Last Sunday might have been an average Sunday for some, but for a select few it was more than just average. It was marvellous! And that's because we had a right ruddy party, once again celebrating some of Leeds' most special spots.
On this occasion, Yelpers were invited to attend Music At The Mill – an exclusive event partnered with Thwaite Mills, The Jamie Fletcher Band, The Maven and Cupcake Cafe. With a specially selected spot, right next to the canal, Thwaite Mills welcomed in Yelpers and guests to an afternoon of live music, cupcakes, and cocktails.
For those who've yet to visit the glorious site, this heritage space is home to one of the few remaining examples in Britain of a water-powered mill. The area, just a few miles from Leeds city centre, is rich in wildlife, with various species to spy in amongst the woodland, scrub, gardens and waterways. The house is a Georgian home, built in 1823, and is now a Grade II listed building. Get yourself down there if you've yet to visit!
The space was partnered courtesy of Canal Connections, whose mission it is to celebrate the waterways of Leeds, and encourage more folk to get involved. This event was a precursor to the Leeds Waterfront Festival, so don't miss out next week! Curious about how to get involved? Check them out!
From 2.30pm folks were welcomed in to the event space, right by the water, for a private serenade from some of Leeds' finest musicians. First up was Anna, and her band Free Spirit, performing a perfectly relaxed set of tunes to swing everyone into the spirit. With a spot of dancing encouraged, and plenty of places to sit and soak in the sounds, even the wind couldn't spoil the mood! (Despite doing its best to steal away the gazebo.) Her velvet voice had everyone enthralled, and kicked off the event wonderfully.
With the weather holding out, folks got a chance to grab a Yelp tote and decorate it with paints and glitter at the paint-a-tote table, whilst listening to the live music. All manner of styles were crafted, from dog portraits to the more abstract!
But not before grabbing some divine cupcake samples from Jess R's Cupcake Cafe. She spoiled everyone with all kinds of creations, including banana, lemon, cream cheese icing, carrot cake and more. Not only were the samples sumptuously stylish, but incredibly delicious and moreish to the max.
To wash down the treats, Yelpers sampled two sumptuous cocktails, courtesy of The Maven. The first being a Bulldog Gin Fizz, and the second an Appleton Cinnamon Treacle. Whilst those expertly made cocktails were made, served by Leeds' prohibition style bar cocktail masters, people got a chance to add up their pictures and pick up a Yelpy treat from the gift table. Once poured, the range of refreshing and delectable sips quenched everyone's thirsts perfectly.
Next up on the live music programme was Zoe Eady of the Lunchtime Disco Club, whose voice Graham S describes as 'Angelic'. With a mixture of folk, pop, and swing songs, this cheerful serenade continued spreading the feel-good vibes as more afternoon cupcakes and cocktails were had. She even encouraged Brian the Staffie to squinny along with glee!
After Zoe, folks were treated to the sounds of Beccy Owen, from Sharks Took The Rest. Her eccentric pop music, full of soul and heartfelt song, had everyone transfixed as she serenaded the group accompanied by her fabulous piano playing. At turns everyone was stunned into silence, simply taking in the sounds.
Finally, families and friends alike were wowed by the headline performance from The Jamie Fletcher Band. This collective of musicians and friends, having just played a gig live on a canal boat to arrive at the venue, took no time at all to get the end of the event swinging and belted out originals and classics. To end the event, a song dedicated to their love of zombies was performed!
And with the last cupcake eaten, the final straw of cocktail sipped, and ending song sung, it was time to bid this beautiful spot farewell. Once everyone had gathered their Yelp gifts, painted totes, a last little snack and sup, folks who'd booked the canal boat serenade floated awat and the rest took to wandering off the afternoon. With songs in their heads and sweet samples in their stomachs, this was another incredible event, celebrating some of Leeds' finest folks. Cheers and here's to many more!
Want to know how to get involved in these awesome affairs? Get yourself on Yelp and get sharing your local hot spots! It's all about community, and sharing you local insights about Leeds, so come and join the party. We'd love to see you there!
Rowena H
