Plenty of fun went down in July, from Pride to the Bristol Harbour Festival, but the summer fun won’t stop there. The sunny month of August (hopefully) has got plenty in store to keep you entertained. From the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta to a massive family water fight, Bristol isn’t short of things to do this August!
1. Fly high with Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
The celebrations for Bristol International Balloon Fiesta begin this August as one of the city’s most iconic events returns to Ashton Court Estate. The previously four-day festival has been cut back due to rising costs, but Europe’s largest annual balloon fiesta will still attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Bristol. The free-to-attend three-day event will see 100+ hot air balloons of all shapes, sizes and colours take to the skies (August 9 to 11), plus the legendary Night Glow events, aerial displays, fairground rides, local music and a children’s entertainment stage.
2. Hunt down Bristol’s spectacular street art
Not that it’s not raining every day – just every other day – why not get outside and explore the streets of Bristol this August? Our city is home to the most spectacular street art in the world, from the illusive Banksy to the hidden delights of Leonard Lane. This exploration game not only makes finding Bristol’s best graffiti a little easier but a lot more fun too! Just follow the clues, decipher hidden graffiti messages and learn the secret stories behind these impressive murals. Get your ticket to this street art exploration game here.
3. Watch the National Hot Air Balloon Championships
Another major ballooning event is heading to Bristol for the first time this August. The National Hot Air Balloon Championships will run from August 6 to 11. Competing over Ashton Court, competition balloons are smaller, slimmer and more agile. Some of the challenges involve performing doughnuts in the air, balloons flying low into the site, and making quick 180-degree turns.
4. Take the East Bristol Brewery Trail
Over the August Bank Holiday weekend (August 24 & 25), six of the area’s most highly respected breweries will open their taproom bars for the East Bristol Brewery Trail. Visitors that hit the crawl will taste a delectable sampling of beers, as well as get the opportunity to talk to the local brewers about their practices or just have a good old chinwag. Those taking part are Arbor Ales, Good Chemistry Brewing, Wiper & True, Left Handed Giant Brewing Co., Moor Beer and Little Martha Brewing.
5. Enjoy an atmospheric Candlelight concert
Can you picture this? A four-string quartet with a stunning performance of your favourite music in one of Birmingham’s most beautiful buildings. Oh, and all under the gentle glow of candlelight. That sounds pretty special, right? Plus, there’s something for every type of music fan too! On August 17, discover the music of your favourite movies reimagined at St Mary Redcliffe Church, or catch a very special tribute to Adele.
6. Fire off a super soaker at your loved ones
July hasn’t had great weather, but we’re hoping August is a big improvement! If and when the sun does start shining, we’ll be heading straight to Avon Valley. On August 31, they’re hosting a “massive family water fight” – entry included with your ticket – along with a giant slip ‘n’ slide, giant ‘refilling stations’, water bomb artillery station, sponge stocks and foam party area. You’ll need to bring your favourite super soaker, a towel and a spare change of dry clothes! There are also plenty of other reasons to visit throughout the month too, which you can learn about here.
7. Catch a gig on the Downs
This month, we’ve got two incredible shows that will take place on the Clifton Downs. First of Massive Attack will play their first UK show in five years – their first Bristol performance since they played the Steel Yard at Filton Airfield in 2019 – on Sunday, August 25. It’s aiming to have the lowest carbon footprint of any concert this size with production, catering and lighting entirely powered by renewable energy.
The following weekend (August 31 & September 1) Forwards Festival has an incredible line-up raring to go. LCD Soundsystem and Loyle Carner are headlining, and they’ll be joined by the likes of The Jesus And Mary Chain, Glass Beams, Four Tet, Jessie Ware, Floating Points, Romy and many more. On top of this, Big Team’s Next Level Artist Development Programme will also support a selection of aspiring artists. To learn more head here.
8. Listen to some Old City sounds
After debuting last year, the family-friendly music festival, Old City Sounds is back (August 24). The free, day-long event with genre-based musical zones across the Old City area of Bristol includes ‘Old City Jazz’ on King Street with live jazz, folk, funk and swing music and ‘Old Kids Area’ in St Stephen’s Church garden with bubble artists, jugglers, circus performers and giant garden games.
9. Cool off at one of these outdoor swimming pools
While August typically marks the end of summer for most, the weather usually doesn’t disappoint. The sunshine is likely to return this month bringing some glorious days to Bristol once again. In case it gets a little too hot and you fancy somewhere to splash about then check out these refreshing spots for outdoor swimming in and around Bristol to relax or cool off at.
10. Visit one of these riverside pubs along the Avon
Bristol has some wonderful waterside pubs. (In fact, you can find some pretty cheap pints around Bristol’s harbour.) But some of the most memorable riverside pubs for a drink are actually a little further outside of Bristol. Be it Beeses in Bristol or The Boathouse in Bath, there are plenty of gorgeous pubs along the River Avon. You could even turn it into a riverside pub crawl! Check out the best riverside pubs between Bristol and Bath here.
11. Step through a mysterious portal at Cabot Circus
Lumosphere is a new immersive illumination experience coming to Cabot Circus. The interactive walk-through will transform Cabot Circus’ historic Friary Building in Quakers Friars into a 45 multi-sensory experience for ages. From July 26 to August 16, visitors can interact with the art, hear incredible soundscapes and gaze into extraordinary projections within this other-worldly installation. It comes from PYTCH, the team behind some of Bristol’s most iconic light displays, including various installations at the Bristol Light Festival, the Clifton Christmas Light Switch On, and Westonbirt Christmas Light Trail.
12. Explore the hidden vaults beneath Clifton Suspension Bridge
Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust is conducting its now-legendary Hard Hat Tours of the Clifton Suspension Bridge’s Underground Vaults. With a one-hour fully guided tour available for anyone aged 7+, this is your only chance of the year to see inside two of the 12 vaulted chambers. During the tour, visitors will learn about the construction – as well as the strange discovery – of these red brick abutments that still support the bridge, before donning a hard hat and high-vis jacket and descending the ladder. To learn more about Clifton Suspension Bridge and its Hard Hat Tours head here.
13. Go on a day trip to one of these fantastic flower farms
We’re so lucky in England to have such varied landscapes, from meadows to forests, and rolling hills to sandy beaches. This varied terrain provides the perfect place for so many different kinds of flowers and foliage to grow and bloom, and there’s nothing more relaxing than sitting by a stunning field of flowers. With so many of us opting to holiday in the UK this year, there’s no better time to take a day trip to these gorgeous flower fields.
14. Visit Manchester Pride
No, we’re not messing about – because from July 20, a new fast coach service from Bristol to Manchester will launch with tickets starting from £4.49. Make the most of it this month with Manchester Pride (August 23 – 26) taking over the Gay Village – which you can learn more about here.