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! The unbeatable cinephiles at Forbidden Worlds take a microscope to the 70/80s glut of low-budget Ozploitation horror with 2 days of hair-raising screenings/screamings. Where the hell else are you gonna see the yuppie pharma nightmare of Body Melt or the legitimately terrifying man-eating piggie from Razorback on a massive IMAX-ready mega-screen? FORBIDDEN WORLDS: THE BIG SCREAM - SIX FEET DOWN UNDER - FESTIVAL PASSES at Bristol Megascreen.

Sell out warning! Bristol’s best-loved spoken word series returns with a headline set from legendary iconoclast Salena Godden, alongside avant-garde acolytes from Bad Betty Press: Desree, Antosh Wojcik, and Rowan Lyster. Plus NGAIO will be setting the sonic pulse with afrobeats and global bass on the decks! Raise the Bar | The Autumn Edition at Watershed.

Bookhaus hosts historian Paula Akpan, whose debut When We Ruled uncovers the stories of powerful African queens and their vast reigns, still largely hidden from history. Akpan explores their leadership, love, and feuds – revealing a rich tapestry of matriarchal power, and how its influence remains today. When We Ruled with Paula Akpan

Free entry! En Masse offers up a full day of demos and discourse at the Cube. Inside: Lebanese sound artist Mohamed Chourcair discusses the weaponisation of sound with Kode9 and presents his instrument simulating the noise of Israeli drones. Elsewhere, Paul Purgas hosts a listening session looking at South Asian sound practices before a Q&A screening of Aura Satz’s Preemptive Listening. Our Saturday community hub and day-long cultural programme featuring listening sessions, instrument demonstrations, film screenings and talks. Come along to one of the events in the auditorium, or simply to browse the stalls, eat a taco, and make friends!

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

“Immerse yourself in the enchanting celebration of Imbolc, an ancient Celtic festival that blossoms from the rich roots of pre-Christian Britain. Celebrated by many modern neo-pagans today, Imbolc marks the sacred midpoint between the winter solstice and the arrival of spring, falling on February 1st and 2nd. The name "Imbolc" translates to "in the belly of the Mother," symbolizing how the seeds of new life are beginning to stir deep within Mother Earth’s embrace.”
From: Imbolc Blessings & Rituals - The Making a Brigid Doll

“All donations from this year’s festival will go to Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), providing humanitarian assistance as well as health and social services to Palestinians whenever and wherever needed.”
From: Palestine Comedy Club

“We've been wanting to screen Penny Serenade at the festival for quite some time, since we screened this as a watch-along during lockdown, we've been desperate to see it on the big screen with an audience! Not only does it feature an Oscar-nominated performance from Bristol's own Cary Grant (one of only two Best Actor nominations), but it also features a cameo appearance from Nipper, another Bristol-boy whose global reach might even exceed our Archie's!”
From: Penny Serenade

“As a filmmaker, Asmaa’s work combines visual storytelling with themes of archival memory, myth, and diasporic narratives. Their projects include Before We Disappear (2021), an interactive piece commissioned by BBC Arts, and Except this time nothing returns from the ashes (2022/23), co-directed with Gouled Ahmed. Their works have been showcased at several BAFTA qualifying film festivals, including the Blackstar Film Festival and Aesthetica Short Film Festival. As well as winning, the Berwick Film Festival's New Cinema Award.”
From: Raise the Bar: Open Mic