Merrion Street Festival: opening times, street food, cocktails and where to park at the August bank holiday event

As we come to the end of festival season, the much-loved bars and restaurants of Merrion Street and The Grand Arcade have banded together for a day of live music, tasty food and delicious cocktails. This weekend marks the return of the bank holiday festival after it had been cancelled as a result of the pandemic. Here is everything you need to know about this weekend's Merrion Street Festival. What can I expect from the festival? Party-goers will be able to try out all the different bars along the Merrion Street stretch, tasting a range of fresh cocktails from Manahatta and Liv bar and sipping bourbon and tequila from Mean Eyed Cat and Verve. Over at The Grand Arcade the party continues, with a range of delicious gins available to try from the likes of Tailors Speakeasy and Domino. There is plenty of outdoor seating available along Merrion Street, so crowds can sit back and enjoy the bank holiday sunshine as they drink away. For a dose of musical entertainment, recently rebranded Casa Columbia are hosting traditional Latino dancing, with Santiago Bar's open mic situated a door down. Domino are providing their usual live jazz and DJs will be playing the festival all day long. On top of quality entertainment and cocktails to quench attendees' thirst, Thai favourites Zaap Thai and chicken vendor Yard and Coop are on call till late to keep the hunger at bay. When is it? The festival starts at noon on 29 August with participating bars open till late. Restaurant Zaap Thai closes at 10pm and Yard and Coop close at midnight. Is it free? Merrion Street Festival is free to attend, and festival-goers do not need to book tickets in advance for the event. Where can I park? There are several car parks available near Merrion Street listed below: Q-Park St. Johns Centre CitiPark Merrion Centre Templar Street Car Park Leeds Arena Car Park Find out more about the festival on the Merrion Street Festival Facebook page. Support the YEP and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news and the latest on Leeds United, With a digital subscription, you see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.