If you’re trying to beat the heat, or simply after something cultured for the weekend, there are plenty of great things happening in Bristol this month. From taking flight at the return of the Balloon Fiesta to heading out on kaleidoscopic adventures at The Luminarium or Wake The Tiger, here’s our guide to the best things to do in Bristol this August.
1. Root yourself in Broadmead’s tree-inspired art installation
Looking for a way to escape into nature without having to escape the city? Overstory, an art installation designed to celebrate trees in urban areas, might be what you seek. It will temporarily transform Broadmead shopping centre by hanging over the heads of shoppers as they wander the city centre. The project’s aim – created by contemporary artists Ivan Morison and Heather Peak – is to educate those visiting about the benefits of trees for both people and wildlife. There will also be educational events taking place and it’s a great excuse to hit the shops.
2. Have a mind-altering adventure at The Luminarium pop-up
If you were blown away by the Bristol Light Festival back in March then you’re in luck. A fully accessible, multi-sensory pop-up on College Green is coming this month. The Luminarium, an inflatable installation, will let visitors enter wondrous domes filled with natural light and colour. Taking inspiration from natural forms, Islamic and Gothic cathedrals and modern architecture, it is a kaleidoscopic adventure. And an Instagrammers’ dream.
3. Take a ride on a balloon
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta will make a triumphant return this month. After last year’s Fiesta Fortnight that split the event across two weeks, we will once again see hundreds of hot air balloons fill the skies at once as they take off from Ashton Court. From Clifton Observatory to Dean Street Skatepark, it is a spectacular sight from wherever you are in the city. It’s worth getting down to the site if you can, however. As well as the balloon ascents, there is entertainment all day including aerial displays, fairground rides, balloon tethering demonstrations and a local music stage. The best sights are from the sky, however, so book a flight in one this month if you can.
4. Have a picnic and singalong to one your favourite musicals
Adventure Cinema is coming to Clifton Down for a series of outdoor cinema screenings this August. Some of our favourite modern musicals will be showing, including Mamma Mia!, Rocketman, West Side Story and Encanto. If musicals aren’t quite up your street, then Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction will also feature. The Downs hold some of the most beautiful sights in the city. So it is the perfect pitch for a picnic and sing-a-long cinema experience.
5. Catch the amazing Van Gogh exhibition at Propyard
Final warning. There is only one month left to catch this unique art exhibition experience. At Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience the post-impressionist artist’s iconic paintings have been unleashed from the four walls of their frame: projected in a 360-degree digital show, brought to life using virtual reality and re-created in larger than life installations. You will feel like you have wandered through the canvas and into Van Gogh’s swirling masterpieces. Book tickets here.
6. Get lost in a series of secret passageways and ice caves at the world’s first Amazement Park
The team behind Boomtown festival have brought the world’s first ‘Amazement Park’ to Bristol for you to fall down. Wake The Tiger is an Alice in Wonderland-like experience that blurs the lines between experiential art gallery, interactive theme park and detailed film set. It is a surreal and beautiful journey that lets visitors explore a labyrinth of wonder that’s been designed for all ages. You will visit forests, ice caves, underwater worlds and so much more. It has to be seen to be believed.
7. Take a trip to Japan with Studio Ghibli
For fans of Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, the independent cinema Watershed will be showing a series of movies by the Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli this month. Highlighting some of the studio’s lesser-known but no less noteworthy movies, Studio Ghibli Summer kicks off with Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies. Repeat matinee screenings will be given to four further films, highlighting the breadth of talent the studio has wielded. This includes The Wind Rises, When Marnie Was There, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and The Red Turtle. The range of animation styles and depth of storytelling reveal how the studio has stayed a cut above the rest for so many years.
8. Enjoy some cider in the sunshine
Bristolians love their cider. And with more heatwaves expected this month, it’s the best way to cool-off in the sweltering weather. Sunshine and cider come as a pair in the South West, so why not check-out some of the best cider spots the city has to offer. There are plenty to choose from!
9. Take your tastebuds on a trip to the past
A trip to Brunel’s SS Great Britain always feels like a step into the past, but rarely do our tastebuds come with us. This summer, however, visitors are being asked to embark on a flavour voyage and taste historic recipes from around the world. Dishes of Discovery aims to give people a sense of what it might have felt like encountering new and exotic flavour profiles for the first time as they traveled the world. Destinations the ship visited in the 19th century inspired many of the authentic foods on offer, including a melon and ginger jam from Cape Town, borsch from Crimea and a green coriander and coconut chutney from Mumbai.
10. Hit East Bristol’s brew trail
Seven of East Bristol’s highly respected breweries will open their taproom bars August bank holiday weekend for the East Bristol Brewery Trail. The first time the event has taken place since the pandemic. The Trail has been run by Arbor Ales, Dawkins Ales, Good Chemistry Brewing, Left Handed Giant Brewing Co. and Moor Beer since 2016, but this year two brand new breweries – Little Martha Brewing and Newtown Park Brewing Co. – have been added. All a short walk from each other, its a great day to sample the best beer of the city. If you miss it, however, nearly all these breweries will be open through the month anyway, so it’s always worth a wander over.
11. Head to the national arboretum
Swimming is an overrated way to cool off in the sunshine. Take it from us, shade is your best friend. And where are there more shady tree spots than at an arboretum? Westonbirt is less than an hour’s drive from Bristol and the most well regarded arboretum in the country. With over 2,500 different species, there are plenty of mysteries to uncover. Making it a perfect family day-out discovering its many wonderful varieties. This month Westonbirt is also running free workshops for children over the age of 7 to let them explore the range of careers available at the arboretum. Perfect for those children with aspirations of becoming tree-climbers when they’re older.