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

Before the Iranian Revolution, borrowed cameras birthed Cinema-ye Azad (Free Cinema), a movement that grew from 8mm experiments into a nationwide network of censorship-defying underground festivals. The Cube honours its legacy with theatrical afterlife vision How Frightening is the Darkness of the Soul, screened back-to-back with dark rural fable Mir Nasir and the Ill-Fated Genie. Cinema-ye Azad Double Bill at The Cube.

Bristol Experimental & Expanded Film, Herbalists Without Borders, The Sustainable Darkroom + more host day of climate-conscious, collaborative art-making at community hub Bricks. Choose between a selection of stimulating hands-on workshops using locally sourced materials, alongside film screenings, live music, and a shared meal. BEEF Presents: Environmental Arts & Collective Care at BRICKS.

Free entry! Exploring the life of Terence McKenna is like looking behind the Wizard of Oz’s curtain – finally Graham St John’s penned the first definitive deep dive into our universe’s pre-eminent psychedelic philosopher bard. Let the countercultural revelations flow at BASE anarchist social centre, complete with vegan food, book signing and impromptu discussions with like-minded folks. Strange Attractor: The Hallucinatory Life of Terence McKenna at BASE Social Centre.

Tender and heartfelt, Edhi Alice is a documentary portrait of trans lives in South Korea from trailblazing director/activist Ilrhan Kim. It screens at Arnolfini as part of the Queer East travelling roadshow, offering you a rare chance to see queer cinema from East and Southeast Asian communities across the UK. Presenting director Ilrhan Kim’s moving documentary portrait of two trans women in South Korea.

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

“Alongside them, dancefloor legend, turntable hero and Queen of Bristol sound DJ Queen Bee takes to the wheels of steel to close our last show of the year with an exclusive DJ set to remember. From cutting her teeth on St. Paul's pirate stations in the late 80s to setting dancefloors alight the world over, Queen Bee has been a central figure of the Bristol sound from its very inception. Continuing to mash up clubs, festivals and airwaves with her distinctive blend of Reggae, Afro Beat, Rare Groove, Funk and Dancehall, come and see one of our city’s great musical heroes in action!”
From: RIOT ACT w/ Dom Joly & Ian Stone