Welcome to March in Otley, where we Spring forward into the new season with a month packed with events, from soul nights at the Whitakers Arms to what we’re pretty sure is Otley’s first ever drag quiz at the Black Horse with the inimitable Sue Pertrouper. Here then is what you can look forward to in March 2025 in Otley. 

Whitakers birthday celebrations
Not one, but two big events at the Whitakers Arms on Kirkgate this month. On Saturday March 1st soul king Dab Burnett will be tickling the ivories from 9pm for a night of soul, blues, acoustic and classics. The following weekend, the new Whitakers team celebrate their first anniversary in charge with live music from Jack McKnight, plus flowing drinks, plenty of laughs, and good vibes all around.

Open mics and Folk at the Farrier
Otley’s brilliant music scene continues year-round and the Horse & Farrier on Bridge Street is a key venue thanks to the work of Otley brewer and music aficionado Paul Briscoe. He hosts his popular open mic night every Thursday. Head down for great music, good company and a few drinks in a relaxed atmosphere. The fun starts at 8pm. Paul also puts on the brilliant, regular Folk at the Farrier nights. And this month the fab Filkin’s Drift are headlining on Friday March 21st. The duo reimagine traditional melodies through pizzicato grooves, intricate guitar tunes, and boundless improvisation, while their recent 870 mile foot-powered-tour, was called “committed and fascinating” by BBC 6 Music’s Cerys Matthews. All that walking and playing has really propelled them into the spotlight.

Wine and tapas pairings
This month sees two more Tapas & Wine Pairing Adventures at Tapas & Tunes. This time the theme is Portuguese Road Trip. On Wednesday and Thursday March 12th and 13th, David from popular Otley wine shop Chez Vin will be taking diners through Portuguese wines as they tuck into a five-course tapas menu. Tickets cost £42 per person.

Mountain movie fest
The London Mountain Film Festival Comes To Otley on Thursday March 13th at the Courthouse. In partnership with Otley Film Society the festival is bringing a whole host of short films about the great outdoors to the town’s legendary arthouse venue. The evening will begin with the history of Everest expeditions going back to 1924 and up to its centenary in 2024. Other films cover various activities from extreme snowboarding to street cycling to crossing Lewis in a canoe.

Tour de France tour de force
Back when the Tour de Yorkshire was in its heyday, ITV4 commentators called us ‘the cycling capital of the UK). Little wonder then that ITV Tour de France commentator Matt Rendell’s talk at the Courthouse on Wednesday March 19th is already sold out. If you can bag a return, Matt will be sharing stories from his 25 years’ covering the Tour and you can learn all about his dealings with cycling’s big names from Eddy Merckx to Bradley Wiggins, and Mark Cavendish to Chris Froome.

Jane Austen – speedy style
On Saturday and Sunday March 22nd and 23rd, there are two performances of The Complete Works Of Jane Austen (Abridged) at Otley Courthouse. Head to the theatre for a fun, funny, and fast-paced romp through the masterpieces of Jane Austen. The show sees three nimble actors take on all of Austen’s beloved heroines, friends, and love interests – and her incisive social satire – in just 80 minutes.

Sue’s Big Drag Quiz
In what is surely a first for Otley, the fab Sue Pertrouper will be hosting the Big Drag Quiz at the Black Horse on Wednesday March 26th from 7.30pm. Bag tickets in advance for this raucous show with big prizes and big laughs.

Not one but two Farmers’ Markets
Otley Farmers’ Market’s success continues now it’s gone twice a month. The first event in March will be on Sunday March 9th with the second on Sunday March 30th in the more traditional end-of-the-month slot. The stalls will be up and running from 9am to 1pm. On the 30th, you can also pop down to the Courthouse from 10am for their craft fair.

That’s it for this month then… we’ll see you next time!

The Visit Otley Team

For information on all these and other great events in the Otley calendar, see https://www.visitotley.co.uk/whats-on/calendar/