Things to do in Bristol this weekend May 27-29: Street art and music festivals, thrifty fashion, garden parties and more

With the start of the May half-term upon us, there’s always pressure to make sure you have a plan for something to do at the weekend. Luckily for everyone in Bristol, the city is spoiling us at the moment, with something for everyone and something to entertain all members of the family or all ages.

Whether you fancy getting out and enjoying the warmer climes by meandering around the renowned Upfest Festival, or you fancy something a little more civilised in the form of a garden party, the city has got you covered. With so much going on, it can be hard to keep up, so let’s take a look into what you can expect this weekend...

Upfest

Long-anticipated and having been gearing up over the last few weeks, Upfest is back on North Street this weekend (27-29 May). With the art already looking wonderful across the area, it’s set to be bigger than ever this year.

Renowned for bringing together some of the world’s best street artists, Upfest is the biggest street art and graffiti festival in Europe. There will be plenty of activities to get involved with such as spray paint workshops, and plenty of food and drink, and music, too.

Following three weeks of street painting, the festival weekend will see hundreds of artists painting live with festival hubs at Tobacco Factory and Ashton Gate Stadium. For the first year, the festival will also take over Greville Smyth Park as its main venue with music and live painting across the weekend.

Under the Sea Jubilee

Bristol Aquarium is getting into the Jubilee spirit this year, so taking place from 28th May until 5th June, they will be hosting an Under the Sea Jubilee to get the whole family involved in.

The Aquarium is encouraging you all to get up close and personal to Regal Tangs and Emperor Angel Fish to help celebrate HRH The Queens Jubilee. Head on a very noble tour of the Aquarium, spotting the most royal-themed of their species, and enter their colouring competition, too!

With extra talks and activities to get involved with throughout the May Half Term, all included with the usual Aquarium admission, it’s a great option for a whole host of family fun.

Eat Your Way to Australia

Kicking off this weekend (27-29th May), SS Great Britain is putting on an Eat Your Way to Australia event to entertain the whole family for the May half term.

The SS Great Britain has ​​recreated the steerage ration from the 1855 Passenger Act, allowing you to step into the shoes of a Victorian voyager and discover what, where and how they dined on board the SS Great Britain.

Eat Your Way to Australia runs every day during May half term from 12-4 pm on board the ship. The activity is included with entry to Brunel’s SS Great Britain.

Garden Party at Bristol Cathedral

How about a summer evening spent in the garden at the beautiful Bristol Cathedral, who is hosting their Garden Party on 28th May.

Expect quaint bunting, summer music, local food vendors, and a bar by Espensen Spirit featuring the Cathedral’s very own Chapterhouse Gin, creating the perfect garden party atmosphere.

There is also the chance to book onto a Gin Tasting and Guided Tour, an exclusive opportunity to taste a select menu of drinks served by a local spirit connoisseur, including the Chapterhouse gin.

Yard Party

This Saturday (28th May), Fierce and Noble brewery is hosting their Yard Party, a perfect opportunity to sample some of their beers, join together with friends and the local community and eat good food.

There will be plenty of local traders on-site, including the infamous Danny’s Burgers, and Fierce and Noble will also be launching a new beer for the occasion. You’ll also find DJ’s, cider and local trade stalls, so there will be something for everyone.

Dot to Dot

Dot to Dot Festival is back this Saturday (28th May) and set to be one of the biggest line-ups Bristol has seen so far.

The annual music festival is held at various venues in Nottingham, Bristol and Manchester across a weekend, and unlike other festivals, the artists are not on rotation for the weekend, but play one city for the first day and travel to the other for the next. This year, it will be going from Bristol to Nottingham.

So, what can you expect from the musical day? The line-up includes SQUID, Ghetts, Baby Queen, Alfie Templeman, Cassia, and Cheap Teeth amongst many others.

Sustainable Pop-Up Market

Head to Gloucester Road this weekend on Saturday (28th May) from 10 am until 5 pm to see the return of The Future Leap monthly sustainable market. The market is a celebration of local talent which provides an eco-conscious space for finding different products and green alternatives to the high street.

The pop-up Sustainable Market will be filled with all sorts of local artists and craft makers where you will find things such as edible plants and herbs, ceramics, sustainable fashion, illustrations and prints, skincare, and The Library of Things, a swap/share initiative in Bristol for household and DIY items.

Craft and Flea Market

Another market to get excited about this weekend, why not pop down to the Craft and Flea Market at Bristol Folk House? Taking place on Sunday (29th May) from 12-5 pm, the market is a great place to browse, peruse and shop knowing that you are doing so in a conscious way.

What’s better is that you can treat yourself to an afternoon tea in the cafe to fuel your shopping habits and make a real Sunday-y day out of it. Sounds pretty good, right?