What’s on in Bristol this summer?
Summer is here and in Bristol it is always really exciting with so much going on. What is happening this summer ? Where is the place to be? Here we will have a look at some of the main events over the next few months.
The Balloon Fiesta is always amazing: 8-10 August
This is my favourite event in Bristol; you can never get bored of watching hundreds of hot air balloons sailing through the sky. The balloons take off from the idyllic Ashton Court but you can watch them from many places across Bristol. Watching them from the Suspension Bridge or from the Harbourside while having a coffee is an amazing experience. This year the event goes on from August 8-10 and there is something for everyone with live music, nightglows and mass ascents. If you haven’t seen it before, you will be wowed.
The Harbour Festival: 18-20 July
The Harbour Festival comes a close second to the Balloon Fiesta for me. If you like music, then this is the festival for you. There are seven stages with live music around the harbour and in the city centre. Many venues over Bristol host live music, performances, film screenings, after parties and even a gin-tasting event.The whole city is buzzing for three days and over 250,000 people normally visit the city.
https://www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk/whats-on/stages
What else is going on?
Bristol Pride: This Saturday is Bristol Pride Day, Saturday, 12th July. This is an amazing day filled with joy, love, protest and celebration. There is live music, a dance stage, a cabaret stage, a film festival, a circus tent and much, much more. It’s all happening this weekend!
Gromit Unleashed: 2025 will see Wallace and Gromit sculptures coming to Bristol once again. You can go on a trail to find all these amazing sculptures. It’s a great way of going for a wander around Bristol and learning about our wonderful city. The trail is on throughout July and August before the sculptures will be auctioned off.
If you don’t fancy any of the above, you could try one of my favourite Bristol summer activities:
- Go for a picnic in Ashton Court.
- Go paddleboarding or for a swim in the harbour (Sunday mornings only).
- Go for an ice-cream at Swoon Gelato at the harbourside and have a walk around the harbour.
- Go for a drink at the White Lion at sunset where you have a lovely view of the Suspension Bridge.
- Go to Brandon Hill and walk up Cabot Tower for another amazing view of Bristol.
There is also so much happening on the ELC Social Programme for our students to get involved in. You can keep up to date with our programme here: