Events and What's On across the Bradford district - February half-term
Yorkshire Games Festival
 Monday, 10 February - Sunday, 23 February at National Science and Media Museum
Join us for an extravaganza of games culture, design and production as we celebrate all things gaming across two weeks of exciting activity.
On Saturday, 15 February, come down to the National Science and Media Museum for Wifi Wars, the live comedy game show where everyone gets to play along. Audience members just need to log in with their smartphone or tablet to compete in a range of challenges and win prizes.
Half-term activities at Bradford Libraries
 Sunday, 16 February - Friday, 21 February at Bradford district libraries
FREE
This February half-term, your local library is your adventure hub!
Enjoy thrilling drama performances, interactive storytelling sessions that bring characters to life, and exciting art workshops for all ages—create bookmarks or design your own books.
Dive into our game zones filled with board games and puzzles for hours of fun and friendly competition. Join us for a week of laughter, learning, and unforgettable memories. The library is the place to be—where every day is an adventure.
Sid Has Lost His Beat
 Tuesday, 18 February (11am - 3pm) at Cliffe Castle
FREE
Join Richard O’Neill, storyteller and dancing doll maker for this very special making and music event.
Design and make your very own dancing doll and write a rap to get Sid dancing again.
You can enjoy making, storytelling and drumming.
Visiting Choir from Great St Mary's
 Sunday, 16 February (10.30am - 11.45am) at Bradford Cathedral
FREE (booking essential)
The Church of St Mary the Great is the University Church of the City of Cambridge. The choir is made up of children and youths drawn from local schools who join together with adult volunteers to sing at least three choral services each week during the school term. The choir is directed by Bradford Cathedral’s former Director of Music, Alexander Berry
On Tuesday, 18 February (10am - 3pm) Families are invited to enjoy free activities during the half-term holiday as Bradford Cathedral welcomes the spring with nature-inspired crafts, flowers, and woodland creatures, while celebrating Bradford’s role as the 2025 City of Culture.
In addition to these activities, there will be colouring, quizzes, and family-friendly guided tours at 11am and 2pm. Visitors are also welcome to explore the Cathedral at their own pace with a self-guided tour.
Guided walks
 Scenic walks taking place across the district:
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Bingley circular walk (Saturday, 8 February | 12.30pm - 4pm) - 'Bingley Walkers are Welcome' will lead a moderate 6.5-mile circular walk through the scenic Harden Valley, exploring its many wooded areas. The route will pass through Ruin Bank Woods, a hilly conifer plantation, the picturesque village of Rycroft, and the beautiful St. Ives Estate—just a short distance from Bingley, which is easily accessible by train and bus.
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Bracken Hall countryside walk (Tuesday, 18 February | 3pm) - Starting at Bracken Hall Countryside Centre, John will delight you with the Bronze Age and WW2 sites that are hidden on Shipley Glen and Baildon Moor 4 Miles. Please ensure that appropriate footwear and clothing are worn on the day.
Witch Trial
 Wednesday, 19 February (11am - 3pm) at Bolling Hall
FREE (booking essential)
Come and take part in a witch trial – you will decide her fate.
Visitors can explore the collections to see the artefacts that people used in Bradford to protect themselves from witchcraft.
Who Am I?
 Thursday, 20 February (11am - 3pm) at Cartwright Hall
FREE
Get ready to unleash your creativity at Cartwright Hall’s Family Fun Day.
Come dressed in your favourite costume and dive into drawing. You’ll create your own unique self-portrait and show everyone who you really are!
Best of all, it’s free and a drop-in event. Gather your family and friends for a day of fun and self-expression. We can’t wait to see your amazing creations.
Meet the Vicious Victorians at the Mill
 Friday, 21 February (11am - 3pm) at Bradford Industrial Museum
FREE
Take part in a Victorian classroom experience, work in the mills and meet the residents of Gaythorne Lane.
What else is happening?
LGBTQ+ History Month events
 Bradford District is once again celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month with organisations from across the district hosting a number of events.
LGBTQ+ History Month aims to bring together people to celebrate LGTBQ+ history and heritage and to help us learn from each other’s personal experiences.
This year’s theme is Activism and Social Change. The five historical figures being celebrated in 2025 are Octavia Hill, Ivor Cummings, Annie Kenney, Charlie Kiss and Olaudah Equiano.
David Hockney: Pieced Together
 Until Sunday, 18 May at National Science and Media Museum
FREE
Explore the pioneering use of film and photography by world-renowned Bradford-born artist David Hockney in this new exhibition.
The exhibition features Hockney's video installation The Four Seasons: Woldgate Woods and draws connections to his early ‘joiner’ photocollages, including one created at the museum in 1985, which shows the building in its early days as the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.
Fighting to be Heard
 Until Sunday, 27 April (10am - 4pm) at Cartwright Hall
FREE
The ancient art of calligraphy and the noble art of boxing are an unlikely pairing, but they share a surprising amount of common ground. This free exhibition explores connections between the two disciplines through the eyes of a group of British South Asian Muslim men living in Bradford today.
Fighting to Be Heard also features the men’s personal stories and their reactions to the collections – offering fascinating new perspectives on these objects.
On Saturday, 8 February join acclaimed Calligrapher Razwan Ul-Haq in this workshop where you will explore the early Qur’an manuscripts on display in the exhibition Fighting to be Heard, then take part in a practical calligraphy session based on the scripts you have seen.
Heritage Craft Workshop: Stained Glass
 Saturday, 8 February (11.30am - 3.30pm) at Cliffe Castle
Tickets: £10
A practical session to introduce beginners to copper foil stained glass making. Led by Samantha Yates, who runs Lil' Rabbit Foot Stained Glass.
This workshop will include the basic techniques of glass cutting, copper foiling and soldering. You will use these techniques to create your own stained glass suncatcher to take home. This workshop is limited to just 10 places.
Beacon of Hope
 Monday, 10 February - Tuesday, 4 March (10am - 4pm) at Bradford Cathedral
FREE
This exhibition showcases the creative voices of students from Carlton Bolling School, young people whose art reflects the diverse and dynamic life in Bradford, an intercultural and interfaith city. Many of these students, primarily from Muslim backgrounds, are presenting their work to the public for the first time, offering a unique opportunity to see the world through their eyes.
In partnership with the Cathedral, this initiative not only opens doors to the arts for these students but also provides a powerful insight into their resilience, strength, and hope. It serves as a prophetic testament to their experiences and aspirations as they navigate their paths toward creative futures.
The public is also invited to join the opening event on Monday, 10 February and the presentation event on Wednesday, 26 February.
Lau Lau Learning at Bradford Libraries
 Tuesday, 11 February - Tuesday, 18 March (various times) at Manningham Library and Keighley Library
FREE
Bradford Libraries is hosting Songdrawing sessions for children aged 3-5, where they can sing, move, draw, dance, and play together. These engaging sessions, based on the innovative Lau Lau Learning method from Finland, combine music, art, drama, and movement to support creativity, social skills, and cross-curricular learning.
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