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!

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Our recent festival recommendations

Forgotten Finnish folk horror from the 50s! Man-eating vampire reindeer action meets the glacial beauty of Lapland; Valkoinen Peura offers a rare exploration of Sámi folklore via gothic fairytale and avant-garde cinematics. Essential viewing for the festive spook seekers. { A uniquely Nordic gothic folk horror curio. }

Screening as part of Bristol Palestine Film Festival, this intimate documentary traces Palestinian heritage, resilience and community via the story of grain miller Aisha Azzam – who has spent over three decades running a mill in Baqa’a refugee camp. Presented alongside a tasting session to bring alive the flavours and culinary traditions in the film. Join us for a special evening combining cinema and culinary delights, celebrating the richness of Palestinian food and olive oil culture and the spirit of sustainability. Tickets include film + food.

A maddening deep-dive into the economic machinery of the occupation of Palestine. Lowenstein’s shocking documentary reveals how Israeli military tech companies reap the rewards from their live ‘battle-tested’ human laboratory, making them the #1 export choice for genocidal regimes and Western neo-liberals alike. The Palestine Laboratory uncovers how Israel tests weapons and surveillance on Palestinians before exporting them worldwide — a powerful investigation based on Antony Loewenstein’s ground-breaking book.

Sell out warning! Annemarie Jacir’s historical epic tells the story of life in 1930s Palestine and the local uprising against British colonial rule. Using rare archival footage, Palestine 36 casts a timely light on Britain’s long-standing legacy of violence in the Middle East in a powerful testament to Palestinian resistance. This historical pre-WWII epic documents the revolt against British rule by villages in Mandatory Palestine, as Yusuf moves between his rural home and Jerusalem, yearning for a life beyond the unrest.

What our editors say

“Next year, we’re welcoming a slightly bigger community, unveiling a brand new wellbeing area, and offering a rich mix of fresh and already adored dance workshops. Ah, and of course, the unforgettable club night sessions too! The farm is ready to host us once again for what promises to be a truly sensational celebration of movement and togetherness. One and only festival of this kind :)”
From: Dancing Body Festival 2026

“Welcome to KINDOM: a festival for Women, Non Binary and Trans people to connect, resource our bodies and political movements, and get the f!ck down. Expect dance and creative workshops, political discussions, drag performances, banging DJ sets + a healthy side of wholesome with locally-sourced food, sauna sessions and swims.”
From: KINDOM

“Join us over three nights to experience a mini-festival of new works presented by the graduating students from Circomedia’s degree programme!”
From: Final Major Projects 2026 Night 3

“Levantes Dance Theatre is an award-winning female-led circus dance company known for their trademark bold visual design and blending this with aerial dance and physical theatre. Their work ranges from immersive indoor performances to outdoor pop-up spectacles. They perform in spaces from theatres to garden parties, from large scale festivals to care homes.”
From: Counterweight by Levantes Dance

“Drinks will be provided on a donation basis - please bring a card or some cash if you wish to make a donation to our summer festival and in-year outreach costs. We are a charity and can claim gift aid on any donations.”
From: CarmenCo Trio and Young Performers' Spotlight