2015 Events
Until 22nd February
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
Celebrating its 50th year in 2014, Wildlife Photographer of the Year provides a global showcase
of extraordinary images celebrating the drama, beauty and splendour of the natural world with
astonishing, creative and sometimes humorous wildlife photography.
13th – 25th January 2015
Walking the Chains
Passenger Shed
World premiere staging of Walking the Chains, a circus-theatre salute to Bristol’s best known and
best loved landmark – Clifton Suspension Bridge Set in the apt setting of the historic Passenger
Shed at Temple Meads Station, also designed by the bridge’s engineer: Isambard Kingdom
Brunel.
14th January – 14th February
War Horse
The Bristol Hippodrome
The National Theatre brings its sell-out production of War Horse, co-directed by Bristol’s Tom
Morris and Marianne Elliot to The Bristol Hippodrome.
22nd – 25th January + 20th March
Slapstick Festival
Colston Hall
The Bristol Slapstick Comedy Festival celebrates silent and classic comedy and provides the
largest assembly of living comic talent, the greatest comedy stars of the past, and the most
laughter of any known festival. This year there is a “double act” theme running through the many
different events. So go on, have a laugh and book a ticket.
31st January – 1st February
WWT Slimbridge Festival of Birds
Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
WWT Slimbridge is the winter home of thousands of migrating birds including the famous
Bewick’s swans. Visitors will enjoy a full day of activities such as shopping, wildlife talks, book
signings, a bird spotting race, swan sketching, dog decoy demonstrations, Wild Bird Feeds – and
of course birdwatching with the help of guides in the hides.
5th February - 7th March
The Life and Times of Fanny Hill
Bristol Old Vic
12th – 15th February
In Between Time
Various
Take a walk in the clouds in Bristol harbour, experience a storm in a club and follow into the
shadows for a concert in a gothic mansion. Extraordinary theatre, music, dance, live art,
exhibitions, talks, parties and public artworks take over Bristol. Taking Storm as the theme, the
festival celebrates art as a powerful force for change.
12th – 22nd February
Fog Bridge
Peros’ Bridge
Take a walk in the clouds. Peros’ Bridge in Bristol Harbourside will disappear behind a changing
veil of fog, in celebration of Bristol status as European Green Capital.
19th February – 4th April
Romeo and Juliet
Tobacco Factory Theatre
The most famous love story of all time comes to the Tobacco Factory Theatre.
5th – 8th March
Bristol Jazz & Blues Festival
Colston Hall
Bristol plays host to some of the world’s most exciting and innovative jazz and blues artists for
one explosive weekend in March 2015. Featuring no fewer than 40 individual concerts as well as
late-night jam sessions and an exclusive ‘In Session With’ series of masterclasses with many of
the headline performers.
18th Feb – 21st March
Wicked
The Bristol Hippodrome
Winner of 90 international awards, Wicked has been casting its magical spell over audiences
across the world for a decade.
22nd March – 21st June
Open for Business
M Shed
An exhibition that touches upon Bristol's manufacturing industries with photos from
internationally renowned Bristol photographer Martin Parr.
From April
Bristol Blue Whale
People from across the city can help to create a life-size ‘sculpture’ of a Blue Whale made from
recycled materials. The Blue Whale will present the beauty of ocean life, and the growing human
threats it faces.
From April
Withdrawn
Leigh Woods
From April 2015 Luke Jerram invites visitors to Leigh Woods to experience an unexpected
encounter with a flotilla of abandoned fishing boats installed in the depths of the woodland. This
thought-provoking and engaging installation raises discussion about climate change, extreme
weather, changing ocean temperatures, falling fish stocks and our impact on the marine
environment.
17th – 25th April
Lady Boys of Bangkok
Castle Park
The Lady Boys of Bangkok are back in another sizzling and seductive production. Get hot under
the collar whilst the stars burn up the stage in ‘Beauty and the Beats’ the brand new show for
2015.
30th April – 9th May
Eat Drink Bristol Fashion
Queen Square
Eat Drink Bristol Fashion puts high quality, sustainably sourced food in interesting spaces across
Bristol and the South West. With Michelin star chef Josh Eggleton and award winning organic
farmer Luke Hasell at the helm, all Eat Drink Bristol Fashion venues are built on a "field to fork"
ethos. The food chains are short, produce local and menus rather blimmin tasty.
1st – 9th May
Bristol Food Connections
Locations across Bristol
Returning to Bristol this year is a revolutionary food festival spanning the entire city. Aptly named
Bristol Food Connections, the event will bring together the many vibrant food cultures and
communities already thriving in Bristol and inspire visitors to celebrate and engage with them. In
collaboration with the BBC, Bristol City Council, Bristol University and other Bristol institutions
the festival will educate and build on Bristol’s pioneering attitude to food. Events will be
affordable and accessible to all with the emphasis on knowledge, participation and fun. From a
large celebration in Millennium Square to Eat, Drink, Bristol Fashion in Queen Square, Bristol’s
streets will be alive with the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of good food.
1st - 31st May
Bristol Walking Festival
Various Bristol locations
Bristol Walking Festival aims to inspire more people to go walking, showcase the city both locally
and nationally and celebrate Bristol’s reputation as a green, vibrant and creative place.
2nd – 3rd May
Bristol Folk Festival
St George’s + Bristol Folk House
Bristol Folk Festival will be reaffirming its place in the UK festival calendar this year, when it
returns to the city over the May Bank Holiday! This year Bristol welcome back patron Seth
Lakeman to the stage for the first time since 2011’s inaugural festival.
14th – 24th May
Mayfest
Various city centre locations
On Thursday 15 May, Mayfest, Bristol’s annual festival of contemporary theatre, returns with a
mouth-watering selection of extraordinary theatre from around the world presented in 18
venues and sites across the city.
23rd – 24th May
VegFest Bristol
Harbourside
An exciting hybrid of delicious vegan food and captivating live music at the centre of Bristol.
During the day, visitors can expect a feast of top vegan products from 140 stalls, along with lifealtering info from nearly 100 talks, cookery demos, workshops, films, kids cookery classes, on top
of comedy hours, kids entertainment, etc. Attention switches to headline gigs in the evenings,
with Ruts DC amongst the headliners.
23rd – 24th May
Love Saves the Day
TBC
Love Saves The Day is not just a festival, it is the culmination of many years spent in fields &
clubs, in tents, on dance floors and stages across the UK and beyond - from the late nights to the
early mornings, from lugging sound systems through muddy fields to booking amazing acts and
watching them grow, everything has been moving towards this event.
26th May – 13th June
Jersey Boys
The Bristol Hippodrome
Jersey Boys is the remarkable true story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and their rise to
stardom from the wrong side of the tracks.
31st May
Run 10K
Bristol City Centre
Road closure information released nearer the time, check the Run Bristol website for details.
5th – 7th June
Let’s Rock Bristol
Ashton Court Estate
Let’s Rock Bristol is a family-friendly music festival with legends from the 80s including Go West,
Rick Astley, Sister Sledge, Billy Ocean and the Boomtown Rats.
13th June
Bike Fest
Bristol
13th -14th June
Festival of Nature
Harbourside
The UK's largest free celebration of the natural world, the Bristol Festival of Nature lets loose
wildlife enthusiasts of all ages to explore, enjoy, and get close to nature in the heart of the city.
Throughout the weekend, the festival site will be packed with exciting free activities. The public
festival brings together over 150 organisations for a programme of interactive activities, live
entertainment, hands-on experiences, a market packed with local produce and much more.
13th – 21th June
Bristol BIG Green Week
Various Bristol locations
The UK's largest free celebration of the natural world, the Bristol Festival of Nature lets loose
wildlife enthusiasts of all ages to explore, enjoy, and get close to nature in the heart of the city.
Throughout the weekend, the festival site will be packed with exciting free activities. Marketing
the end of Bristol Big Green Week is the Festival of Nature. The UK’s biggest and much-loved ecofestival returns with a green General Election debate, the Electric Bike World Championship, a
sell-out FareFashion show, enormous street playground and a BIG local market. Bristol’s BIG
Green Week will offer more than 150 events in 9 days including two weekends packed with free
family entertainment.
20th – 21st June
Weston Air Festival and Armed Forces Day
Weston-super-Mare Seafront
The weekend will include thrilling air displays, military exhibitions, arena performances, fun fair
rides and a variety of activities and refreshments.
21st June
Skyride
Bristol City Centre
24th – 28th June
Bristol Summer Series
Amphitheatre
Bristol Summer Series returns this year bringing high profile artists to the historic Harbourside for
alfresco concerts. The event is being launched by Metropolis Music, the same team who is
brought Paolo Nutini to the city on last year, for which tickets sold out in just three hours.
27th June
Kingswood Armed Forces Day
Kingswood Park
28th June
Armed Forces Day
Queen Square
Summer
Shaun in the city
Various Locations
In 2015, Aardman’s internationally-acclaimed character Shaun the Sheep will appear in two ewenique arts trails! Over 100 giant sculptures of Shaun the Sheep created by artists, celebrities and
designers will be placed in iconic locations and beautiful green spaces across London and Bristol.
Next year, Shaun in the City will be appearing in London in spring and flocking to Bristol in
summer, before both flocks go to auction to raise money for sick children in hospitals across the
UK. Shaun in the City is brought to you by the team that created the award-winning ‘Gromit
Unleashed’ which saw Aardman’s loveable canine sidekick Gromit raise £2.3 million for Bristol
Children’s Hospital.
July
Bristol Shakespeare Festival
Throughout Bristol
Run by a team of dedicated volunteers and working with established institutions in Bristol, the
Festival endeavours to uphold Bristol’s creative talent by offering a platform for emerging artists
to bring the very best adaptations, interpretations and productions of Shakespeare’s works to
communities in Bristol.
1st – 5th July
Bristol Comedy Garden
Queen Square
This July come and see comedy’s biggest and brightest stars perform in a picturesque gardeninspired festival set in the cities beautiful Queen Square.
4th July
St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival
St Paul’s
This much-loved community carnival promises more music, dance and colourful costumes than
ever before! The Carnival is a glittering pageant of costumes, cultures and Mas/Floats, each
reflecting powerful cultural traditions from around the world. Expect a lively, colourful and
music-filled celebration, held on the streets of St Pauls featuring the Masquerade, music stages,
sound systems and.
4th – 12th July
Pride Week
Locations across Bristol and Castle Park
Taking place in various venues across Bristol, Pride celebrate LGBT culture and performance
through a range of events including Theatre, Comedy, Talks, Sport and the Bristol Pride Dog Show
which takes place on Sunday 5 July on College Green. The week is also home to the award
winning Bristol Pride LGBT Film Festival at the Watershed.
11th July 2015
Pride Day
Locations across Bristol and Castle Park
Voted No2 best Pride in the UK the Bristol Pride festivals returns to Castle Park for a packed day
of music, performance and activities. Expect local and international acts across 3 stages, bustling
family area with activities for the children, roaming performances and exciting market and expo
spaces. Welcoming everyone entry is by donation but you can save money on the bars, food and
payable activities with a £5 supporter wristband or £15 will also get you entry to the star studded
official after party at the O2 Academy.
11th – 12th July
Grillstock
Harbourside
Following a sell-out 2014, hip-hop, blues, rock and country will once again be the soundtrack to
the weekend, alongside the very best BBQ food and craft beer this side of Kansas.
17th – 19th July 2014
Bristol Harbour Festival
Harbourside
Bristol’s biggest FREE event will once again transform the city’s harbourside, with three days of
cultural celebrations from in July 2015. The Bristol Harbour Festival attracts hundreds of
thousands of visitors to explore the two mile stretch of the harbour featuring seven areas
including dance, music, children’s activities, a busy on-water programme and phenomenal circus
performances.
23rd July
2015 Women’s Ashes Series
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire Cricket is proud to announce that on Thursday 23 July 2015 the Club will be
hosting the second match in the 2015 Women’s Ashes Series as England take on Australia in a
Royal London One-Day International Match (ODI) at the Bristol County Ground.
25th – 26th July
Thai Festival
Queen Square
The Bristol Thai Festival will bring cultural entertainment, education, tradition and colour, as well
as promoting an understanding of Thai culture amongst the people of Bristol, many of whom will
have their own cultural connections from across the world.
25th – 27th July
Upfest
Southville
Europe’s largest urban art festival, Upfest, has announced its return to the cultural home of UK
graffiti, Bristol. Now in its seventh year, the free festival will move to the height of summer due
to growing popularity in the Bristol event calendar.
6th – 9th August
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
Ashton Court Estate
Bristol will play host to Europe’s largest ballooning event, an amazing spectacle and FREE event
for the whole family. Over 150 hot air balloons will take off from Ashton Court Estate at dawn
and light up the skies at night with evening glows with fun activities on the ground to keep the
family entertained. This year keep an eye out for the words first solar hot air balloon in
conjunction with European Green Capital.
14th – 18th August
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Bristol Hippodrome
Winner of seven 2013 Olivier Awards, this highly- acclaimed National Theatre production, comes
to Bristol this August.
22nd – 23rd August
Bristol Kite Festival
Durdham Downs
The arena programmes will feature spectacular flying displays, kite fighting battles, artistic kites,
breathtaking synchronised routines flown to music and awesome power kites as well as colourful
ground-based air creations and banners of all shapes and sizes.
27th August – 6th September
Festival of Puppetry
Locations across Bristol
September (date tbc)
Grape and Grain Festival
Harbourside
Bodacious beers, fine wines and vibrant fresh foods, brought together in a great setting with
some of Bristol’s best music.
12th September
Open Doors Day
Various Bristol locations
Bristol Doors Open Day is a once-a-year chance to look behind closed doors and discover the
city’s hidden treasures. You can explore fascinating buildings, join guided tours and enjoy a range
of events and activities – all free for the day. Over 60 venues took part in 2014 – the event’s
21st birthday – for a fantastic celebration of Bristol’s history, architecture and culture.
13th September
Half Marathon
Bristol City Centre
Road closure information released nearer the time, check the Run Bristol website for details.
15th – 20th September
Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival
Watershed and Locations across Bristol
Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival is the longest running competitive short film and
animation festival in the UK. Annually the six-day event solicits over 1600 submissions and
screens up to 400 films from over 60 different countries. Encounters Short Film and Animation
Festival is Europe’s leading short film festival, set in Bristol’s harbourside and offers a gateway to
the likes of the BAFTAS, Oscars and European Film awards. They will showcase six days of cutting
edge programming, celebrating amazing short film and animation talent from all over the world.
October
Circus City Festival
Locations across Bristol
A brand new festival of contemporary circus in and for Bristol.
Mid November – Late December
Christmas Markets
Bristol Shopping Quarter
Recently voted the UK’s best Christmas Market by ‘The Pass’ Magazine. In November and
December, shoppers can enjoy The Bristol Christmas Markets, which combine high quality
traditional German and locally inspired markets. The markets are conveniently located in Bristol's
city centre shopping district.