Features / Bristol Harbour Festival
Preview: Bristol Harbour Festival 2018
This July sees the eagerly awaited return of Bristol Harbour Festival. Running over the weekend of July 20-22, the festival will follow a jam-packed programme filled with music, food, circus displays, vintage markets and maritime activities. As always, there will be an abundance of things to keep the whole family occupied, as well as a few new additions for 2018.
British Rowing’s Power8 Sprints
This will be a fiercely competitive eight-man rowing tournament in which Bristol’s own team will go head-to-head, in a quick-paced knock-out competition against other such teams as Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter and London, to name a few. For those who want to do more than spectate, British Rowing will be providing giveaways, prize draws and even the opportunity to try out some rowing for yourself at their base next to the M Shed.
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Cirque Bijou’s Circus Playground
Whilst Cirque Bijou have attended the Harbour Festival since time began, this year, not only are they moving location but are also going to be vibrantly celebrating 250 years of British circus. Kate Webb, one of the organisers behind the circus playground and senior lecturer at Circomedia, spoke eagerly about the move to Queen Square, saying: “It’s one of the iconic locations in Bristol. Circus is for everyone to come and have a go at, and it will be a chance for people to see the Circomedia students showcasing their talents.” For those who fancy giving a go at some circus skills, themselves, there will be the chance to participate in trapeze workshops.
The Centre Stage’s sea shanties
Aside from the already diverse genres of music on offer at the festival, from jazz to folk and indie, the Centre Stage will be bringing something a bit different but very relevant to Bristol’s maritime history. Steve Parkhouse, host of the festival’s Centre Stage, felt that it was time “to celebrate Bristol’s maritime heritage”. “It will give a bit of a maritime feel to Saturday, with a couple of sea shanty acts including The Harry Browns of Bristol singing songs about the sea and Bristol’s own shanty background”.
For more information about other events, acts and shows, visit www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk
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