This summer many of the events Bristolians know and love are going to be back and better than ever. Because of the pandemic, festivals in the city haven't been quite the same but this year many are back and will bring back the buzz so many have missed.
The city is opening it's arms to some brand new events as well as welcoming back some much-loved classics. Whether you're a foodie or a fan of good views and hot air balloons, Bristol has certainly got you covered over the coming months as the weather begins to get warmer.
Starting from next month right through to September, there is going to be no time to get bored in Bristol this year! Here are all the key details of some of the most exciting events the city has to offer for 2022.
READ MORE: Festivals in Bristol we haven't seen since before the pandemic
April
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
9 April, Propyard, Bristol
This April, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, is a 360-degree multi-sensory digital art experience that will bring the life and works of Van Gogh to Bristol in an all-new way. Step into more than 300 of Van Gogh’s sketches, drawings, and paintings in a floor-to-ceiling 20,000 square foot, light and sound spectacular.
14-15 May, 39-46 Feeder Rd, Bristol BS2 0SE
A brand new festival of local beer, food and music has been announced for St Philips venue Propyard. The two-day event at Easter will showcase the very best of Bristol’s beer brewing talent along with street food and music from some of the city’s best DJs.
16 April, Trinity Centre, Trinity Rd, St Jude's, Bristol BS2 0NW
Since 1986 The Trinity Centre has been a home to samba for the city’s Afro Brazilian community, and next month it is set to host a huge carnival-like celebration dedicated to drumming, movement and song. Bristol Encontro will be staging the Centre’s first Tambor since 2019, providing a wide range of live performances, stalls and workshops, for all to experience firsthand the expressive dance and percussive rhythms of Brazil.
May
Upfest crafted with Posca
28-29 May, Greville Smyth Park, Tobacco Factory and Ashton Gate Stadium
Europe’s largest street art festival is back this summer for its 15th year and this milestone edition of the festival is definitely one for the calendar. Once again, the streets of Bedminster in South Bristol will be transformed by street art’s biggest talents for an unforgettable weekend of live painting.
Foodies Fest on the downs
20-22 May, The Downs, Stoke Rd, Bristol BS9 1FG
Dubbed ‘Gastro-Glasto’ due to it combination of great food and drink as well as live music, the Foodies Festival will feature a host of stars cooking live on stage including TV presenter Kate Humble and singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Award-winning chefs and celebrities taking part at The Downs include Great British Menu 2021 finalist Hywel Griffith and MasterChef 2020 champion Thomas Frake. The music line-up also includes Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe from boy band Blue.
June
2-3 June , Ashton Court Estate
Bristol’s biggest music festival is back for its 10th year taking place over the Jubilee weekend. This year it moves to a new home, the iconic grounds of Ashton Court Estate, and this landmark anniversary of the festival promises to be the biggest and best yet with a stellar line-up of international artists as well as Bristolian natives.
Forest Live
9-12 June
Major outdoor live music series 'Forest Live', presented by Forestry England will return after a 2 year hiatus. Forest Live 2022 takes place between 9-19 June and introduces forests to new audiences in unique, natural woodland arenas around the country whilst supporting the nation’s forests when buying a ticket.
This year’s headline acts include Rag‘n’Bone Man + special guests Will And The People and guest support Charlotte Jane; as well a range of other exciting performers. More information can be found here.
Bristol Craft Beer Festival
10-11 June, Lloyds Amphitheatre, Harbourside
Bristol’s biggest celebration of craft beer is back after a sell-out 2021 festival. Bringing beers from the best breweries in Bristol, the UK and internationally, as well as the finest indie kitchens and a mega line-up of live music, this is a must-see event for all beer fanatics.
15-19 June, Clifton Downs Stoke Rd, Bristol BS9 1FG
Although restrictions have been lifted, this year the show will still take shape as an open air event on the picturesque Clifton Downs. This year's event will be extra special as the festival is celebrating its tenth anniversary. The line-up is a treat for all comedy lovers feature huge names, such as Netflix star James Acaster, Qi’s Alan Davies, This Way Up’s Aisling Bea, and the Mash Report’s Nish Kumar.
22-26 June, Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset
After two fallow years, festival lovers across the country are desperate to get back to Worthy Farm - the home of, arguably, the world’s most famous music festival.
Glastonbury 2020 - the festival’s 50th anniversary celebration - was on track to be one of the biggest yet with Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar confirmed to headline but 2022 promises to make up for missed time with one of the biggest line-up's yet.
22-26 June, Lloyds Amphitheatre, Bristol Harbourside
Bristol’s much-loved open air series of concerts returns this June with an eclectic line-up of must-see artists including headliners Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds on Wednesday 22. British electronic duo, Jungle, will guarantee a dynamic dancefloor set on Saturday 25 and First Aid Kit will headline their biggest ever South West show on the final day of the event.
25 June - July 10
Organisers have confirmed the festival is returning to its 'original format' this year, with an exciting programme of events spanned over two weeks. Pride Day will see performances from 'some of the biggest names in live music,' while members and supporters of Bristol's LGBTQ+ community will take to the streets for the iconic Pride march.
July
Bristol Beacon presents
13-14 July, Lloyds Amphitheatre
Scheduled initially for summer 2021, Nile Rodgers & CHIC will bring their upbeat repertoire down to Bristol’s Harbourside for two open-air performances this July.
They’ll be joined by renowned indie outfit Belle & Sebastian who will also be taking to the stage this year as part of Bristol Beacon’s string of summer shows.
15-17 July, Bristol Harbourside
The iconic event is back for its 50th anniversary and it’s going to be a memorable evening for Bristol. The annual dance, music and arts extravaganza will be returning to Bristol’s Harbourside with a ton of family activities, circus performers, delicious food stalls, visiting vessels and some mega live music across all the stages on Bristol’s waterfront.
29-30 July, Brunton Somerset
Farmfest 2022 promises a musical orchestra of some of the best new and established left-of-mainstream performers on the scene. Curated by head of music Stu Matson, the festival in Bruton will combine everything from early morning workouts to lively kids' workshops, riotous jumbles of jazz, brass-based bonanzas, stand-up comedy, and poetry.
29-30 July, Harbourside
Bristol will host a brand new music event series, Siren, with Groove Armada’s Live 25th Anniversary Show announced to headline Friday night. This July Bristol will see Groove Armada perform as part of its last full live
UK tour, against the enigmatic backdrop of Bristol’s harbour with boats and cranes providing the perfect setting for their legendary colourful sets.
29-31 July, location to be announced
A new music festival with a glamping twist has been announced near Bristol, promising "three days of hedonism" in a beautiful setting. Fields of Fantasy is just 20 minutes away from Bristol city centre, in what is described by organisers as an area "surrounded by natural beauty spanning a magical first and open bodies of water". However, the exact location has not yet been advertised.
Bath Garden Theatre Festival
29 July - 13 August, The Holburne Museum Gardens, Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DB
This year Bath’s Garden Theatre Festival is back in Bath for the second year running. And it promises to be bigger and better thanks to a line up featuring the finest comedy, theatre and cabaret from local and national performers, as well as enough magical adventure to keep the whole family entertained.
The festival brings some of the best in outdoor entertainment from across the UK, including several acts from the local area, right to the heart of Bath. This year’s Garden Arts Festival features superb theatre performances, music and comedy from renowned companies. More information and the line-up can be found here.
August
4-7 August, Chew Valley Lake
Now in its eighth year, the event in August will see Bristol performance art collective Arcadia join forces with the festival team for a spectacular show. Farmer Luke Hasell set up Valley Fest in 2014 in honour of his parents who both died within a short time of each other. Having farmed for generations, they cared enormously for the land and community surrounding it. Their spirit and joie de vivre runs deeply through the festival.
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
11-14 August 2022, Ashton Court Estate
Europe’s largest annual hot air balloon festival is back for 2022 at its usual home at Ashton Court Estate. This spectacular event sees hundreds of hot air balloons taking off at dawn and dusk as well as the much-loved nightglows where balloons light up in time to music after dark. Expect four days of special shaped balloons, entertainment and fun for the entire family.
September
3-4 September, The Downs
Electronic music legends The Chemical Brothers have been confirmed as the headline act for a brand new music festival in Bristol. Forwards is a new two-day weekend festival taking place on September 3 and 4, and it will replace The Downs Festival, which has taken place at the same location in recent years.
17-18 September
Last year, Tokyo World was the first major event on the Bristol summer schedule to return with the easing of covid restrictions last summer - and more than 40,000 festival-goers enjoyed two days of banging dance tunes, hip hop and rap in the park.
So while many festivals, like Glastonbury, are returning for the first time in three years, Tokyo World has a head-start and is back for the second year post-Covid.
This year, the festival is being headlined by Busta Rhymes, with the likes of Above & Beyond, Faithless, Pendulum and Mike Skinner from The Streets at the top of the bill. Among the DJs lined up to crack open their sets are Annie Mac, Honey Dijon and Jamie Jones.
