The Harbour Festival is an annual staple of Bristol culture. Held in the beautiful setting of the harbour, the festival celebrates local music, food, performers, and art. The free festival has not been able to take place over the last few years due to the pandemic, but this year it was lively as ever as it celebrated its 50th anniversary.
If you are heading down to the harbour, here is everything you need to know about the special event…
Food and Drink
The food and drink at the Bristol Harbour Festival has got to be the highlight of the weekend. With endless stalls of food to choose from, you can have your pick of almost any cuisine you can think of. There’s Greek food, paella, Thai, crepes, burgers… I would definitely recommend eating at the festival!
If you drink cider, the festival is a great place to enjoy a cold pint in the sun. Thatcher’s is a partner of the festival this year, and they brought some exciting flavours to the event, from Blood Orange cider to Dark Berry. You are not able to bring in your own alcohol to the event, but luckily there are bars dotted all over the place to quench your thirst.
Entertainment
The Harbour Festival weekend is jam-packed with live music which you can enjoy for free. The Bristol Music Stage featured performers such as Doreen Doreen, RSVP, and Blue Aeroplanes. The Centre Stage, by Cascade Steps, also hosts an array of performers during the weekend. If neither of these take your fancy, head down to Thekla where you will find the Dockside Stage, and more music!
Dance appreciation also holds an important place in the festival, with Millennium Square serving as a hub of movement. The festival celebrates diversity through dance with shows featuring ‘all ages, creeds, and cultures.’
If you are into poetry and performance, why not head down to the Spoken Word Stage at Cathedral Walk? Or you could watch the circus, street theatre, and comedy performances at the Circus Playground in Queen Square.
Also at the festival this year was the world premiere of The Hamlet Voyage, which is described as a ‘one-of-a-kind theatrical critique of the very beginnings of British colonial ambitions.’
Performed on The Matthew, you can catch the show at the Underfall Yard Cafe, where the ship will be docked during the festival.
Things for children
There are plenty of activities at the festival to entertain children, from bouncy castles and fair rides to bubble shows and circus workshops. There is even an opportunity for you to race your baby (yes, I’m actually serious), and take home a trophy for having the fastest tot.
Although the festival can get very busy, it is definitely child friendly and there are lost children tents all around the festival in case you get separated from family members.
The harbour
The harbour itself is also a hub of activity, with shows taking place on the water. This year, there was a flyboarding demonstration, which had people gathered round the water’s edge and gasping as the performer zipped through the air on what can only be described as a water-hoverboard-jetpack combo machine.