The start of the new year can leave many people choosing to spend less money in January as their wallets recover from the festive period.
The are lots of events going on around the Wakefield area, however, that people can look forward to – completely for free.
The summer will see the return of the Clarence Park Festival – a free music festival held each year in Clarence Park, Wakefield – which will showcase an eclectic line-up of 22 acts.
In February, a free live music performance will come to Wakefield’s St Austin’s Theatre, centred around a song cycle specially written for the Wakefield area.
Pontefract Racecourse is offering free entry to OAPs in April, and continuing their offer for under 18s to enter for free.
Various free events are taking place in the Wakefield, Castleford, and Pontefract museums, and Wakefield’s annual celebration of rhubarb – the Rhubarb Festival – is set to return in February.
Click through the gallery to see the free events not to be missed in 2025.
1. Free upcoming events in and around Wakefield in 2025
Free lunchtime concerts: Wakefield Cathedral continues its free lunchtime concert series. Booking is not required, and performances take place at 1pm on Tuesdays. Some of the upcoming performances include St Austin’s Church Choir, Nova Quartet, Ackworth School Instrumentalists, and Leeds Conservatoire. Picture: Scott Merrylees Photo: Scott Merrylees
2. Free upcoming events in and around Wakefield in 2025
Explore Wakefield's arts and culture: Wakefield's Artwalk returns on January 29. Artwalk Wakefield is a celebration of arts, heritage and culture which takes place on the final Wednesday of every two months. Plan out a route using the Artwalk Wakefield website to explore all of the participating venues and discover some hidden gems in the city. Picture: John Clifton Photo: John Clifton
3. Free upcoming events in and around Wakefield in 2025
Free family events at National Coal Mining Museum: The museum has lots of free, upcoming events to get involved in, including a guided photography walk, led by the museum's expert photography volunteer, starting in January. Other activities include the continuation of the museum's heritage walks, a Graham Ibbeson sculpture trail, and 'Wacky Wednesdays' and 'Stay and Play' for the little ones. Visit the museum's website for more information. Picture: Tony Johnson Photo: Tony Johnson
4. Free upcoming events in and around Wakefield in 2025
Art exhibitions: The Art House in Wakefield is hosting several free art exhibitions, including Zarah Hussain's 'Paradise Carpet', which ends on February 22, and 'Nature:Sensory', which runs from January 14 to February 1. The 'Our Turn' exhibition, brought by the Seaglass Collective - a charity which celebrates the creative achievements of adopted children and adoptive parents across Yorkshire - runs from Saturday, January 11 to February 8. Photo: Google Photo: Google