Your Guide to Bristol's Festival Scene 2026
May is often seen as the beginning of Bristol’s lively summer festival season. From food celebrations to major music acts, the city has something to suit every taste. Here’s a look at what’s happening in and around Bristol this summer:
May 2026
Bristol Walk Fest: May 2026
Bristol Walk Fest is a month-long urban walking festival in Bristol, running annually from May 1–31. It celebrates “all things walking” with hundreds of guided and self-guided walks that highlight the city’s best spots.
Bristol Folk Festival: 1 - 3rd May 2026
Bristol Folk Festival is a city-wide celebration of folk and acoustic music, featuring performances from traditional and contemporary folk artists, along with workshops, ceilidhs, and intimate gigs held in venues across Bristol.
Upfest: May 15th - 30th 2026
Upfest is a large annual street art festival held in Bristol that transforms neighbourhoods into open-air galleries. It brings together local and international artists to paint murals live across walls and public spaces. The event celebrates urban creativity and leaves behind permanent artworks that become part of the city’s landscape.
Dot to Dot: 23rd May 2026
Dot to Dot Festival is a multi-venue indie and alternative music festival held annually in Bristol. It showcases emerging and established artists across genres like indie rock, electronic, and experimental pop, with performances spread across several small venues throughout the city.
How the Light Gets In: Hay-on-Wye, 22-25 May 2026
HowTheLightGetsIn is an annual philosophy and music festival held in Hay-on-Wye, Wales, known for blending big philosophical debates, talks, and panels with live music, comedy, and arts events; it brings together leading thinkers, writers, scientists, and performers for discussions on politics, ethics, science, and culture in a lively festival setting that runs across venues in the town alongside evening music and entertainment.
Love Saves The Day: Ashton Court Estate, 24-25th May 2026
Love Saves The Day is a high-energy, two-day music festival held each May in Bristol that celebrates electronic music and modern club culture, featuring a mix of big-name DJs and emerging local artists across multiple stages.
June 2026
Bristol Craft Brew Festival: 12th - 13th June 2026
Bristol Craft Brew Festival is a celebration of all things beer! Taking place on the Harbourside, all beer is included in your ticket price. And you can expect to join a large community of beer enthusiasts to sample 300+ beers from over fifty breweries!
Festival of Nature: 6 - 14th June
Bristol New Music Festival is a contemporary music event series dedicated to showcasing experimental, innovative, and genre-defying compositions from emerging and established composers and performers.
Bristol Comedy Garden: 17–21 June 2026
Bristol Comedy Garden is an open-air stand-up comedy festival held each June in Queen Square, Bristol. It brings together major UK comedy names and rising acts for several nights of laughter, drinks and street food.
Bristol Sounds: 23rd - 28th June
Bristol Sounds is a summer music festival held on Bristol’s harbourside at Canons Marsh Amphitheatre, featuring a series of open-air evening concerts. It showcases a mix of rock, indie, pop, and electronic artists over several nights, creating a relaxed but lively city-centre live music experience.
Bath Fringe Festival: May - June 2026
The Bath Fringe Festival is an annual multi-arts festival held in Bath, UK, featuring a diverse mix of theatre, comedy, live music, cabaret, dance, spoken word, and experimental performances across a wide range of city-centre venues,
Bristol Pride: June 27th - July 12th
Bristol Pride is an annual LGBTQ+ celebration held in Bristol, typically featuring a Pride Parade through the city followed by a large festival at the Downs or a similar open green space, with live music, DJs, drag performances, community stalls, and family-friendly activities. organisations.
July 2026
St Paul's Carnival: First Saturday of July, St Paul's
St Paul's Carnival is a free annual event celebrating African-Caribbean culture. It features a colourful parade, a wide range of music acts and food stalls. The carnival highlights community spirit, heritage, and diversity in the St Paul's area, regularly attracting large crowds of people.
Nowadaze Festival: 16 - 19th July
Bristol Harbour Festival: 17 - 19th July
The Bristol Harbour Festival is a large free annual event held on Bristol’s Harbourside that celebrates the city’s maritime heritage with a mix of live music, street performances, circus acts, food stalls, and water-based entertainment, including boats and tall ships.
2000 Trees: 8 - 11th July 2026
The 2000trees Festival is a popular independent music festival held every July near Cheltenham. It features multiple outdoor and woodland stages, surprise sets, and late-night acoustic and DJ performances.
Feast On: 23rd - 26th July
Feast On Bristol is an annual food festival held on The Downs in Bristol, celebrating the city’s food scene with street food stalls, pop-up restaurants, local producers, live cooking demos, drinks bars, and music in a relaxed outdoor setting.
August 2026
Valley Fest: 30th July - 2nd August
Valley Fest is a family-friendly summer food and music festival held near Bristol in the Chew Valley, overlooking Chew Valley Lake, known for its relaxed countryside vibe, live music across multiple stages, local and independent food traders, craft drinks, wellness activities like yoga and talks, and a strong focus on sustainability and community.
Bristol Balloon Fiesta: 7th - 9th August
Forwards Festival: 29th - 30th August
Forwards Festival is a music festival held in Bristol, known for its carefully curated line-up of indie, electronic, hip-hop, and alternative artists. Taking place on The Downs, it spans over two days and happens at the end of summer.
Bristol has never-ending events happening this summer - there is always something to add to the calendar. Are you attending one of these festivals but have decided camping is not for you? Are you looking for a handy place to stay? No problem, at Clifton Hotels, we provide accommodations for all budgets. To book your summer stay today, click here.
