Wild at heart: West Yorkshire’s new Nature Season brings urban life and rural soul together
West Yorkshire is inviting local people and visitors from further afield to enjoy a new season of outdoor discovery and family-friendly experiences.
Nature Season builds on the international attention generated by the region’s recent cultural successes, including LEEDS 2023, Kirklees Year of Music in 2023, Calderdale’s Year of Culture 2024 (Culturedale), Wakefield’s Our Year and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Inspired by the region’s unique character, the programme celebrates West Yorkshire’s appealing blend of vibrant urban life and spectacular natural landscapes – a place where city pulse meets rural soul.
A West Yorkshire Combined Authority initiative – in partnership with its local authority partners, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield – Nature Season will celebrate the many ways people can connect with West Yorkshire’s dramatic countryside, parks and green spaces. By bringing together artists, organisations and local communities, Nature Season invites everyone to explore the region’s diverse landscapes in new and inspiring ways.
Programme highlights include Stage at the Lake opening at Shibden Park, Halifax, from August 13-16, with four days of exceptional national and local artists bringing world class entertainment to a landmark setting, to celebrate its 100th anniversary as a public park. From uplifting classical music and toe-tapping brass bands through to laugh-out-loud comedy, musicals and interactive family performances, there’s something for every generation across Proms at the Lake, Theatre at the Lake, Laughter at the Lake, Brass at the Lake and Debut at the Lake.
Animating Shibden Park with nature’s own colour palette, Seeds of Hope will be in full bloom, with a trail of ten colourful micro show gardens where families can follow the trail, roll up their sleeves with gardening activities, enjoy inspiring talks and take part in a host of free events.
For those looking to slow the pace, the Leeds Canal Soundwalks offer an immersive audio adventure, inviting visitors to tune into the sights and sounds of nature along the City’s waterways.
Bradford will see MORPHOSIS landing at Wibsey Park, from August 15-19, inviting families to branch out and explore an imaginative bamboo structure created with the local community. This playful outdoor installation encourages children to climb, discover and connect with nature.
Meanwhile in Wakefield, reaching new heights, Helios continues to shine brightly at Wakefield Exchange until September 6, bringing a spectacular large-scale artistic experience into the heart of the City. Alongside the installation, families and community groups can enjoy a programme of activities designed to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of nature lovers.
Together, these events and more offer a glimpse of Nature Season’s ambition to celebrate the region’s extraordinary outdoor spaces and inspire more people to explore them. Visitors can base themselves in one of West Yorkshire’s cities or towns, with the Pennine moorland, valleys, parklands and reservoir walks all within easy reach – revealing a unique blend of urban energy and natural beauty.
Launched alongside Nature Season, timed perfectly for the school holidays, is a new Explore West Yorkshire website, a regional what’s on guide designed to help visitors and residents discover events, attractions and experiences across the whole region. The website also connects users to the five district destination websites (Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield), making it easier to plan days out and longer visits.
Explore West Yorkshire will continue to evolve throughout the autumn, with additional content and new functionality to support visitor research and trip planning. Nature Season will also grow over the coming weeks, with further events and experiences being added to the programme throughout the summer and autumn.
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, who chairs West Yorkshire’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership:
“Our Years of Culture have demonstrated the extraordinary power of creativity to bring communities together, attract visitors, support local businesses and showcase everything that makes West Yorkshire unique. Culture is a catalyst for growth, pride and opportunity across our region. The Nature Season is our next exciting chapter connecting culture, creativity and the natural environment to inspire residents and visitors to explore West Yorkshire in new ways.
I am delighted that Nature Season will be supported by a new regional cultural listings website, developed through the West Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership. For the first time, people will be able to discover cultural events, festivals, exhibitions and visitor experiences from across our region in one place, making it easier than ever to explore the incredible breadth of our cultural offer. This is a major step forward in promoting West Yorkshire as a world-class visitor destination and ensuring the legacy of our Years of Culture continues to grow.”
Cllr Peter Hunt, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services:
“Calderdale and West Yorkshire are proud to have such a distinctive mix of landscapes, culture and talent. We’re making the most of this and bringing it all together in a brand new, four-day festival for the region, in the beautiful setting of Shibden Park in Halifax on the park’s 100th birthday.
Stage at the Lake will celebrate our heritage and creativity, with world-class performances that bring together local people and visitors from across the miles. Seeds of Hope will build on our rich heritage of growers and community gardens, inspiring people to explore nature and ‘grow their own.”
Book your tickets for Stage at the Lake
Main image: Hebden Bridge
