10 of the best things to do in West Yorkshire

Your guide to events you must not miss this week
Abba Night and Beer Festival at Pontefract Racecourse on FridayAbba Night and Beer Festival at Pontefract Racecourse on Friday
Abba Night and Beer Festival at Pontefract Racecourse on Friday

1 Abba Night and Beer FestivalPontefract Racecourse, July 19If you’re after a fantastic night out with great racing, a fabulous atmosphere, award winning beers and lagers and one of the UK’s best Abba tribute bands, then this is the night for you. The Fabba Girls are a critically acclaimed six-piece live band who bring fun and singalong music with them to every venue that they play. They’ll be playing the greatest Abba hits in their brilliant live set straight after the last race. The Pennine Brewery, Revolutions Brewing Co., Ossett Brewery and Bier Huis will be there for the annual Beer Festival. There are six fantastic races to keep you entertained throughout the evening too!www.pontefract-races.cloudvenue.co.uk

2 Thomas Chippendale:The Man and the BrandNostell Priory, near Wakefield, until November 2Visit this exhibition to unravel the story of Thomas Chippendale and his special connection to Nostell. How did a humble cabinet maker from Otley become a world famous brand? Discover how he made his name: from the publication of his pattern book of furniture designs to masterminding entire rooms in the latest 18th century fashions for Rowland Winn. Nostell’s unique archive of letters, invoices and drawings will be on display, revealing the man behind the influential Chippendale brand, the inner workings of his one-stop-shop firm and the often challenging relationship between client and supplier.www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nostell

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3 Damien HirstYorkshire Sculpture Park, until September 29. This summer Yorkshire Sculpture International (YSI) will present seven major sculptures by Damien Hirst as part of the inaugural edition of the festival taking place across Leeds and Wakefield. Works will be shown outdoors in Leeds city centre, at Leeds Art Gallery and at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The Turner Prize-winning artist, who grew up in Leeds, will show Hymn (1999–2005) and Anatomy of an Angel (2008) outdoors in Leeds city centre and Black Sheep with Golden Horns (2009) at Leeds Art Gallery. Charity (2002–2003), Myth (2010), The Hat Makes the Man (2004–2007), and The Virgin Mother (2005–2006) will be shown at Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP).ysp.org.uk/exhibitions/damien-hirst

Educating Rita at Theatre Royal WakefieldEducating Rita at Theatre Royal Wakefield
Educating Rita at Theatre Royal Wakefield

4 Copleys Corn Maze and Fun ParkFarmer Copleys, Purston, Pontefract, July 20 - September 3 Visit Farmer Copleys this summer and enjoy the seven acre corn maze, jumping pillow, tractor wagon ride, corn slide, assault course, dino carts and much more with something for all of the family! Opens with the school holidays in July right through until the first week in September. Opens daily 10.30am – closes 5.30pm.www.farmercopleys.co.uk

5 Ossett Brewery ToursFriday and Saturday, July 19 and 20Are you fanatical about cask beer and fancy doing something a little different with your weekend? Ossett Brewery is sharing its passion for beer with the public on these tours of the brewery. You can have the opportunity to look behind the scenes, understand how the brewery developed from a tiny micro-brewery behind a pub and sample the freshest possible Ossett beer. The tour lasts around 45 minutes finishing in the brewery bar with the all important tasting and you can stay for a couple of drink in the bar afterwards. www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/ossett-brewery-19904482840

6 Educating RitaTheatre Royal Wakefield, until SaturdayWhen married hairdresser Rita enrols on a university course to expand her horizons, little does she realise where the journey will take her. Her tutor Frank is a frustrated poet, brilliant academic and dedicated drinker, who’s less than enthusiastic about taking Rita on, but the two soon realise how much they have to teach each other. Written by one of our greatest ever playwrights, Willy Russell, starring one of our best loved actors Stephen Tompkinson as Frank and introducing Jessica Johnson as Rita.www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk

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7 Outdoor Sculpture BuildingYorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, July 23Immerse yourself in an imaginative world of sculpture making. Work and play together to build sculptures inspired by artists in the Park. Stack, balance, join and arrange. Always outdoors, come rain, come shine is about playful making in the fresh air. Don’t forget your camera so you can capture your artwork on display at YSP.www.ysp.org.uk

The Lady Vanishes at Leeds Grand Theatre from MondayThe Lady Vanishes at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday
The Lady Vanishes at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday

8 The Lady VanishesLeeds Grand Theatre, July 22-27A new adaptation of the much-loved film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, a quick-witted and devilishly fun thriller ranked as one of the best British films of all time. Socialite Iris is travelling home to England on the train when an accident introduces her to the mild-mannered Miss Froy. After her travelling companion suddenly disappears, Iris is perplexed to find that all the other passengers deny ever having seen her. With the help of urbane musician Max she turns detective and together they become drawn into a complex web of European intrigue as they try to solve the mystery of why the lady vanished.www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

9 Seaside @ PitNational Coal Mining Museum for England, Caphouse Colliery, Overton, July 20 - September 1This summer, there’s so much to do at the National Coal Mining Museum you may need to visit twice! Up at Hope Pit, grab your bucket and spade and travel back in time to the 1960s to see how miners spent their summer holidays. Dig deep and uncover a summer of fun, enjoying beach games and learning what a treat it was to go on holiday. All through the summer holidays, not only will we have a huge sandpit for you to come and explore, but we will be welcoming donkeys, hosting summer crafts, delving into history with our living history interpreters and firing up the barbecue. So grab that bucket and spade and experience what is sure to be a thoroughly British summer event!www.ncm.org.uk

10 The Dog, the Cat, the Budgie and the DragonSt George’s Hall, Bradford, July 20A free family activity session with story telling, drawing and finger puppet making. Includes a 30 minute story telling session on stage featuring Zog (the dragon) and other animals from St George’s Hall’s performance history. www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

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