Food, folk and film: The best festivals to visit in Sheffield

Home of the Artic Monkeys, Human League and Heaven 17, Sheffield has always had an exciting music scene. Tramlines is the city’s flagship festival and the award-winning event is a must for music lovers everywhere.

From R&B to indie and grime, the big-name music acts are varied and international. The festival takes place every July in venues and parks across the city with the main stage at Ponderosa Park. Extra entertainment and a wealth of street food stalls are provided courtesy of the Tramlines fringe programme and all help to keep the whole city buzzing every summer. <o:p></o:p>

One third of Sheffield is in the Peak District National Park and the city is a natural gateway for a range of outdoor pursuits.

The rest of the country has recently begun to take more notice of this fact, and the city now plays host to the new Three-day Outdoor City Weekender Festival.

The event, which is usually held in March, includes cycling, climbing, running and mountain biking competitions, all in and around Sheffield’s stunning countryside. There are also events in the town centre with city orienteering and yoga in the plant-filled Winter Garden glasshouse.  <o:p></o:p>

On the last bank holiday in May the city’s central parks and squares become a rainbow of colourful marquees and stalls that are part of the Sheffield Food Festival.

Now over seven years old, the festival is a foodie’s delight. The city’s best restaurant chefs give pop-up cooking demonstrations and it’s a great opportunity to pick up tips as well as a few groceries.

At the artisan food market there are food producers selling everything from local honey to not-so-local fiery chilli potions. A wide choice of street food is available and the choices range from pie and mash to jerk chicken and Lebanese flatbreads. <o:p></o:p>

Sheffield Folk Sessions Festival is a celebration of grass roots traditional music. The event takes place over a weekend in April across seven Real Ale Pubs (known as the Ale Vale) in this friendly Yorkshire city. The festival is relatively informal and fun, and many of the UK folk scene’s big names take part in sessions and sing-alongs – with audience participation always encouraged. <o:p></o:p>

Film buffs and documentary enthusiasts flock to this cultural event that features hundreds of new films by both established and rising stars – with smart phone filmmakers rubbing shoulders with Oscar winners.

The range of films is always impressive, but the festival also features regular talks given by well-known writers, directors and actors. There is also a Virtual Reality Arcade, and an exhibition of art and gaming.

The Doc/Fest takes place over six days in June in The Showroom and Workstation, Paternoster Row, as well as other smaller venues across the city of Sheffield.<o:p></o:p>