Experience Wakefield

The Hepworth Wakefield is turning 15 so they're throwing a party - and everyone is invited! Mark the occasion with an evening packed full of art, music and local creativity. Discover two brand-new exhibitions and explore The Hepworth Wakefield Makefield Market, bringing together over 65 Yorkshire makers. Expect great vibes all evening, with: 🍔 Street food specials in the café 🍺 A birthday brew from Lost Cause Brewing Co. 🍦 Fennell’s ice cream cart 🎶 Vinyl Social DJs from Elliott’s Bar spinning feel-good tunes See you there! 📅 Friday 22 May Birthday Party & New Exhibitions | 6–10pm (FREE) Makefield Market at Tileyard North | 7–10pm (£2.50) #ExperienceWakefield #HomeOfArtAndSculpture @hepworthwakefield @lostcausebrewingco @fennells.co @veganspiceleeds @vinyl_socialwakefield @elliottsbarwakefield @tileyard_north #HepworthWakefield

From the Turbine Hall to WX Wakefield Exchange, this summer Wakefield is set to be the first city outside of London to welcome the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, a deeply important cultural work. Displayed at WX from 4–7 June, all 43 blocks of the Quilt will be shown together, alongside the recently rediscovered documentary There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, capturing the Quilt’s powerful 1994 display in Hyde Park. Selected individual panels will also be exhibited across the district, inviting audiences to encounter their stories in unexpected places. City centre venues include The Hepworth Wakefield, Theatre Royal Wakefield, The Art House and LonGBoat CIC's Kirkgate Station Community Gallery, with further panels at Anglers Country Park, Pontefract Castle, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Castleford's Queen's Mill and the Maurice Dobson Museum in Darfield. The UK AIDS Memorial Quilt commemorates more than 500 people lost to HIV and AIDS - honouring lives, love and activism, and reminding audiences that HIV continues to affect communities today. 📍 WX Wakefield Exchange 🗓️ 4–7 June ⏰ Opening times vary, check venues before travelling 📸 A M Henson #ExperienceWakefield @aidsquiltuk @wxwakefield @hepworthwakefield @theatreroyalwakefield @yspsculpture @thearthouseuk @wakefieldmuseum #PontefractCastle #AnglersCountryPark @longboatwakefield @queensmillcastleford @mauricedobsonmuseum #UKAIDSMemorialQuilt @mywakefield

Set inside the former Grade II listed Old Magistrates’ Court, WF8 Retail Outlet is a unique shopping destination in the heart of Pontefract. Spread across two floors, the building is now home to more than 14 independent retailers, an onsite café and even a Pilates studio. Step inside and it feels like a trip down memory lane. Visitors can explore a treasure trove of antiques, collectables, retro toys, vinyl records, vintage dolls and teddies, alongside French furniture, art, fashion, jewellery, candles, local honey and much more - with a prop house and restoration specialists adding to the mix. Upstairs, The Old Galley Kitchen café is a real highlight, regularly praised for its food and welcoming atmosphere - the perfect place to refuel during a browse. There’s also That Pilates Place within the building, adding yet another layer to this versatile space. A warm welcome awaits at WF8 Retail Outlet, where independent shopping, great food and historic surroundings come together to create a true Pontefract must‑visit. 📍 Front Street, Pontefract Open 9:30am - 4:30pm, Monday - Saturday #ExperienceWakefield #VisitPontefract @wf8_retailoutlet @hallandcovintage @hoganfinds @_recell1 @milsomsmiscellaneous @prophirebyelite @that.pilatesplace #OldGalleyKitchen #Pontefract #PontefractShopping #IndependentRetail #VintageFinds #HistoricShopping

We know, we know - the sky's been grey at best this past week, but summer is just around the corner, and to help you get into the mood (or maybe cheer you up after the rain), we've created an Insider Guide full of all the incredible outdoor music coming this summer! From Yorkshire's longest-running DIY music festival at Clarence Park, and the orchestral strains of Proms at the Castle, to big names like Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Fratellis, the Vaccines and more at Tileyard North, this summer is absolutely jam packed with good music and good vibes. Take a look (link below or in Insider Guides on the website) 👇 expwake.co/OutdoorMusicInWakefield @yonder.events @lotwakefield @wakefieldmuseums @ponteraces @farmercopleys @friarwoodfestival @liveattyn @tileyard_north @wakefieldbid #ExperienceWakefield #SummerMusic #OutdoorMusic #WakefieldEvents #LiveMusicUK #MusicFestival #YorkshireMusic #MusicLovers #SummerVibes

Star Walk returns to Trinity Walk for an action‑packed weekend of free family fun, bringing movie magic, cosplay and iconic vehicles together - all for a great cause! With superheroes, villains and fan‑favourite characters roaming the centre, plus movie cars, props and brilliant photo opportunities, visitors can enjoy two days of unforgettable encounters while raising money for Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice. Children are encouraged to dress up as their favourite heroes and enjoy free face painting, making it a must‑visit event for fans of all ages. Set your phasers to FUN! 📍 Trinity Walk 📅 9 - 10 May | 🚓 Cars from 10am – 4pm | 🦸 Characters from 11am – 3:30pm #ExperienceWakefield @trinitywalk #StarWalk #Cosplay @forgetmenotwakefield

What's On | 4 - 10 May 2026 🎨 Open Studios and CRAFTED Makers Market at The Art House 🌅 Guided Dawn Chorus Walk at Nostell, National Trust 👰‍♀️ The History Wardrobe – Love and Marriage at Wakefield Cathedral 🔭 Open Night at the Rosse Observatory in Carleton, Pontefract For more exciting events, check out the What's On on our website! #ExperienceWakefield #EventsInWakefield @thearthouseuk #MakersMarket #TheArtHouse #Wakefield @wakecathedral @historywardrobe @ntnostell #RosseObervatory

Yonder at the Castle returns to Pontefract’s most regal landmark on Friday 6 June for a seriously hot summer party. Expect a full afternoon and evening of DJ sets bringing 90s classics, Ibiza energy and late‑night dancefloor favourites. Add hand‑picked street food, fully stocked festival bars, a silent disco, performers and fairground entertainment - and it’s all set for a warm‑weather celebration at Pontefract Castle. Put on a crown, raise a glass and have a ball with Yonder this summer. 📍 Pontefract Castle 📅 Saturday 6 June, 4pm - 10pm Book tickets via @yonder.events #ExperienceWakefield #YonderAtTheCastle @wakefieldmuseums #MusicInWakefield #LiveEvents

Looking for Bank Holiday ideas? The Wakefield district has got you covered, whatever the weather: 🌷 Tiptoe through the last few days of the Tulip Festival at Farmer Copleys (until Monday 4 May) 🗿 Enjoy world-class art and sculpture in 500 acres of historic parkland at Yorkshire Sculpture Park (normally closed on Mondays but open for the Bank Holiday) 🐕 Join Wakefield BID for a fantastic day celebrating the cutest canine companions at Paws in the City (Saturday 2 May) 🏰 Take a trip underground on a Dungeon Tour at Pontefract Castle (official) and see where Civil War prisoners carved their name in the walls (Saturday and Sunday) 🖼️ See the 2026 Turner Prize nominated Unspeak The Chorus by Kira Freige at The Hepworth Wakefield (closes Monday 4 May) 📷 Explore the Remnants of the Past exhibition by University of Huddersfield photography students at The Ridings Shopping Centre (closes Saturday 2 May) 🚴 Celebrate the long weekend with a guided bike ride through Nostell’s beautiful bluebell adorned parkland 🍴 Enjoy all there is to offer at our cafes, restaurants and bars (did someone say beer garden?) For all this and more, check out our website. #ExperienceWakefield #HomeOfArtAndSculpture #VisitWakefield #VisitPontefract @farmercopleys @yspsculpture @ wakefieldbid @rspcaleedswakefieldanddistrict @wakefieldmuseums @hepworthwakefield @kirafreije @remnantsofthepast.exhib @ridingscentre @ntnostell #BankHoliday

Tucked between Walton and Crofton, Buttons Wakefield is a vibrant café and bar where great coffee meets memorable evenings. By day, it’s all about relaxed vibes and quality breakfasts; by night, the space transforms into a buzzing venue hosting everything from live music and themed parties to private celebrations and festival‑style events. Family‑run and proudly local, Buttons is driven by a passion for great food at affordable prices, friendly service, and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere. It’s also dog friendly, so there's no need to leave your best pal at home. 📍 Bridge Gate Farm, Shay Lane, Walton, WF2 6PR Find out more 👉 @buttonswakefield #ExperienceWakefield #ButtonsWakefield #WakefieldEats #DogFriendlyCafe #WakefieldEvents

May is officially main character season in the district. ☀️ We’ve got two bank holidays, the spring half-term, and more day sessions than your group chat can reasonably handle. From Jedi training in Pontefract and wrestling rings in the Town Hall to bottomless craft brews and boyband anthems at the races - the district simply doesn't miss this month. Swipe through for your ultimate May 2026 checklist: 🍻 Day Sessions: Farm parties & brewery takeovers 🌙 Out Out: The city’s best late-night hours 🍦 Family Days: Half-term officially sorted 🎭 Music & Comedy: From the Cathedral to the Theatre 🎨 Creativity: Workshops, Artwalk & makers markets Ready to plan your month? Hit the link in our bio for the full May Edit with every single event detail, location, and ticket link. 🔗 #Wakefield #Pontefract #Castleford #daysout #Yorkshire

To mark 200 years of Charles Waterton’s remarkable wildlife‑protecting wall in Walton, the Friends of Waterton's Wall are launching a month‑long celebration filled with nature, creativity, heritage and wellbeing: WallFest! Throughout May, local groups, artists, charities and businesses will come together for a vibrant programme of talks, walks, workshops and community events - a tribute to one of Wakefield’s most fascinating environmental pioneers. Highlights include: 🧵 A Stitch in Time exhibition at WX Wakefield 🐦 Birdwatching Walks with the RSPB 🎨 Art, Photography and Lime Mortar Workshops 🧘 Yoga By The Wall 📚 Exclusive tours of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield Museum Stores and the Mental Health Museum 🍽️ A special Georgian dinner with Georgian‑style entertainment - and perhaps a meeting with Charles Waterton himself - at Waterton Park Hotel & Spa 📅 1 - 31 May Find out more and read the whole programme 👉 expwake.co/WallFest #ExperienceWakefield #WallFest #CharlesWaterton @watertons_wall_friends @rspbengland @helenriddleartist @wxwakefield @westyorkshirearchive @wakefieldmuseums @mhmwakefield @watertonparkhotel

Wakefield is well and truly the home of art and sculpture. Don’t believe us? Right now, TWO Turner Prize 2026 nominees have work on display in the district: 🐓 Simeon Barclay – Pittu Pithu Pitoo at Yorkshire Sculpture Park 🚶 Kira Freije – Unspeak The Chorus, the Turner Prize‑nominated exhibition, at The Hepworth Wakefield With the #InternationalDayOfSculpture taking place tomorrow, there’s no better time to explore Wakefield’s world‑class sculpture. ⏰ A little reminder: there’s only until 4 May to see Kira Freije’s Turner Prize‑nominated exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield – don’t miss the chance. 📸 Simeon Barclay, Pittu Pithu Pitoo — Jonty Wilde 📸 Kira Freije, Unspeak The Chorus — Lewis Ronald #ExperienceWakefield #HomeOfArtAndSculpture #TurnerPrize #TurnerPrize2026 @yspsculpture #SimeonBarclay @hepworthwakefield @kirafreije #WakefieldArt #TurnerPrizeNominees #ContemporarySculpture #UKArtScene