Entertainment/What's On 5/44

Ilkley News

The Unfriend opens this week at Ilkley Playhouse

The Unfriend runs from 30th Oct to 7th Nov The Unfriend opens this week in the Wharfeside Theatre at Ilkley Playhouse. Running from Thursday 30th October until Saturday 7th November, The Unfriend is written by Steven Moffat. The Scottish writer and producer is the creator of many TV hit shows, such as Sherlock, Dracula, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Coupling, Douglas is Cancelled and many of the best and most loved episodes of Doctor Who. The Unfriend centres on suburban couple P

Oct 27, 2025

Two Rivers Swing Band is getting In the Mood for winter

The Winter Swing Band Dance is on 22nd November at Clarke Foley Community Hub Ilkley-based Two Rivers Swing Band are staging their ever-popular Winter Swing Band Dance on Saturday 22nd November in a new venue, the Clarke Foley Community Hub. The band will entertain you with a selection of Big Band classics, including both instrumental and sparkling vocal favourites. A spokesperson for the swing band said: “We’ll bring you a musical assortment from the era of classic swing thr

Oct 26, 2025

11th Jigsaw Festival next month in Ilkley

The Jigsaw Festival returns to Christchurch in November Hundreds of completed jigsaw puzzles are emerging from storage at Christchurch in Ilkley ready to be sold at the 11th annual Jigsaw Festival being held between the 6th and 8th of November. The puzzles have been worked on by dissect ologists (jigsaw enthusiasts) far and wide. Organisers say because the puzzles are displayed in completed form, customers can see all the pieces are there; so none of the frustration of realis

Oct 25, 2025

David Hockney-inspired music at Ilkley Manor House

Demian Dorelli will perform at Ilkley Manor House next month Visit Ilkley Manor House for an intimate solo piano performance from pianist & composer Demian Dorelli on 14 November. He will be playing pieces from his Nick Drake Reimagined projects & his David Hockney-inspired original album, My Window. Demian Dorelli, born in London to an Italian fashion photographer and an English ballet dancer, grew up in an artistic environment. He chose music and, more particularly, the pia

Oct 23, 2025

Ilkley Live music nights to enjoy this Autumn!

As the nights draw in and the clocks go back, Ilkley Live has announced a host of exciting community music events for everyone to look forward to. First up on Saturday 1 November , Natural Voice Leader Keely Hodgson is offering a ‘ free singing workshop ’ to anyone who fancies coming along and having a go. Keely says: “Absolutely no previous singing experience is needed and people don’t need to be able to read music - all the songs are learnt by ear. "The natural voice is the

Oct 23, 2025

Christopher Rathbone celebrates a musical milestone

Christopher Rathbone, Director of Music at St Margaret's Ilkley Christopher Rathbone, Director of Music at St Margaret’s in Ilkley, will perform his 150th organ recital as part of the Ilkley Arts Festival. The landmark occasion will take place on Friday 7 November at 12.30 pm, This extraordinary achievement marks Christopher’s dedication, artistry, and service to the musical life of the church and wider community. The celebratory programme will feature works by Kenneth Le

Oct 22, 2025

New improv workshops at Ilkley Playhouse

Ilkley Playhouse opens its doors to anyone curious about improvisation with two new monthly workshops designed to be welcoming, reflective and playful. The sessions, led by professional facilitator and embodiment coach Chris Kenworthy, take place on Tuesday 11 November and Tuesday 9 December, both running from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Improvisation is the art of accepting and building on ‘what is,’ with playful curiosity in the here-and-now. These two-hour workshops offer a gentle

Oct 21, 2025

Ilkley Half Marathon & 5K return for 2026

Entries for the 2026 Ilkley Half Marathon and Ilkley 5K open next week Entries for the 2026 Ilkley Half Marathon and Ilkley 5K will open next Monday [20th October], promising another unforgettable weekend of sport, community spirit, and scenic running in the heart of Wharfedale. Organised by the Ilkley & District Round Table, the event has become one of the region’s most anticipated races since its launch, attracting runners from across the UK to experience Ilkley’s warm hosp

Oct 17, 2025

Afternoon concerts in Ilkley featuring talented young musicians

The first afternoon concert will feature James Carrick-Buchanan and Glen Piano Trio Ilkley Concert Club has announced its fifth series of afternoon concerts show-casing talented students from the Royal Northern College of Music [RNCM]. These one-hour concerts are full of interest and variety, open to everyone and an afternoon treat for those who prefer not to go out on dark November evenings all taking place between 2.30pm and 3.30pm at the King’s Hall on Station Road in Ilkl

Oct 15, 2025

Stephen Moffat's dark comedy “The Unfriend” opens 30th October

Opening on Thursday 30th October in the Wharfeside Theatre at Ilkley Playhouse is The Unfriend by Steven Moffat. The play is a darkly comic and sharply witty exploration of British manners, social obligation and the unintended consequences of politeness. Peter and Debbie, a seemingly typical middle-class British couple, befriend Elsa, an eccentric American woman, during a holiday. In the spirit of polite conversation, they exchange contact details, expecting never to hear fr

Oct 14, 2025

Many highlights to final week of Ilkley Literature Festival

Tony Robinson [Photo:Paul Marc Mitchell], Nussaibah Younis and Hugh Bonneville all appear this week Ilkley Literature Festival enters its final week with highlights including Hugh Bonneville, Sir Tony Robinson, and Jay Rayner. Several upcoming acts are sold out including Lady Hale, Wild Swans author Jung Chang, Irvine Welsh, and Michael Palin. As the Downton Abbey movie runs in theatres, partly filmed in North Yorkshire, Hugh Bonneville brings movie-star glamour to Ilkley ne

Oct 13, 2025