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Bristol Harbour Festival

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Bristol Harbour Festival
Pero's Bridge full of people passing over the harbour at one end of the Bristol Harbour Festival in 2010.
GenreMusic Festival, Community Festival
Dates18–20 July 2014
17–19 July 2015
15–17 July 2016
21–23 July 2017 [1]
19–21 July 2024[2]
LocationsBristol, England – Bristol Harbour, Queen Square, Millennium Square, Castle Park, Harbourside
Years active1971–present
WebsiteBristol Harbour Festival Website

The Bristol Harbour Festival is a free festival[2] held annually in the English city of Bristol, which celebrates the city's maritime heritage and the importance of Bristol's docks and harbour. Most of the activities, including live music, street performances, fireworks and a variety of other live entertainments, are held on or near the waterfront of Bristol Harbour. Venues include Queen Square, Lloyds Amphitheatre, Millennium Square and Castle Park, with seagoing vessels moored nearby.

History

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The city has hosted the festival since 1971, when it was started as part of an attempt to save the docks from being filled in.[3][4] In 2012, the festival attracted over 300,000 visitors, its highest attendance, with the Irene and the Matthew two of the tall ships to attend that year. In 2013 fireworks returned to the festival after a two-year hiatus.[5][6][7][8]

Entertainment

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The We The Curious planetarium (a large stainless-steel sphere), and people in Millennium Square during the 2008 festival.

The festival has a variety of entertainment including dance acts, interactive theatre, international circus acts and a mix of musicians. The Dance Village, programmed by Swindon Dance, includes a main stage and participation area where visitors can learn to dance. Cirque Bijou's circus stage takes over Castle Park, next to an interactive children's area, which included a pirate ship in 2013. SS Great Britain hosts an outdoor stage with BBC Radio Bristol, while Happy City has an interactive area within Lloyds Amphitheatre. In 2013 the Thekla Harbour Stage was created in Muddock for up and coming bands alongside a new festival bandstand.[9][10][11]

In previous years entertainment has included Beth Rowley, the Hot 8 Brass Band, DJ Derek, The Blessing, The Bristol Ambling Band, Phantom Limb, Kid Carpet, Natty, Barry Adamson and VV Brown.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

In 2026, organisers announced changes to the festival footprint and entertainment schedule[20] including more on the water[21] activity and a festival fringe with local businesses invited to get involved.[22]

References

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  1. ↑ "Bristol Harbour Festival 2017". Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Bristol Harbour Festival: Applications for artists open". BBC News. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "The Plan To Fill In The Docks". Bristol Post. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2016.[permanent dead link]
  4. ↑ "Saving Bristol's Unique 'Floating' Harbour". Inland Waterways Association. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Saving Bristol's Unique 'Floating' Harbour". The Inland Waterways Association. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Enjoyed the Harbour Festival? Give us your views for the next festival". WestburyPeople. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  7. ↑ "Bristol Harbour Festival attracts about 250,000 people". BBC News. BBC. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Fireworks return to Harbour Festival". Bristol Culture. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Summer survival guide - The Big 3: #1 Bristol Harbour Festival". Bristol Post. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Dance Village". Bristol Harbour Festival. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "Happy City". Bristol Harbour Festival. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Bristol Harbour Festival". BBC News. BBC. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Bristol legend DJ Derek to scratch outdoor career after fest gig". Bristol Post. 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  14. ↑ "Gabby Young and Other Animals". www.live-music-scene.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  15. ↑ "A wealth of music and more at Bristol Harbour Festival". Metro. 31 July 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  16. ↑ "Bristol Harbour Festival 2011". efestivals.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  17. ↑ "Your guide to the Bristol Harbour Festival". Bristol Post. 1 August 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2015.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  18. ↑ "Bristol Harbour Festival 2008". efestivals.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  19. ↑ "Staton headlines Harbour Festival". BBC News. BBC. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  20. ↑ Woolerton, Betty (4 March 2026). "First look at lineup for Bristol Harbour Festival 2026". Bristol24/7. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Bristol Harbour Festival 2026: A bold return to the water - Visit West". www.visitwest.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  22. ↑ Kendall, Ellie (28 March 2026). "Bristol venues invited to be part of Harbour Festival". Bristol Live. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
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51°27′N 2°36′W / 51.45°N 2.60°W / 51.45; -2.60

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