20 things to do in Bristol this week, August 29 – September 4 2022

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Until September 3: Bristol Zoo Gardens’ Big Summer Send Off, Bristol Zoo
Meet Wilder, the giant moving gorilla sculpture! Go wild with fun family theatre ‘Into The Wild’. Explore the ‘Past, Present, Future’ exhibit timeline and add your memories. Visit your favourite animals, from gorillas and red pandas, to sloths and crocs. Visit before the Zoo closes on 3 September. Book now!

Make sure to check out Bristol Zoo before it closes in September – photo: Bristol Zoo

Monday: North Street Games Night On Tour, Left Handed Giant Brewpub
The popular south Bristol weekly board games night makes its way slightly further north this week, with an excursion to the Left Handed Giant Brewpub just off Castle Park. As always with the games night, you can expect an extensive collection of board games – and, as always with Left Handed Giant, an extensive collection of tasty beers.

This is the first time the North Street games night has left the south side of the river Avon – photo: Left Handed Giant

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Tuesday: Bristol Beacon Presents: Xenia Rubinos, Strange Brew
Xenia Rubinos’ music fuses Latin rhythms, downtempo R&B and electronic pop experimentations. The Brooklyn-based musician pours her effervescent spirit into her work, lending a tangible emotive and charismatic essence to each of her songs. Rubinos’ latest release Una Rosa came after a period when she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to continue making music, and the album sees her sound infused with more of an electronic palette and draws more overtly on her Latinx heritage. Support comes from Bristol-based artist Jemima Coulter.
Find out everything happening at Bristol Beacon here.

Tuesday: Beer Tasting Flight & Take-Away Pack, Alpha Bottle Shop
Another South of the river based beer outing, as the Alpha Bottle Shop in the Imperial Arcade on East Street hosts another edition of its beer flight tasting sessions. They change their keg lines regularly, so if you’ve been before there’s no excuse to not go again. And if you haven’t been before, it’s a great opportunity to try some exciting new beers from some incredible local brewers.

You’re sure to try a beer that you’ve not tried before at Alpha Bottle Shop & Tap this week – photo: Alpha Bottle Shop

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Visit Monkey World this Summer – Where Families Matter!
Rescuing and rehabilitating endangered apes and monkeys since 1987, Monkey World is a great day out for all the family!

Monkey World has been around for over 30 years – photo: Monkey World

Wednesday: Small Fire Feast, Grow Wilder
A joint effort between Batches Bakery, Small Fire Pizza and Pitchfork Café, Grow Wilder are hosting a small, intimate outdoor journey for the taste buds, as they prepare a multi course, seasonal vegan menu, all cooked in wood fired ovens. 

The Grow Wilder Nursery is a great place to try seasonal, fresh produce this week – photo: Headfirst

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Wednesday: Bristol Beacon Presents: Taraka, Dareshack
Formerly one half of underground cult duo Prince Rama with her sister Nimai, Taraka’s solo venture sees her create infectious and raucous psych-grunge. Last year the New York artist – full name Taraka Larson – released her debut album ‘Welcome to Paradise’: A full-throttle, kaleidoscopic release traversing surf-rock, psychedelia and bratty punk delivered with off-kilter charm and attitude. Carrying on the high-energy that Prince Rama was renowned for, Taraka’s vivid vision and creativity, plus the dynamism of her sound, undoubtedly makes for a compelling live show.
Find out everything happening at Bristol Beacon here.

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Blast Off for a Summer of Rockets at Aerospace Bristol
Enjoy out-of-this-world rocket activities throughout the summer holidays. Launch stomp rockets and water rockets, join science shows, and much more!

There’s plenty to do and learn at Aerospace Bristol this Summer Holidays – photo: Aerospace Bristol

Thursday: Cider Vs Cheese: Harvest Special, The Cider Box Taproom
Experience the classic pairing of cider and cheese with some of Bristol’s best versions of the two at the Cider Box’s cosy tap room. You’ll be fed and watered with fine cider from the Cider Box, amazing seasonal local cheeses, and dashing of honey mead and brandy to round things out – what a way to spend a Thursday evening.

The evening is a chance to experience perfect pairings of seasonal, local cheeses and ciders – photo: Cider Box

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Friday: First Friday, Watershed
First Friday is a free monthly social event at Watershed’s Pervasive Media Studio and online that is open to anyone. At this month’s event is Saskia, an artist focusing on sound and space who has presented live performances and installation works in Japan and abroad.

The monthly watershed social is the perfect place to meet new people at the start of each month – photo: Watershed

Friday-Sunday: Factoberfest 2022, Tobacco Factory
Tobacco Factory teams up with Bristol Beer Factory for their annual celebration of all things food, drink and music in their spacious yard. Its free entry throughout the weekend, and there will be a host of Bristol’s top street food vendors and breweries on offer, combined with great local live music and DJs to soundtrack the weekend.

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Friday-Sunday: Cables & Cameras Presents: Inspired 2022, Watershed
Back for another takeover weekend, Cables & Cameras present a packed programme of VR workshops, keynote speakers and short film screenings and previews to celebrate home-grown filmmakers of colour from across the country.

The Gravedigger by Khadar Ahmed – BUFO – photo: Lasse Lecklin

Saturday & Sunday: Forwards Festival, Clifton Downs
The inaugural year of the new festival from Team Love (the team behind Love Saves The Day and The Love Inn) situated on the beautiful Clifton Downs. With headline performances from Jamie XX, Little Simz and The Chemical Brothers to name but a few, along with a host of emerging Bristol talent, the weekend is shaping up to be one to remember.

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Saturday: Dizraeli, O2 Academy
Defying all genre boundaries, multi-instrumentalist/poet/MC Dizraeli brings his always electric live performance to the O2 Academy. Expect a fusion of genres, with everything from folk to bass music, and everything in between, as he celebrates 20 years of creating envelope pushing rhythms as part of his “Twenty Years Deep” tour.

Sunday: Bristol Film Festival: Aladdin, Redcliffe Caves
Having been postponed back in March due to incredibly unexpected levels of flooding in the historical caves underneath Redcliffe, Bristol Film Festival’s on location screenings return with a vengeance, with a screening of the now 30-year-old Disney classic Aladdin. The dark, atmospheric settings of the caves match the movie perfectly, and you can guarantee you’ll find yourself immersed in the quintessential animated flick.

And coming soon…

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September 9: AnExperience Presents: Shenanigans, Trinity Centre
Shenanigans is a club night for big kids to revel in silliness, to dance your socks off and to create discombobulated memories with strangers in a playful environment. Featuring tunes from a massive range of genres, from Bhangra to Jungle, Hardcore to Balkan and everything in between. Come and be playful & bring your wackiest self.

AnExperience are known for putting on playful parties, designed for letting your hair down – photo: Trinity Centre

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September 9: La Voix – Eighth Wonder of the World, Redgrave Theatre
The UK’s Funniest Red Head is coming! The eighth wonder of the world, the diamanté diva herself, La Voix is hot footing her way Bristol with her brand new show as the Countess of Comedy!

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September 10: Oddisee & Good Company, Trinity Centre
Brooklyn based, Washington DC born, rapper Oddisee comes backed by his 5-piece band Good Company. Reflecting the rich, musical landscape of their hometown, Oddisee & Good Company bring a vibrant mixture of jazz, funk, go-go, gospel, hip-hop, and soul.

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September 11: Alfie Moore – Stealing a Living, Redgrave Theatre
In his latest stand-up show Fair Cop Alfie Moore explores theft, and honesty, whilst leading his audience through a fascinating and funny real-life investigation from his police casebook.

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September 17-18: Tokyo World, Eastville Park
September sees Bristol’s Eastville Park play host to the iconic UK Festival: Tokyo World. Cemented as the ultimate final send off to the festival season each year, 2022 sees the bar set at a new height for this powerhouse event with a bigger and better lineup than ever before. Fans of Hip Hop, House, Techno, Disco, Drum & Bass, Jungle & RnB will need to save the date – this year’s edition is not to be missed.

Tokyo World 2022 will be taking place in the usual location of Eastville Park – photo: Tokyo World

Read more: On the road with Dom Joly and his high-octane travel tales

Main Photo: Alpha Bottle Shop

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