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

Sell out warning! Where were you in ‘92? If it was up at Bagley’s in your Kangols or tearing the bricks down at Castlemorton, this doc salutes you. With an eye-popping anyone-who’s-anyone assemblage of talking heads and rush-inducing archival footage, Rave Culture pulls the neon curtain back on the Second (and last) Summer of Love like nothing before it. Bring Yer Own Vix VapoRub. RAVE CULTURE: A NEW ERA - Film at The Cube.

Sell out warning! KINDOM kick-starts your summer plans with this queer utopian escape for the FLINTA community, dreamt up by Soft Butch and Tease. A wholesome weekend in the Welsh countryside awaits you, with swimming, sauna sessions, yoga workshops, House of Boussé’s iconic gender-fuckery cabaret antics + a whole host of DJs bringing the hedonistic dancefloor heat. KINDOM at Three Pools Farm.

Massive Diaspora Fest x Raise the Bar crossover of globe-spanning poetry! A stacked line-up of lyrical heavyweights – including prize-winning writer and literature academic Daljit Nagra and two-times slam champ Maureen Onwunali – share intimate yet expansive explorations of diasporic memory, identity and resistance, alongside DJs spinning borderless cuts between sets. Raise the Bar: Poems of Diaspora at Arnolfini.

Lyrafest 2026 closes on a high with this powerful showcase of resonant storytelling and cross-continental connection, curated alongside Ujima Radio. Celebrated headliners Theresa Lola and Joladé Olusanya bring rich explorations of identity, heritage and the diasporic lens, alongside sharp local talent and a digital link-up with Poetry Africa. Roots, Resonance and African Heritage at Watershed.

What our editors say

“| GETTING TO THE FESTIVAL | The festival takes place on a beautiful farm outside of Abergavenny, Wales. 1hrs drive from Bristol. Full address and travel details will be sent to ticket holders closer to the festival.”
From: Come Bye 2026

“Welcome to GROOVE. take one. a one-night camping festival just 30 minutes from Bristol in a secluded countryside location. exact location shared once ticket has been bought. what to expect: two stages running from 2:00PM ‘til late. main stage for bands + the side groove stage for DJs ** camping is included ** food and drink vendors located onsite we only have limited capacity so once all 250 tickets are sold, we are full. festival guidelines: leave no trace — take your rubbish with you follow staff and security guidance at all times NO GLASS ON SITE respect your surroundings”
From: GROOVE

“After the incredible success of our 2025 edition, Dancing Body is returning to the farm for another spectacular weekend of dancing, connecting, giggling, moving, and shaking. This 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! Be sure to follow us on Instagram for all the latest updates!✨ www.instagram.com/dancing.body www.thedancingbody.com”
From: Dancing Body Festival 2026

“Final Major Projects 2026 Friday 1 - Friday 8 May, 7:30pm Join us over four nights to experience a mini-festival of new works presented by the graduating students from Circomedia’s degree programme! With a selection of different acts each night, this is a fantastic opportunity to support and celebrate the circus artists of the future as they showcase their circus and performance skills. Check back in the New Year for information of each of the artists’ acts! Dates & Times: Friday 2 - Friday 8 May, 7:30pm Tickets: £12 full price, £8 concessions Age Guideline: TBC Location: St Paul’s Church, BS2 8SJ Tickets at https://www.circomedia.com/fmps-2026/”
From: Final Major Projects 2026 Night 3

“Meaning “Bright Fire” Beltane is the festival of fire and fertility—a time to prepare for the summer ahead, celebrate the vibrant life-force of nature within and without and bless the land that sustains us.”
From: Ignite Your Spirit: A Beltane Yoga Day-Retreat: