents and carers. Each session draws inspiration from the Brontë Parsonage Museum’s collection and the lives of the Brontës.

HAROLD GOSNEY: MATERIALS AND MAKING
2026-01-14 10:00 - 17:00 | York Art Gallery, Exhibition Square, York
This retrospective celebrates over six decades of creative work by Yorkshire sculptor Harold Gosney (born 1937), an artist renowned for his inventive use of materials and his deep connection to the region.

The Don Banks Afternoon Variety Show
2026-01-14 14:00 | Darwen Library Theatre, Knott Street, Darwen
Join us on a nostalgic journey down memory lane back to those good old days for an afternoon of uplifting songs, stories and laughter. £5/£6.

Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown Show
2026-01-16 19:30 - 22:00 | Albert Halls, Victoria Square, Bolton
50 plus years In Entertainment/comedy , Roy Chubby Brown is still going strong , entertaining thousands and thousands of fans annually up and down the country , Roy is the undoubted King of Comedy.

RORY’S SATURDAY CLUB
2026-01-17 08:00 - 2026-04-25 17:00 | Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square, Leeds
Come down to Leeds City Museum for our Rory’s Saturday Club craft sessions for families with children of all ages. Drop-in, no need to book. Until 25th April. Give what you can.

DEMONSTRATIONS OF VICTORIAN HAIRWORK
2026-01-17 10:00 - 2026-02-28 16:00 | Bankfield Museum, Akroyd Park, Halifax
The Victorian art of hairwork involved meticulously weaving together the hair of loved ones into flowers or wreaths.

Women in Rock
2026-01-17 19:30 | The Grand Theatre, St. Leonardsgate, Lancaster, LA1 1NL
Get ready to crank up the volume and feel the power for Women in Rock, the electrifying live show dedicated entirely to the trailblazing women who shattered the ceilings and redefined rock music forever.
