Here’s how to cheer up your blue Monday with 11 great events to look forward to in Doncaster in 2019..

Visit Doncaster has unveiled its fun-packed line-up for this year, designed to appeal to everyone.  The official opening of the refurbished Wool Market will kick off the action with two great events over March 30 and 31.  Saturday will see a host of different entertainers perform in the new look space, while on Sunday the square will be transformed into a magical Mother’s Day Garden.

Visitors can bring their mums to experience the re-vamped Wool Market, that will open during the day and into the evening, six days a week, with an exceptional choice of food and drink.  Every Friday from April to September will see a brand new opener to the weekend, with ‘Friday Night Live at the Wool Market’ showing off the thriving live music and entertainment scene in the town centre.

Friday Night Live will be a late afternoon, early evening event that leads in to the weekend.  And May is set to be a huge month in Doncaster, with big events for your diary.   On May 2 is the start of the Tour de Yorkshire, that will create a real buzz in the Market Square. The route involves a full tour of town centre streets before heading over St George’s Bridge and weaving its way out of the borough.

From Friday to Monday, following the tour, visitors can see the other three stages of this world-class cycle race on a large screen in the Market.

At night it will transform into a free, open-air cinema to create a magical bank holiday weekend of fun.  May 17-19 also sees the very popular Delicious Doncaster Food and Drink Festival return.

This year, leading celebrity chef and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Simon Rimmer, and Great British Bake Off Winner Candice Brown will showcase their culinary skills.

The event includes local chefs and foodies, town centre trails and a huge number of quality food and drink stalls.  Steampunk is back at the end of May and as we move into the summer months, on June 29, the Armed Forces Day celebrations take place in the town centre.   July is Culture month with a range of events, and the colourful Dragon Boat Racing makes a big splash at Lakeside on July 13.  The 13th Doncaster Pride event is on August 17. It’s one of the biggest and flamboyant events in the diary.

On August 18, the Square Roots Music Festival brings country, folk and roots music to the heart of the town.  September looks busy as always.  It’s the finale of the Friday Night Live season which will see Market Square transformed into the very first ‘DN1 Live’ music event on September 7 and 8.Sunday,

 This festival of music will promote entertainment over an epic weekend of live music.

The iconic St Leger Festival takes place from September 11-14, and we round off the month with more top cycling by hosting the start of races for the 2019 UCI Road World Championships on September 27.  Coun Mordue continued: “Our events plan for 2019 is wide and varied providing something for all ages and tastes.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors to our events and showcasing why Doncaster is such a great place. It’s going to be an exceptional year.”  Full details of all the events can be found at www.visitdoncaster.com