As the days grow longer and the nights feel warmer, hasn’t the year flown by? The weather’s not been great, but it’s time to make the most of 2024. May is the only month of the year with two bank holidays, so you’d expect there to be more to do across these long weekends. And you’d be right! It feels like the festival season in Bristol really begins this May with countless events taking place, alongside plenty of other activities and things to do. So without further ado, here are all the best things to do this May in Bristol.
1. Celebrate the 40th birthday of Bristol’s iconic nightclub on a boat
Thekla was a coastal trading vessel in Germany for almost 26 years before it came to Bristol’s Floating Harbour in 1984. It’s spent its best years, however, as an iconic music venue – hosting early gigs for the likes of Massive Attack, Roni Size and Portishead, turning up in the hit TV show Skins, and still supporting up-and-coming artists today. In May, Thekla will turn 40 and the iconic vessel will mark the occasion with five days of live music, from May 1 to 5.
Some of Thekla’s favourite artists from the past four decades will take to the stage again – including former 51°27′ residents, My Nu Leng; Beatles Dub Club & Friends, with the Mad Apple Circus horn section, the Bloco B samba dancers and the Binbag Wisdom vocalists; and a special Pop Confessional with Twisted Time Machine. To coincide with the celebrations, Thekla also put together an exclusive archive book, The Complete History of Thekla, looking at the vessel’s legacy and cultural influence. To learn more about the gigs and book head here.
2. Unwind with a charming candlelight concert
You’ve never experienced a concert like this before! Picture it: A beautiful Bristol church, filled with hundreds of gently glowing candles, and the sound of a string quartet playing your favourite songs. Yes, your, because there’s a Candlelight concert for everyone. Whether you’re still caught up in Beatlesmania or you’re a converted Swiftie, you’ll find the perfect gig for you. To see all the Candlelight concerts in Bristol head here.
3. Get ready for Europe’s largest street art festival
After a fallow year, Upfest is back with a new format! Nearly 200 street artists will be spreading the paint across Bedminster and Southville. The 17-day cultural programme (May 18 to June 2) sees will involve free-to-attend workshops, live painting, artist talks, art activities, panel discussions, theatre, comedy, tours exploring the area and so much more.
Headlining the event is the Portsmouth-based trans street artist and activist, Mister Samo, on a mission to “spread love and inclusion” with his big and bold creations. He’ll be joined by such Bristol faves as Inkie, Jody, Bex Glover, and Tozer, as well as plenty of global talent. They will be turning BS3 into an open-air art gallery, with more large-scale murals popping up throughout the area. To learn more head here.
4. Go underground at Bristol’s newest nightclub
Gearing up for the Early May Bank Holiday weekend, a new 2,700-capacity nightclub has opened in the basement of The Galleries. Alfresco Disco first started throwing parties here in 2021 but is now turning it into a full-scale club with at least 15 events lined up. First up, a double-whammy weekend (May 4 & 5) sees the award-winning DnB club night Rumble in the Jungle taking over on Saturday, followed by techno superstar Amelie Lens on Sunday.
5. Grab a pint at this trendy neighbourhood pub in Fishponds
It was a sad day when the much-loved Cross Hands in Fishponds shut its doors. But The All Inn has proven itself as a worthy replacement – even being recently crowned Bristol’s best pub. After almost a year open (May 19), head down and celebrate with a wide selection of craft beers, authentic Neapolitan pizza and signature dirty burgers.
6. Get running your legs off
It’s the Great Bristol Run this month (May 19). It’s already sold out, so if you haven’t booked a slot yet, you can only head down and cheer on the runners. But if you want to compete in next year’s race (10k or half marathon), then you best get training today! Bristol’s coolest running club meets every Tuesday at the Left Handed Giant Brewpub. LHG Run Club is for “no show-offs, no egos, just good vibes” and always ends with pizza and beer. Ideal for those just starting on their run journey!
7. Party at Bristol’s biggest music festival
Love Saves The Day often marks the beginning of summer in Bristol. Returning May 25 and 26, the line-up at Ashton Court includes the back-to-back dance and electronic beats of CamelPhat, The Streets‘ lyrical genius and non-stop party vibes from the likes of Rudimental, Sub Focus and a whole host of stellar live D&B, dance and electronic acts. Across eight stages, you’ll find a mix of household names and up-and-coming artists – including CASISDEAD, Goldie, Joy Orbison, Joker, Girls Don’t Sync Eliza Rose, Shanti Celeste, and many more
9. Or rock out at Dot To Dot
Not into dance music? Dot To Dot is also back on May 25. The one-day festival for the hottest emerging bands and artists will be tearing up Bristol’s coolest venues including Jockstrap, Wunderhorse and The Magic Gang. Split between O2 Academy, SWX, Dockside, The Fleece, The Louisiana, Rough Trade, The Lanes, Dareshack, The Crown, Mr Wolfs and Strange Brew, you’ll never run out of incredible gigs to see. To learn more head here.
10. Soak up breathtaking views of the city at these rooftop bars
British Summertime is here, therefore a rooftop drink is definitely overdue. From luxurious restaurants to cosy terraces, Bristol has some of the most incredible rooftop bars (and some are more hidden than others). Check out our guide featuring The White Lion’s insane view of Clifton Suspension Bridge this May.
11. Travel to Forbidden Worlds at the former Bristol IMAX
If you’re looking for strange things to do this May in Bristol, look no further than Forbidden Worlds Film Festival. Taking place May 16 to 19, highlights include a 30th anniversary screening of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Timecop (1994); Cinema’s most deadly women unleashed with screenings of Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958), Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972) and The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996); and a screening of rare 80s Soviet sci-fi classic Kin-dza-dza! (1986). Plus, anniversary screenings of The Last Starfighter, Stargate and Speed and so much more! To see the full line-up head here.
12. Go camping in the wild
Unlike our Scottish friends, England and Wales are a bit stuck when it comes to wild camping. There is only one place in England where you can go and it’s not far from Bristol – and that’s Dartmoor National Park. With these long weekends coming up, you’ll surely be thinking of day trips out of the city. And the moorlands of Dartmoor (two hours from Bristol) are breathtaking. If you’d prefer to go to Wales, we’ve also heard that Brecon Beacons Visitor Centres carry a secret list of landowners in the area that will happily host wild campers.
13. Tuck into these fluffy souffle pancakes
You must’ve seen these souffle pancakes on TikTok. Now you can try them in Bristol. Fluffy Fluffy has opened at the bottom of Park Street, where you can try the fluffiest, lightest, most heavenly pancakes you could ever dream of – coming with a range of flavours, from cookies and cream to matcha tiramisu!
14. Catch some contemporary theatre
Bristol’s biennial festival of contemporary theatre is back! Over the past twelve years, Mayfest has built a name for itself by putting on boundary-pushing and -blurring shows from global performers. Every show is guaranteed to memorise and make you think. And thanks to its pay-what-you-can model (starting from £5) there’s no excuse not to have your mind blown. Mayfest’s Opening Party kicks off at Bristol Old Vic on May 17, with the international festival lasting until May 26. To see what’s on head here.
15. Head to Bristol’s newest festival
You’ve probably noticed that Bristol’s got a lot of festivals in May. So to stand out, you’ve got to be doing something special. Everyone should be taking notice of DIASPORA! – with its long-term vision of becoming the ‘Edinburgh Fringe’ of diversity arts. Showcasing BIPOC artists, the new festival is debuting across the early May bank holiday weekend (May 3 – 6).
Over 60 events in 30+ venues across Bristol, will see artists from underrepresented cultural backgrounds perform everything from theatre, dance and music to visual and digital arts, spoken word, crafts or talks. This includes an opening ceremony (May 3) at Trinity Centre celebrating Bristol’s many cultural communities – with dance, music, poetry, folklore, and delicious food. To see the full line-up of events head here.
16. Join these affordable handcrafted pottery workshops
Your May weekends look pretty jam-packed now, don’t they, but what about your weekdays? Don’t be a kiln joy and stay in, these affordable handcrafted pottery workshops have been described as the “perfect midweek wind down.” Give Pottymouth Workshop and their beginner-friendly sessions a go this May. Where you can make anything from mugs to vases, jugs to butter dishes, or even dog bowls. Or even a friend or two!