Summer holidays in Halifax: Piece Hall announces mela, roller disco, beach and more

The spectacular season of events has something for everyone, from fairground rides and art workshops to a dance weekender and roller skating.

Chief Executive Officer of The Piece Hall Charitable Trust, Nicky Chance-Thompson, said they have tried to make many of the events free to help people struggling with the riding cost of living.

“I’m incredibly proud of the programme we’ve put together this year," she said.

"The range of events we’re hosting is just brilliant and so many of them are free to enter. This is really important to us as we appreciate the cost of living is a huge challenge to many families right now.

“The Piece Hall prides itself on being a real cultural hub for the whole community and I believe we are delivering that this summer.

"With the mela, Pride, family fun days and artist-led craft sessions, as well as a high-energy weekend of dance music, there really is something for all the family.

"We can’t wait to welcome visitors from near and far to share the brilliant variety of entertainment we’ve got in store this summer at our incredibly special venue.”

The summer of events kicks off with the return of the Sandy Summer Daze Beach, which will be in the courtyard between Saturday, July 23 and Monday, August 1 between 10am and 5.15pm. Tickets must be booked but are free.

The giant courtyard will be transformed into a sandy beachfront, complete with deckchairs, buckets and spades, a colourful beach hut and games.

To celebrate Yorkshire Day, local talent will be performing live music in the courtyard on July 31 and August 1.

The popular Summer Makers Market returns from August 5 to August 7, showcasing some of the region’s favourite independent food and drink producers, artisan makers and pop-up street food.

Between August 9 and 16, The Piece Hall will welcome the Roller Rink for the first time, with two professional skaters on hand to get the novices moving and help more experienced skaters improve their skills.

The rink will be open for advanced bookings from 10am until 8pm daily, and the Friday and Saturday night will see the rink turned into a roller disco.

There will be plenty of dancing to be done when Ellie Sax and Friends perform on August 19, followed by a show from Dale Castell and his Our House Summer Special on August 20.

On August 27, the building will welcome the organisers of the biggest South Asian music and culture festival in Europe for The Piece Hall Mela.

The people behind Sandwell and Birmingham Mela are bringing the sights, sounds and spicy aromas of South Asia to Halifax, including music, dance, arts and crafts and family fun, to this free-to-enter event.

Bank Holiday Monday will mean a day of free traditional family fun with music, games and arts and crafts activities.

And on September 3, Calderdale Pride will take place at The Piece Hall from noon until 8pm, turning the courtyard rainbow-coloured with eight hours of amazing entertainment.

There will also be regular free drop-in art and craft workshops throughout the summer, led by respected local artists.

For more information and to book, visit The Piece Hall website.