From kites and balloons to art and music, Bristol has a varied programme of festivals to enjoy.
Bristol is certainly a city that likes to party! No matter what time of year you choose to visit this vibrant, friendly city, you can be sure of finding something exciting happening during your visit to Bristol. At Christmas, the locals get into the yuletide spirit with celebrations galore, and no year goes by without a few one-off special events popping up across the city. What’s more, there is a much-loved annual calendar of regular, established Bristol festivals that locals look forward to and tourists travel to, to indulge in the festival spirit, South-West style.
Kite Flying Festival
The Bristol Kite Festival is a free, council-run two-day event that has been a firm favourite in the Bristol festival calendar for over 25 years, regularly pulling in huge crowds of over 30,000 people. After a move from the Ashton Court site to a new setting in Durdham Downs in 2015, it was decided to make this incredibly popular festival a bi-annual event. Kites from the UK and all over the world fly in to create stunning displays and even battle it out against each other as their owners compete to display their flying prowess with breath-taking results for spectators.
Foodies’ Fiesta
May is guaranteed to be a delicious time in Bristol when the annual Foodies Festival comes to the Bristol Downs for three days of tasty treats led by an impressive team of local, celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs. The itinerary changes every year, but past experiences have included chilli-eating competitions, baking workshops, a drinks theatre and vintage tea tent, as well as all the usual chances to sample excellent cuisine, watch cookery demonstrations and pick up tips from the event’s talented chefs. Throw live music and plenty of kid-friendly activities into the mixture and you have a foolproof recipe for fun for food lovers of all ages.
Beer in Bristol
As a hip, modern city Bristol has been at the forefront of the resurgence of the British craft beer industry that’s been the driving force behind many an exciting new bar opening in the city. The recently established Bristol Beer Week offers a new generation of beer aficionados the chance to take part in a brewery trail, be a brewer for the day and, of course, sample the very best Bristol beer has to offer. In addition to this, the long established CAMRA Bristol Beer Festival has been a date for the real ale lover’s diary in March for almost twenty years.
By the Harbourside
Thanks to its local sponsor, Weston’s Crafted Cider, the Bristol Harbour Festival that comes to the city for three days every July, tends to come with a fizzy, appley flavour. This festival is a colourful, vibrant celebration of both the city’s diverse residents and its rich cultural heritage. Music and dance are at the heart of this huge party, and there are always lots of circus, theatre, music, craft and play activities laid on to keep families happy. And because it’s the Bristol Harbour Festival, there are also lots of nautical events going on to watch and take part in. In fact, the festival began in 1971 when Bristol boat owners gathered to stage a successful protest to prevent the docks being filled in!
Beautiful Balloons
There’s no prettier sight than a hot air balloon in the sky on a sunny afternoon, so imagine how spectacular the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is when over 150 hot air balloons from all over the world take to the skies over a four day festival at Ashton Court Estate every August. This much-anticipated family event is free apart from parking charges, and incorporates great food and drink stalls, fairground rides and other entertainment too. No one who attends can ever forget the magical sight of 25 glowing hot air balloons floating skywards at dusk for the nightglow event which is followed by a stunning firework finale.
