Leeds Summer Solstice Festival 2024: South Asian music and heritage celebrations return this midsummer

Heralding the golden days and nights we’ve all been waiting for, the South Asian music and heritage festival welcomes summer back to our city in a spectacular fashion.

This year, the festival is bigger and better than ever before, organisers said. Taking place over three days and two nights it will offer an exciting array of events for Leeds to engage with.

The festival kicks off on Thursday, June 20 with an online discussion exploring the struggles and triumphs of South Asian creative women,

On Friday, June 21 it continues with a celebration of International Yoga Day and World Music Day with traditional yoga teacher Shivani Mair and Drupad singer Deepa Shakti at Nada Yoga sessions.

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The celebrations will culminate in an all-night Summer Solstice music spectacle from 8pm on Friday to 8am on Saturday, June 22.

For those into Indian classical music, the line-up of artists features the “breathtaking” sitarist Roopa Panesar, tabla wizard Shahbaz Hussain, award-winning sarangi player Nabeel Khan, and many more who will showcase some of the most prestigious names in South Asian music traditions.

Making the festival even more special, The Old Union Chapel/Purana Gurudwara on Chapeltown Road will open its doors for the first time since 1999 to host the Midsummer’s Night event.