The Brewery Wharf Waterfront Festival: celebrating everything Leeds for 2021

• The popular Leeds festival returns on Saturday 26th June from 12-9 pm
• DJ Alex Simmons and Lauren G will perform the headline set of uplifting old skool house, disco and dancefloor classics.
• 212 Bar & Cafe will provide drinks from Kirkstall Brewery, Magic Rock and more
• BS BISTRO and Doh' Hut will be providing food.
• Live bands, DJs and a dance act will also be performing at the family-friendly event.

As the city of Leeds springs back to life, post-COVID, one of its most popular and long-running events is gearing up for an almighty comeback after a year's hiatus. The Brewery Wharf Waterfront Festival will take place on Saturday 26th June from 12-9 pm, offering a plethora of food, drink and entertainment for the whole family.

As well as a celebration of the city's 'Waterfront', the Brewery Wharf Festival is also a 'nod' to local independent businesses who have worked together and have had to adapt and change their focus due to the pandemic. The theme for 2021 is all about supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs with the majority of the food, drink, music and entertainment on offer all from Yorkshire.

Local indie talent join forces
Hosted by the almighty 212 Cafe & Bar, the list of breweries, street food vendors and DJs involved is a who's who of the finest local indie talent. Street-food scene disruptors BS BISTRO will be on-hand with their unique take on everything fried chicken (along with a mouth-watering vegan alternative), as well as a slightly edited, more family-friendly name for the day.

Doh' Hut will be bringing the sugar rush to the event, serving up their super fluffy handmade doughnut creations. Inspired by the calorific treats found in the food trucks of America, their lush and decadent menu will please even the most discerning of doughnut connoisseurs.

212 will be focussing solely on drinks this year and have enlisted the help of some of the world's best breweries to meet the demand. Local heroes Kirkstall Brewery and Magic Rock Brewing will be serving fresh pints from their outdoor bars, whilst Black Tears Rum will be shaking up the rum cocktails.

Uplifting tracks
Legendary Leeds DJ Alex Simmons will be headlining the entertainment program, and is joined by singer Lauren G, who will perform some uplifting tracks from their recent Lockdown album. The album, which was a huge success, was dedicated to Leeds Rhinos champion Rob Burrow, with all profits going towards the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Speaking ahead of the festival, Alex said: "I'm excited to be performing at The Brewery Wharf as part of The Waterfront Festival 2021. After a year of DJing over live streams and recording in the studio, I have rediscovered my passion for music and cannot wait to perform to a live audience.

Post-COVID is such an exciting time for everyone but more so for people working in the leisure and entertainment industry – it's been a long time, and I cannot wait to get back out there!

On the day, I'll be performing with singer Lauren Green (Lauren G), bringing you the best in old skool house, disco and some dancefloor classics!"

There will also be live music from the Doghouse Derelicts, and eclectic DJ sets from Wes Stakes, Hatty Lovehearts, Scott Broadhead, Gina Moretti, Keith Gillot and Wallop Resident DJ's. There will also be two very special performances from Dance House, a talented Leeds based dance studio.

Mark Williams, co-owner of Café 212 and one of the Brewery Wharf Festival organisers, said: “It's been a long, challenging year, particularly for the small independent businesses in the area, but we have survived, and we are back bigger and better than before. The people who live and work around Brewery Wharf have shown us immense support over the lockdown period; we have had to adapt to survive; however, we have, and now it's our chance to celebrate, give back and put on the party of the year!

The festival is completely free of charge, making it an essential day out for those looking for some laid-back waterfront summer vibes.

Details on the event can be found at FB@The Brewery Wharf Waterfront Festival.