Looking for something fun to do this summer? We’ve already covered Bristol’s food festivals, but there are so many more massive events happening in the city. Here are 6 of the biggest upcoming festivals to add to your diary!
Bristol Pride
2nd – 15th July
Pride is a two-week extravaganza to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, and there will be dozens of events and parties happening throughout the city. The biggest of them – Pride Day – will be held on Saturday 14th July, and will feature the annual Pride Parade through the city centre, finishing up at the Harbourside for a day of dance, cabaret, drag, and music from loads of artists including Alexandra Burke!
St Paul’s Carnival
Saturday 7th July
Bristol’s first ever carnival has been going since 1968, and this year it’s back after a four-year hiatus. This vibrant celebration of African Caribbean culture will take over St Paul’s for a day, with a procession of carnival floats and costumes through the streets. There will be judging of the best costumes, as well as music, dancing and plenty of food. This year will be the 50th anniversary of the event, so it promises to be bigger than ever!
Harbour Festival
20th – 22nd July
Drawing crowds of up to 250,000 people each year, Harbour Festival is Bristol’s biggest annual event. All along the Harbourside there will be food stalls, markets, and stages for music, dancing and circus acts. There’ll be plenty of fun happening on the water too, including water displays, boat races and even dog-rescue demonstrations! If you’re looking for a full day of fun with the family, Harbour Festival has loads to offer.
Upfest
28th – 30th July
If you’re a fan of Bristol’s street art, then you’ll love Upfest, Europe’s largest street art and graffiti festival, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year in Bedminster and Southville. Dozens of street artists will be showing off their skills on the walls of various venues, and there will also be the opportunity to buy some of the art, or even have a go yourself! Of course, there will be food and music too, and volunteers will be collecting for the National Association for the Children of Alcoholics.
International Balloon Fiesta
9th – 12th August
It’s not unusual to see a hot air balloon or two hovering over the city of Bristol, but each year Ashton Court plays host to the Balloon Fiesta, Europe’s largest gathering of hot air balloons. If you want to see the more than 130 balloons that will be at the event, you can go along to Ashton Court for a weekend of food, crafts and entertainment. There’s even a light and fireworks show on the Thursday and the Saturday, and even better – entry is free!
The Downs Festival
Saturday 1st September
If you need some music to round off your summer, the Downs Festival, held at Clifton Downs in September, could be just what you’re looking for. This year Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will be headlining, and there will also be performances by Paul Weller, Orbital, Goldie and Laid Blak, and a DJ set by Basement Jaxx. This event is a great way to see the summer out in style.
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Image sources:
Colour festival by Maxime Bhm on Unsplash
Balloons by ian dooley on Unsplash
