Celebrations are sweeping across the Bradford district today and throughout the weekend as Yorkshire Day marks its most ambitious festivities yet, with Bradford and Ilkley joining forces as co-hosts for the first time in the event’s history. The unprecedented partnership comes as Bradford celebrates its prestigious year as UK City of Culture 2025.
Held annually on 1 August and led by the Yorkshire Society, Yorkshire Day celebrates the county’s rich heritage, history, landscape, culture and people. This morning, mayors and dignitaries from across Yorkshire gathered at Bradford City Hall before proceeding to Ilkley for the traditional civic celebrations.
The festivities reached their pinnacle at noon when spectators joined Ilkley’s Town Crier, Isabel Ashman, for a rousing rendition of the unofficial Yorkshire anthem “On Ilkla Moor Baht ‘at” following the Yorkshire Day Proclamation. The tradition, observed every Yorkshire Day, took place on The Grove with what organisers described as potentially “the largest mayoral gathering in the world”.
Lord Mayor Welcomes Historic Partnership
Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Mohammed Shafiq, expressed his enthusiasm for the unique collaboration. “We are thrilled to be co-hosting this day alongside Ilkley,” he said. “Not only do we have the honour of celebrating our wonderful county, but we do so when the district is celebrating our year as UK City of Culture 2025.”
The Lord Mayor emphasised the weekend’s extensive programme of events, urging residents and visitors to participate in the celebrations. “There are a number of events to enjoy on the day and over the weekend so please have a look at what is happening and take part,” he added.
Yorkshire Society Chief Executive Philip Bell praised Bradford’s integration of the celebrations with its City of Culture activities. “We are delighted Bradford wants to make the Yorkshire Day Civic Celebration a key part of its UK City of Culture 2025 activities,” Bell stated. “Our official civic celebration event has grown year on year and is now an important part of the Yorkshire calendar. I am sure Bradford will make Yorkshire Day 2025 a genuine day to remember.”
Star-Studded Yorkshire Calling Concert
Tonight’s highlight will be the Yorkshire Calling concert at Bradford Live, marking the venue’s first official concert following its £50 million ($65 million) refurbishment. The star-studded line-up includes Welsh singer Aled Jones, celebrated poet and playwright Ian McMillan, the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, and Leeds International Piano Festival finalist Yuanfan Yang.
A particularly unique element of the evening will be the performance by the Bantam of the Opera choir, featuring Bradford City fans who have been taught to sing opera as part of the City of Culture celebrations. The choir, which includes football legend Chris Kamara, has received support from Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, opera singer Lesley Garrett, and the BBC Singers.
Kamara, who played for and managed Bradford City, expressed his excitement about the performance. It’s been an incredible journey to date with Bantam of the Opera, performing at Valley Parade and even on the Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2. Now to be part of the first concert at Bradford Live, singing with Aled again, it’s unbelievable!”
Musical Programme Celebrates Northern Heritage
Under the baton of Ben Crick, the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra will perform “A Northern Score”, featuring poems written and narrated by Ian McMillan that celebrate influential northerners through the ages, set to an original score composed by Crick.
Aled Jones, whose wife hails from Keighley, shared his enthusiasm for the event: “I’m so pleased to be part of such a historic occasion in Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture. I’d like to think of myself as something of an honorary Yorkshireman as my wife is Keighley born and bred, so it’s always nice to come back to my family’s second home and even better to do so and perform.
The concert will feature a special moment as Kamara and Jones reprise their duet from their appearance on ITV’s Britain Get Singing, adding an extra layer of nostalgia to the evening’s entertainment.
Rock and Comedy Join the Celebrations
The festivities extend beyond classical performances, with Graham Oliver’s Army headlining the Monsters of Yorkshire Rock gig at Nightrain tonight. Tony Wright, lead singer with Bradford legends Terrorvision, will provide support for what promises to be a thunderous celebration of Yorkshire’s rock heritage.
The diverse programming reflects Bradford’s commitment to showcasing the full spectrum of Yorkshire culture during its City of Culture year, from opera to rock music, traditional civic ceremonies to contemporary entertainment.
Weekend of Community Celebrations
The celebrations continue throughout the weekend, with Ilkley hosting three days of live music, food, drink, poetry, drama, and street art. The Clarke Foley Community Hub will host a Yorkshire Beer Festival on Friday and Saturday, showcasing breweries from across the county.
Tomorrow, Baildon will join the festivities with family-friendly Yorkshire Day celebrations in its town centre from 10.30am to 4pm, ensuring communities across the district can participate in marking this special occasion.
Transport Made Easy
To encourage participation, Northern Rail has announced a special ticket price of just £1.80 for travel between Ilkley and Bradford when booked in advance for Yorkshire Day, making it easier for residents and visitors to enjoy events across both locations.
Historic Venue Opens Its Doors
The Yorkshire Calling concert marks a significant milestone for Bradford Live, the former Odeon cinema building that has undergone extensive renovation. After more than a decade of work and recent complications involving the original operator NEC Group, who paid £5.3 million to withdraw from their agreement, the venue now stands ready under new management by Trafalgar Entertainment.
The 3,800-seat venue represents one of the biggest regeneration schemes in Bradford city centre and its opening during the City of Culture year adds extra significance to tonight’s celebrations.
Looking Ahead
This year marks the third time Bradford has hosted Yorkshire Day celebrations, having previously done so in 1997 and 2005. However, the co-hosting arrangement with Ilkley, home of the famous “On Ilkla Moor Baht ‘at”, represents a new chapter in the event’s history.
As the weekend unfolds, the partnership between Bradford and Ilkley showcases the collaborative spirit that defines Yorkshire, bringing together urban and rural communities in a celebration that spans traditional civic ceremonies, contemporary arts, and popular culture.
For more information on events taking place locally as part of Yorkshire Day, residents and visitors are encouraged to visit www.visitbradford.com/whats-on/yorkshire-day and itsoninbradford.co.uk.
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Image Credit:
This is a licensed photograph used in cropped form:
- Yorkshire Day decorations on Old Town Hall, Pontefract (10th August 2023) – Description: Yorkshire Day decorations on Old Town Hall, Pontefract, photograph by Mtaylor848, taken at 21:00–21:01 BST on 10 August 2023, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution‑ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY‑SA 4.0)
