Bristol's Festival Scene

Bristol festivals draw huge crowds year on year - from commercially run events like Tokyo World Festival in Eastville park to free (and community minded) events like Trinity Garden Party and St. Paul's carnival. There are a string of multi-venue festivals (in the style of Sonar in Barcelona) around the Stokes Croft area including Simple Things and Rave on Avon. Simple Things has expanded somewhat in the last few years and taken over the city's flagship venue, Colston Hall.

As well as music festivals, Bristol's deep historical connection to street art is celebrated in day events like Upfest. Centred around the recently created (and unofficial) street art district - North Street - you can spend the day watching apartment blocks getting a new lick of paint from head to toe. Truly a festival not to be missed!

Buy tickets for festival events in Bristol

Our recent festival recommendations

Sell out warning! Prudes beware, Ourgasm wants you to part with your trash opinions about sexual health, sex workers and just general sex in the funnest, naughtiest most laid-back way possible. Bristol’s first Sex Positive festival returns to entertain and educate in equal measures with workshops, DJs, leather couture and erotic baked goods from local creatives. OURGASM SEX- POSITIVE FESTIVAL 18+ EVENT at Lakota Gardens.

A veritable breeding ground of people-powered leftist politics across 2 days of workshops, progressive talks and activities. Have your idea-starved mind readily expanded with sessions on everything from the Bristol Apartheid Free Zone, madness in capitalism, the politics of football + much much more. Bristol Transformed Festival 2025 at The Trinity Centre.

Sell out warning! The jewel in the crown of Bristol’s first literary festival celebrating the art of translation! In this exclusive session, Booker Prize shortlisted translators come together to discuss the challenges of cross-cultural meaning and the beauty of language, alongside a selection of readings and Q&As. International Booker Prize Translators' Showcase at The Station.

Max Porter’s melding of freeform poetry with kinetic prose in experimental masterworks like Grief Is A Thing mark him as the most gifted stylists of the decade. But how do you teach a crow Dutch? Porter leads a singular discussion with two of his closest translators, illuminating the depth of collaboration and artistry needed to give these works fidelity on the international scene. Translating the Porterverse at The Station.

What our editors say

“Unlike a traditional festival where you turn up and spectate; at Come Bye you’re invited to be an active participant and get involved in any way you want. The festival is built on contributions and each year is unique as the programme depends on you, the attendees and what you decide to bring.”
From: Come Bye 2025

“Bringing together marketplace, animation festival and workshop space, Gordon The Godzilla and his friends will be taking over the Trinity Centre for a full day of festivities, activities and art.”
From: Zinezilla Arts Festival

“Jon Sterckx is an experienced percussionist best know for his innovative Drumscapes multipercussion performances which he has performed at the globally renowned TED events, as well as performances and workshops at WOMAD, London International Arts Festival, Drumcamp, Tribe of Doris and many more of the UK’s ‘world music’ festivals.”
From: Kashaka Workshop with Jon Sterckx

“Her 2023 stand up show, I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This, was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show, and sold out its entire Fringe run before the festival began. It received multiple 4 and 5 star reviews, with the Scotsman calling it a ‘beautifully structured show’ and Ania a ‘truly original voice with an impressive set of skills’. The show was included in British Comedy Guide’s ‘Best Reviewed Edinburgh Fringe Shows 2023’ list and was the Number 1 pick in Time Out’s ‘The 11 best comedy shows at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023’.”
From: DOUBLE BILL: Ania Magliano & Marsie Gaughan

“Our desire is to take people away from a usual cultural concept of a music event/ festival towards a more ‘embodied’ gathering. We like the British ‘club culture’ but we also like the slow and mindful pace of a ‘retreat’ setting - so we birthed Dancing Body that aims to capture the best of both worlds. We will bring some of the UK leading dance teachers from both traditional and modern dance styles to hold workshops in the day and open the evening barn club to allow for some of that rave buzz! Please see ‘about’ page on our website for the full story :)”
From: Dancing Body