OPINION: Harrogate is blessed with an enviable calendar of leisure events - Gemma Rio, Destination Harrogate

Why? Well thanks to funding from ERDF and HM Government, we are creating a family-friendly event called Our Planet, Your World that will see free events and activities taking place right across the District.

The event celebrates the planet that we live on and the ways we can protect it, while also driving footfall into our high streets and town centres to support our local businesses.

Head to the Visit Harrogate website for all the details!

In Harrogate District we are blessed with an enviable calendar of leisure events, from the Great Yorkshire Show to Knaresborough Bed Race, the Masham Sheep Fair to Harrogate’s Flower Shows.

We really do have something to suit everyone.

We are also incredibly lucky to have reputable event organisers right on our doorstep, like the team at Harrogate International Festivals, who have some amazing plans for this year including the return of the Speigeltent to Crescent Gardens this July.

I also happen to know they have some exciting news coming soon about another brilliant event in Valley Gardens - look out for that!

2022 is also set to welcome an array of business events.

The thing we love most about business events is not only seeing an immediate benefit from those visitors filling our hotels and restaurants during the event - but we also have a strong track record for impressing those business delegates so much that they come back with their friends and family for a leisure visit at a later date.

In fact, 88 per cent of business delegates surveyed by Visit Britain said they were likely to return to Harrogate District for a leisure visit following a business event.

No other destination in the UK has such a strong response to this question.

Which isn’t surprising really.

Where else can you attend a conference, embedded in a spa town, surrounded by history, heritage and culture, and a short drive away from a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an AONB?

Our Events Harrogate team exists to help attract, facilitate and coordinate exceptional events for Harrogate District.

One of the main reasons we do this is to drive visitors into the District to spend money in our venues, hotels, visitor attractions, restaurants and shops.

As well as this, we know that a vibrant events calendar enhances quality of life for our residents and makes Harrogate District a more attractive place to invest.

One of the ways our team will attract new business events is by showcasing Harrogate District, alongside venue and accommodation partners, at a number of trade events targeting event organisers this year.

This includes Confex in March, the Corporate Hospitality Show in May and The Meetings Show in June.

As well as this we are currently building a new Events Harrogate website which will showcase Harrogate District to event organisers.

It will help them find venues, event spaces, accommodation providers and a variety of other suppliers that will ultimately make it easier for them to choose our great district as the destination for their next event.

Safe to say, we have a busy few months ahead!