Bristol Harbour Festival 2023: Dates confirmed for the festival - all you can expect including Cirque Bijou

The iconic free family event that is Bristol Harbour Festival is set to return, with dates for the 2023 festival now confirmed. The 2023 edition has a fresh new look, with newly imagined entertainment zones and the Circus Playground moving to College Green and more.

Also coming this year is an inclusive water programme that celebrates the city’s iconic harbour. All the entertainment at the festival stretches around a mile long, and attracts around 250,000 people.

All in all, five areas at the Bristol Harbour Festival will be filled with music and entertainment across the five performance platforms, bringing beats, boats and backflips to the summer extravaganza.

Returning this year will be the popular Cirque Bijou, who will once again be bringing tricks and trapeze. Children’s entertainment and pop-up performances at the Circus Playground which will now take pride of place at a brand new city green space, College Green.

Taking over Millenium Square and providing festival goers with chilled out, beach-bar vibes with an acoustic programme will be The Jelli Shack, which will feature an abundance of Bristol talent as well as dodgems and refreshment.

The Amphitheatre will become a great spot to enjoy a bite to eat with a food court, and there will be music from Access Creative College, Ujima Radio and BCFM Radio. It will be the perfect place to look out onto the stunning setting of Bristol’s floating harbour.

On the Water entertainment will return to the Harbour Festival, bringing the water at the heart of our city to life with activities showcasing maritime-magic from jet ski stunts to the iconic Pyrounaut showing off its skills.

Finally, Bristol’s Georgian Queen Square will transform into the music; curated by Harbour Festival programming legend, Tony Benjamin. This space will kick start the festival on Friday night and will also feature the brightest talent from Access Creative College alongside established acts.

When is the Bristol Harbour Festival 2023?

The Bristol Harbour Festival will take place from July 14-16 2023.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “Bristol’s Harbour Festival is a big part of our city’s calendar, and an incredible platform for aspiring artists and local talent to perform in front of huge audiences.

“The Harbour Festival is an event for all communities and is an opportunity to showcase the diverse Bristol we’re proud to call home. We look forward to celebrating together and bringing another brilliant free-festival to Bristol this Summer.”