Applications open for 'talented locals' to perform at Bristol Harbour Festival 2024

Bristol Harbour Festival will return in July and organisers are keen to hear from talented locals who want to take centre stage.

Expression of Interest applications for the maritime festival are now open and the festival’s new curators are calling for singers, performers, organisations, charities, and other initiatives to submit their applications to perform before the deadline on Wednesday January 31.

Taking place between Friday July 19-21, Bristol Harbour Festival is one of the UK’s biggest free-to-attend events, attracting around 250,000 people across the long weekend. 

Delivered by Bristol City Council, this year will also see two of the city’s Business Improvement Districts, Bristol City Centre BID and Redcliffe & Temple BID, become key stakeholders in the event - bringing the business community to the heart of the festival. 

For 2024, Bristol Harbour Festival will be curated, produced and delivered by international events production agency, Proud Events, in partnership with immersive theatre and events company, Swans Events. 

A steering group has been brought together, to assist in curating a festival that represents both local ethos and talent as well as international best practice in event operations and production.

Local organisations on board include Bristol Old Vic, Watershed, Bristol Pride, ACH Refugee Integration Services Provider and Bristol Community Ferry Boats Ltd.

The steering group will meet regularly in the lead up to the Bristol Harbour Festival to agree on the many facets of the event and ensure neighbourhoods, groups and districts across the city are represented throughout the three-day festival. 

The stages will include acts spanning the genres of music, circus, theatre, on the water and more. New additions and areas are set to join the line-up for 2024, with more information yet to be revealed. 

Previous Bristol Harbour Festival events have seen more than 80% of the acts and entertainment on offer coming through the Expression of Interest application form.

For those wanting to perform and join in the city’s 2024 celebrations, they should head to the Bristol Harbour Festival website and complete the Expression of Interest form before Wednesday January 31. 

Expression of Interest applications for the maritime festival are now open here. Applications for boat owners and visiting vessels who wish to attend this year’s festival will soon go live, as will applications for trading at the festival. More information can be found on the Harbour Festival website.