Things To Do / Bristol
26 things to do in Bristol this week, September 15-21 2025
Monday: Bristol Tarot Reading Club, L’Étoile Studio
Each session introduces a new tarot spread which gives opportunity to practice both collectively and in small groups. These gatherings also offer a valuable chance to deepen your understanding of tarot symbolism, history and diverse reading techniques while connecting with like-minded individuals through a shared interest in divination and spirituality.
Tarot Reading – photo: Mirienart
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Monday-October 11: Starter for Ten: A New Musical, Bristol Old Vic
Fingers on buzzers! After a sell-out run in 2024, the bright, big-hearted and “truly brilliant” (★★★★★ Broadway Baby) new musical is back in Bristol, with its “joy, comedy and 80s nostalgia” (★★★★ WhatsOnStage) dialled up to 11. Don’t miss it.
Starter For Ten – photo: Bristol Old Vic
Monday: Open mic, The Gallimaufry
Start your week with an open mic night at The Gallimaufry, featuring original live music, poetry, spoken word and more. Each performer gets two songs or ten minutes for spoken word pieces. Hosted by Mike Dennis, this is your chance to discover new local talent and even take the stage yourself.
Mike Dennis – photo: Headfirst
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Monday-Thursday: Deaf, Watershed
Winner of the Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature Film at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, Eva Libertad’s film is a delicate yet assured debut feature about a woman on the cusp of motherhood.
Deaf – photo: Watershed
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Monday-Thursday: The Golden Spurtle, Watershed
Once a year, contenders from around the globe descend on a picturesque village in the Scottish Highlands to compete for the title of World Porridge Champion. Amid intense rivalries, steaming bowls of porridge, and the lives of charmingly eccentric locals we see a living legacy unfold.
The Golden Spurtle – photo: Watershed
Tuesday: Jane Austen Pub Quiz, 6 O’Clock Gin Boat
Celebrate 250 years of Jane Austen with a riotous pub quiz full of scandal, sass and trivia! Pun-packed rounds, dramatic readings, cheeky team names and costume points await.
Jane Austen – photo 6’O’Clock Gin
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Tuesday: Fran Lebowitz, Bristol Beacon
Spend an evening with celebrated writer, humorist, and cultural critic Fran Lebowitz! Known for her sharp wit and uncompromising observations on modern life, Lebowitz has become an iconic voice on culture, politics, and society. Expect candid conversation, razor-sharp commentary, and her signature dry humour live on stage.
Fran Lebowitz – photo: Bristol Beacon
Tuesday: Grief Choir, Bristol Beacon
Grief Choir offers a supportive community for anyone navigating grief. Singing with others not only releases endorphins and helps us feel calm, it can also promote feelings of acceptance and connection, nurturing a sense of safety and community.
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Tuesday: Paul Hilleard’s £2 Scumbag Comedy Club, The Gaffe Comedy Club
Hosted at The Gaffe Comedy Club, BBC New Comedian of Year 2024 Winner Paul Hilleard presents the best upcoming comedians from the South-West and beyond. Expect big laughs, secret headliners, and brand new material – all for just £2!
Paul Hilleard – photo: The Gaffe Comedy Club
Tuesday: Rivers, Art and Music, The Island
Explore the journey of rivers through this multimedia art exhibition, combining oil paintings, collages and original compositions which will be accompanied by a live piano symphony performance on opening night.
Extract from painting by Lizzie Stone, studio holder at The Island – photo: courtesy of the artist
Tuesday-Wednesday: Fun Team Activity Days With Mendip Activity Centre
Take on Mission Impossible in the woods or paddle together through Bristol Harbour. Mendip’s tailored team activity days bond and energise your team with unforgettable outdoor adventures.
Activity days – photo: Mendip Activity Centre
Tuesday-Saturday: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Bristol Hippodrome
Celebrating 75 years of the classical novel by CS Lewis, the West End hit production is on tour. Filled with magic and mystery, it is billed as a “spectacular production – a delight for all ages”.
The Lion, The Witch, The Wardrobe – photo: Brinkhoff Moegenburg
Wednesday: 395 Alive – Singers & Inatrumentalists, Club395
395 ALIVE is a weekly event and workshop that fuses live music, voice and audience participation within a two-act dramaturgy. It translates improvisation into form and platforms new voices.
395 alive – photo: Club395
SPONSORED
Wednesday: Mac Ayres, Bristol Beacon
Self-taught singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Mac Ayres brings his soulful sound to Bristol. Drawing on influences from D’Angelo to Stevie Wonder, his catalogue spans from breakout hit ‘Easy’ to fan favourites like ‘Drive Slow’. Expect masterful musicianship, heartfelt grooves, and an unforgettable live performance.
Mac Ayres – photo: Bristol Beacon
Wednesday: The Massed Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines, Bristol Beacon
Showcasing pageantry, patriotism and a range of musical talents, His Majesty’s Royal Marines take to Bristol Beacon as part of their UK tour. Performing a mix of classic military tunes, film scores and solo performances, it promises to leave you “full of pride”.
Thursday: VooKoo Third Thursday Jam, SouthBank
Returning after their summer break, VooKoo collective is bringing back their Thursday jam sessions. Alongside the jam, the event hosts open mics, regular performers, fire pits and a sustainable clothes swap – all free.
Thursday: Brìghde Chaimbeul + Loula Yorke, The Mount Without
Immerse yourself in Celtic folk with Scottish smallpipe performer Brìghde Chaimbeul. Celebrating the release of her third album, Sunwise, she promises to “push the boundaries and expectations of both experimental and traditional sonics”.
Friday: Cartographies of Memory, Arnolfini
In conversation with film and art curator Karen Alexander, Danish-Trinidadian artist Jeannette Ehlers is set to discuss her video and film art pieces, which centre around Black hair as a site for exploring colonialism, history, place and agency.
Friday: Poor Creature + special guests, Strange Brew
Comprised of members from acclaimed folk groups Lankum and Landless, Poor Creature is “breathing eerie, electric life into traditional folk”. The band are celebrating the release of their debut album, All Smiles Tonight, and promise to combine the mythology and mysticism of folk music with modern meaning.
Friday: Lyra + Big Mambo, Mr Wolf’s
Lyra are a London four-piece blending soul, rock, funk and pop, tilting each song with influences from Beyoncé to Green Day. Supporting them, Bristol-based Big Mambo will deliver energetic, groove-fuelled originals merging funk, rock and pop with powerful vocals.
Saturday: The Golden Guild, Canteen
A seven-piece reggae band which blends traditional reggae roots with original material, and even adding in the odd cover, The Golden Guild are bringing a powerful and vibrant performance to Stokes Croft.
Saturday: The Small Packages, Ill Repute
Get ready for a wild night as The Small Packages storm the stage with tag-team punk energy, slamming out riffs, piledriver hooks and bodyslam choruses. Meanwhile, Ill Repute’s basement cinema goes full retro, screening golden-era wrestling classics nonstop.
Sunday: Craft and Flea Market, Bristol Folk House
The Folk House’s monthly craft market returns, with local artists, makers and independent traders. With a range of gifts, vintage finds and unique buys, as well as live DJ sets, it’s a celebration of local makers.
SPONSORED
Sunday: The Best of The Fringe!, The Gaffe Comedy Club
Critically acclaimed comics performing the best bits from their 2025 Edinburgh Fringe shows, right here in Bristol! This week, The Gaffe hosts Alex Kitson (★★★★★ – Three Weeks), Jordan Brookes (ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Show nominee) and Katie Norris (Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Show nominee, ★★★★ – Guardian).
Best of The Fringe – photo: The Gaffe Comedy Club
Sunday: Music In Support Of, Exchange
Alternative and rock artists, including Pollyanna Blue, Louis Stone, Through Her Eyes and Efemeer, are coming together for this fundraising concert. They are raising money for The Survivors Trust, which specialises in supporting survivors of sexual abuse and assault.
And coming soon…
SPONSORED
September 25: Kae Kurd – What’s O’Kurd, Redgrave Theatre
Stand up sensation and social media star Kae Kurd returns with his highly anticipated brand new tour: What’s O’Kurd. Co-host of the hit podcast Ain’t Got a Clue, voice of ITV’s Loaded in Paradise and star of the Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week and Celebrity Masterchef.
Kae Kurd – photo: Redgrave Theatre
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September 26: Eddie Kadi – Let Me Land, Redgrave Theatre
The highly anticipated nationwide debut tour from one of the comedy’s fastest rising stars. A Son, Brother, Dad and Friend. From one culture to another. Join stand up sensation Eddie Kadi as he tell us how he got there.
Eddie Kadi – photo: Redgrave Theatre
SPONSORED
October 4: Eat Your Own Ears, The Prospect Building
Eat Your Own Ears joins forces with The Prospect Building, presenting Daphni, Ben UFO, Salute, and more on Saturday 4 October. Expect genre-spanning chaos, rare selections, and euphoric, high-energy moments filling the main room, promising an unforgettable night of deep cuts and dancefloor intensity.
EYOE – photo: The Prospect Building
SPONSORED
October 11 & 12: West Bristol Arts Trail, various venues
This year 150 artists will exhibit painting, sculpture, prints, ceramics, jewellery, textiles, photography and mixed media in over 46 venues in Clifton, Cliftonwood, Hotwells and parts of Redland on 11 th & 12 th October. The art is affordable and you can chat to the artists.
WBAT graphic – photo: Kevin
SPONSORED
November 3: Pendulum, The Prospect Building
Pendulum are set to ignite The Prospect Building this November. After a 15-year wait, the legends return – armed with Inertia, their most personal, electrifying record yet.. Sixteen tracks. Unfiltered emotion. Catch them live on 3rd November.
Pendulum – photo: Andy C | Crosstown Concerts
SPONSORED
November 17: Model\Actriz, The Lantern
Final few tickets remain for Model/Actriz at The Lantern this November. Like their name suggests, Model/Actriz seek to channel raw emotions into striking new forms. The band’s surface glamor is supported by nerves of steel, leveraging their focus into moments of wild abandon. Over from New York you don’t want to miss your chance to experience this. Get your tickets now.
Model\Actriz – photo: Kaneocean | Crosstown Concerts
SPONSORED
March 11: The Vaccines, The Prospect Building
Final tickets remaing for The Vaccines in Bristol next March. Their 2026 UK tour to marks the 15th anniversary of the release of their iconic debut album, What Did You Expect from The Vaccines? The tour will see the band perform the album in full, alongside a selection of fan favourites from their wider catalogue. Get your tickets now before they’re gone!!
The Vaccines – photo: Crosstown Concerts
Main photo: The Small Packages
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