The Celebrate Headingley festival is organised by local residents and after 12 years of festival fun, it has helped heal a community.
The festival, which is now in its twelfth year, will include a barbecue, an arts and crafts fair and children’s activities.
Over the years, the much-loved festival has changed shape.
It was originally launched in 2001 to help fund a £2,000 legal bill after the pressure group Headingley Network lost a battle against a liquor licence for The Box on Otley Road.
Organiser Rachel Harkess said: “So many people supported the events and gave donations that we paid off the court costs and still had money in the bank so we could continue fighting other licences.
“People kept saying it was really good and we were celebrating the variety and talent and creative people that live here.
“We wanted to have lots of events going on over one weekend but little by little these events have become big in their own right and are now held at different times of the year.”
The festival was such a success that the arts and crafts markets are now held three times a year, the poetry readings led to the launch of the Headingley Lit Fest in March and music recitals were so popular that the Headingley Jazz Festival was set up.
Rachel added: “It all happened around the time the right to buy legislation changed and houses started getting bought up for rent.
“Families were leaving every week.
“The main problem wasn’t the students, it was the landlords.
“People felt so desolate at losing all of their neighbours and being on a street where no children were playing.
“Five primary schools were closed in this area because so many families left for Chapel Allerton or Adel.
“It felt so terrible that we had to support each other as a community and show that we do still exist and make it a nice area for families to move back into.
“When you’ve brought up your children here like I have, you feel a certain loyalty to the area.”
Coun Neil Walshaw (Lab, Headingley) said: “Celebrate Headingley is excellent and helps bring disparate parts of the community together, which is really important.
“When it started, it was a very divided community but over the years, events like this have helped bring everyone together.
“There is a strong, vibrant, intelligent and articulate community here and it is worth celebrating.”
On Saturday, the arts and crafts market will take place from 10am to 4pm at the HEART Centre.
A children’s afternoon will be held in the HEART garden from noon to 2pm.
The barbecue at the New Headingley Club will be held on Sunday, from 4pm to 8pm, with music from North Leeds Jazz Orchestra.
Tickets cost £6 on the door.
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