Roll up, roll up! The city’s biggest free festival, Bristol Harbour Festival, returns in July to celebrate the city’s maritime connection. This three-day family festival (July 18 to 20) will host a packed weekend of local musicians, circus acts, on-the-water activities – such as cardboard boat races and jetpack stunts – and more at one of the UK’s biggest free-to-attend events.
The UK’s most streamed folk band and the city’s very own The Longest Johns will headline the Made in Bristol showcase on Sunday night – with a homecoming performance following their North America and Europe tour. Known for reviving the sea shanty tradition and bringing maritime folk music to a global audience, their set promises to be a standout moment of the weekend.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Global Local stage takeover will return, celebrating cultural diversity through music. The line-up will feature Eternal Taal, the pioneering all-female Bhangra group that has performed for the Royal Family; Gnawa Blues All Stars, bringing North African trance music infused with jazz and reggae; and DJ Hippo, whose eclectic mixes of tropical beats, hip-hop and jungle will keep the energy high.
Also performing, Bristol favourite Bloco B will deliver the rhythms of Rio with high-energy samba before The Allergies close the night with their signature funk-driven sound – complete with James Morton on Saxophone, Marietta Smith on vocals and Andy Cooper on MC duty! But, offering over one mile of entertainment, these main stage acts are only a drop in the ocean compared to the boat-load of fun in store.
Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said: “The Bristol Harbour Festival is a true celebration of the city – its creativity, diversity, and rich musical talent. It’s fantastic to see Bristol artists like The Longest Johns making a global impact and then bringing that success back home to share with festival audiences.”
On top of celebrating the city’s maritime heritage through live music, the Bristol Harbour Festival will likely feature everything from panel discussions to circus acts, on-the-water activities and more. A complete programme has yet to be announced, but we’ll keep you updated when there’s more to reveal.
To learn more about Bristol Harbour Festival head here.