Harbour Festival Fringe back for 2025

With the return of Bristol Harbour Festival over July 18-20 comes the Fringe, a programme launched last year which brings culture off the waterside stages and into the centre’s venues, shops and restaurants.

No1 Harbourside and The Christmas Steps pub were part of the first Fringe arm of the festival in 2024, curating their own live music and performances over the weekend to complement the main programme.

Coffee Club, a cosy airstream café at Paintworks, hosted pop-up live music performances and the Glassboat organised ‘Sing & Tonic’ sessions with music and gin tastings. Death Disco underground nightclub served up frozen margaritas alongside an exclusive DJ lineup.

Festival organisers are now inviting expressions of interest from venues that would like to participate in this year’s Fringe.

Thekla’s after hours top deck silent disco is a staple of the Harbour Festival

“The Bristol Harbour Festival is a highlight of the city’s cultural calendar, bringing people together to celebrate the city’s incredible creative spirit,” said Vicky Lee, director of Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) which is supporting the festival.

“The launch of the Fringe Festival last year added a new dimension, giving local businesses the opportunity to engage with festival audiences in a unique way.

“Venues that took part last year saw a real boost, with vibrant crowds and memorable moments. We are delighted to support the festival once again and look forward to seeing even more of Bristol’s best performers and creators taking over venues across the city.”

 

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Harbour Festival typically attracts thousands of visitors to enjoy its wide-ranging entertainment programme.

Dance workshops, drag performances, local music showcases, circus and street shows will take place around the harbour and on stages at the Amphitheatre, Millennium Square, Queen Square, College Green and Thekla.

The event began life as the International Festival of the Sea in 1996 and has continually evolved into the cultural celebration seen today, which was awarded certification by A Greener Future following the 2024 edition.

The award recognised efforts to decarbonise and “reduce the festival’s impact on Bristol’s streets, waterways and green spaces”, under the guidance of the council’s senior event officer Stefan Edwards, a sustainability expert.

Harbourfest is also the only UK event to be shortlisted for the Greener Transport title at the International A Greener Future awards, with winners to be announced on February 25.

Edwards is currently researching transitions to sustainable energy and hopes to support over 200 more Bristol events to move to greener power sources, with the potential to save up to 400,000 litres of diesel per year.

To find out more about getting involved with the Bristol Fringe visit bristolharbourfestival.co.uk/get-involved/fringe-festival or email harbourfestival@proudevents.co.uk

All images: Bristol Harbour Festival

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