This year, ‘Outdoor’ and ‘Celebration’ are being added to the familiar ‘Eat’ ‘Drink’ and ‘Do’, embracing new concepts, taking over heritage sites and popping up – well, just about anywhere new, really.
The 5th Festival runs from 9 – 27 May and there’s an initiative to support aspiring indies beyond the Festival itself. This is the Patron Scheme. It costs £40 a year, but you do get something back: Festival discounts via the passport, exclusives, invitations to private viewings and openings year-long, newsletters, an enamel pin badge – and free beer at #EatNorth and other indie events.
The £40 annual Leeds Indie Food Patron membership will run from January to December. Not bad, we think, considering that the money raised will help indies in start-up, providing support for them to grow and in turn help towards the success of the City’s indie food scene.
Leeds Indie Food Festival attracts 27,000 people each year and the new LIF Patron initiative also run #EatNorth, which Lonely Planet declared ‘the North’s best food festival.’ The team also launched Chow Down at Halifax’s Piece Hall, attracting more than 100,000 people in four week-ends last year.
Director of Leeds Indie Food, Simon Fogal said:
“Independent food is for all year, not just for May – so this year we’ve created a new approach. We help manage and run quite a few events now, and it was time for a scheme that links them all.
During the 2018 festival, we met some amazing indie customers and supporters, and wanted to give them something extra. The Patrons scheme will bring LIF to every month of the year, with exclusive events and access to preview nights now in the pipeline.
This is going to be a tough year for the indies, and we want to make sure as many people as possible are supporting and enjoying them.”
Event submissions for Leeds Indie Food 2019 close on 14th February 2019: http://leedsindiefood.co.uk/
The LIF Patrons membership is available now for £40 ( +booking fee) a year. More information can be found on the website: http://leedsindiefood.co.uk/
Social
Twitter: @leedsindiefood / Instagram: @leedsindefood / Facebook: /LeedsIndieFood
Feature photograph provided by Chapter 81 – Prashad, Bundobust and Ox Club teams.
