It’s taken its time, but summer is finally here. Whether you’re a shade-seeker or the kind who likes to soak up every inch of sunlight while it’s around, you’ll want to break out of hibernation this July. From fun festivals to epic activities to try out with friends like outdoor swimming and axe throwing, here’s our guide to the best things to do this July in Bristol.
1. Celebrate Bristol Pride
Although Pride Month is officially in June, the celebrations and awareness of LGBTQ+ rights are not stopping anytime soon in the city. Bristol Pride will take place on July 14 returning to The Downs. Synth-pop legends The Human League will headline, while the likes of electronica duo, Ladytron, Claire Richards from STEPS, and indie-pop sensation Georgia will also perform. You’ll find over 200 artists performing across 5 stages at this donation entry festival. Beforehand, the Parade March will gather at 10am at the bandstand end of Castle Park and depart at 10:45am.
2. Unwind with an atmospheric Candlelight concert
Picture it: A four-string quartet performing your favourite songs in Bristol’s most charming locations under the gentle glow of candlelight. Doesn’t that sound spectacular? There’s a show for every type of music fan too! From the biggest artists like Adele or Coldplay to film scores of Hollywood epics, you’ll always find something incredible . To see what Candlelight concerts are on around Bristol head here.
3. Catch water-based action at Bristol’s biggest free festival
This July will see the return of Bristol Harbour Festival. From July 19-21, a fleet of feature vessels is expected in the Bristol harbour as well as over 300 visiting boats, yachts and ships. As one of the UK’s largest public festivals, over 250,000 visitors are expected to attend over one mile of entertainment.
Expect the weekend to be jam-packed with the best of Bristol’s music scene, including BLOCO B, Laid Blak, Gabriel Templar and many more set to amplify the Amphitheatre. Plus, world-class circus performers and on-the-water activities– such as cardboard boat races and jetpack stunts – will also entertain.
4. Hook yourself on sustainable fish
To coincide with Bristol Harbour Festival, acclaimed Bristol chef, Josh Eggleton (of The Pony Chew Valley) will launch a brand new food festival that celebrates eco-friendly fish.
From July 15 to 21, Bristol Seafood Week will see several restaurants create fish-inspired menus, host seafood cooking classes, and hold discussions on seafood sustainability. Many at Wapping Wharf – including Salt & Malt, Root, BOX-E and the Olive Shed – will act as the festival hub, while the Bianchis group and Nadu, among many others, are also involved.
5. Party at this former torpedo testing site
When Propyard closed – with countless events cancelled and staff left unpaid – many were left wondering what would happen to the former torpedo testing site on Feeder Road. The 25,000sqft warehouse has since reopened under new owners – now screening England’s Euro 2024 games – as The Prospect Building. We’ll get our first chance to properly party, however, when the legendary Honey Dijon will captivate ravers with a blend of house, techno and disco on July 20.
6. Visit Bristol’s science centre after two years
After a freak fire devastated We The Curious in 2022, Bristol has sorely missed a science museum for over two years. It will finally reopen on Tuesday, July 2, however, with an opening celebration planned for Saturday, July 6. Inside, you’ll still find a place for all ages that encourages “curiosity, creativity and ingenuity”. Across two floors are over 200 interactive exhibits, as well as a new programme of ‘impossible’ activities and new shows in the 3D Planetarium.
7. Picnic in these psychedelic fields
Only open until August 4, Cotswold Lavender is providing acres of fields to walk, relax, and picnic in this July. If you go in the last week of July, you may also be able to visit the Distillery – where you can catch the lavender oil being extracted using an original method invented by ancient Egyptians. On top of lavender fields, the farm is also home to the more natural wildflower fields local to the Cotswolds – from red poppies to blue cornflowers – and The Beechwood Trail, where kids can play. In peak flowering season, an adult ticket costs £7.50 and a child costs £3.25.
8. Go for a bullseye with a spot of axe throwing
Got a bit of steam to blow off? Whistle Punks is a pretty unique venue in Bristol, offering guests the chance to throw actual axes at the wall. Sounds fun, huh? Practise your technique and aim for the target, while keeping score if you’re the competitive type! Once the session is done, take advantage of the bar area and regale your glory over a beer, cocktail or wine. Book your axe throwing session here.
9. Go swimming in the harbour
We’re not meteorologists or soothsayers at Secret Bristol, but we’re expecting July to be A LOT hotter than June. And when the city heats up, we’ll need a way to cool off. Thankfully, we can now safely and legally go wild swimming in the Baltic Wharf every Saturday and Sunday. Between 8am and 10am, the water sports charity, All Aboard is offering ‘Open Water Swimming’ for £7.50-an-hour. The cost covers the running of sessions and weekly water quality tests. It’s not the only outdoor swimming spot in and and around Bristol either!
10. Catch cinema screenings in sunny Clifton
After a successful launch last year, Clifton Summer Screenings returns (July 4 – 7) with not one, but two unique pop-up cinemas! With covered seating, state-of-the-art LED screens and wireless headphones, you’ll be able to enjoy such family-friendly films as Mamma Mia, Up, Barbie, Jurassic Park, Notting Hill, Indiana Jones and many more. Need a horror fix? This year’s new screen2 is playing The Wicker Man, The Evil Dead, Friday The 13thand The Blair Witch Project. It’s also hosting a range of talks, short films, and Vintage Screenings (which combine a film and wine tasting). To see the full schedule head here.
11. Catch waves not feelings at these brilliant beaches near Bristol
July means beach weather and luckily for Bristolians there are some beautiful coastal spots all a short drive away. From shingly shorelines at Kilve Beach to feel the sand between your toes at Sand Bay near Weston-super-Mare, or even the UK’s largest inland sandy beach, there’s a beach for you to relax at. Plus, the South-West coast offers a number of areas to go surfing, fishing and enjoy some traditional seaside grub. Check out our guide to the best beaches near Bristol to visit next time it’s sunny.
12. Take this ‘budget pub crawl’ around Bristol’s Harbourside
If there’s one thing we’re always on the lookout for, it’s cheap pints. Someone has done the Lord’s Work by creating a ‘budget pub crawl’ around Harbourside. Josh even says he managed to find “a £2 Thatchers and a £2.75 pint of Tribute” on his travels. There are seven pubs on the budget pub crawl, including The Little Grosvenor, Avon Packet and The Mardyke for cheap pints. Grabbing a cheap pint in the city isn’t always easy, but this budget pub crawl map should help.