which usually attracts around 10,000 people at St George Park , was also unable to take place this year but organisers set up Red Sessions – a series of mini family themed events across the city .
The hard to miss Bristol International Balloon Fiesta did not go ahead in traditional form this year at Ashton Court Estate , where it usually hosts 100,000 people on each of the four days – in its place was the Fiesta Fortnight – a series of balloon flights across the city .
Bristol-based event management company Richmond Event Management ’ s ( REM ) local projects include producing the Bristol Harbour Festival and International Balloon Fiesta . Active in the city and for the past 25 years , it has worked on numerous major concerts throughout the city including the harbourside at Canons Marsh Amphitheatre .
“ Alongside Ben Hardy , REM ’ s MD , and our extended team , we move towards what promises to be a full events calendar for 2022 ,” says REM founder Mike Richmond . “ Our reach goes nationwide and this summer we have supported the organisers of The Game Fair with event production and will be on site in Liverpool and London in the coming months producing unique artistic lighting installations , but we always love a Bristol show and a home town gig .”
Bouncing back Eastville Park festival , Tokyo World took place from 18-19 September , featuring five fields of music and a lineup including Basement Jaxx , Rudimental and Annie Mac . Following last year ’ s cancellation , its capacity was expanded from 10,000 to 25,000 to meet demand .
Meanwhile , the multi-venue biennial Circus City will return in October , while fellow biennial arts festival In Between Time continues
YTL Arena plans
“ Culture and events are a core part of the city ’ s image and reputation and what makes Bristol unique .”
to run having started in July . It will continue with a series of artworks and events throughout the year .
The 1,200-capacity nightclub Lakota has set up an open-air event space , Lakota Gardens , which features a large stretch tent with a live performance area . While the team behind Glastonbury ’ s Shangri- La & Sansar , have opened Lost Horizons – a 350-capacity bar / music venue in a warehouse just outside the city centre .
Forthcoming Halloween events include FEAR at Avon Valley Scream Park with five stages providing a “ festival style ” experience .
Local promoter Team Love ’ s Love Saves The Day ( LSTD ) Festival usually takes place in May , but this year was moved to September . LSTD was launched at Eastville Park in 2015 but moved to Clifton Downs this year with an increased capacity of 25,000 . Team Love is set to announce a new venue for next year ’ s event to enable an increased capacity once again .
Team Love works with fellow local promoters Crosstown Concerts on the Downs Festival . This year , however , it was replaced by one-day event Idles on the Downs ( 10,000 ).
Rooms for manoeuvre Crosstown Concerts was launched in 2016 by Paul Hutton , Conal Dodds and Fraser Duffin , it has an office in Bristol , as well as London , and is very active across the city .
Hutton says that when it comes to the variety of venues available , Bristol is one of the UK ’ s best cities : “ The Midlands for example probably hasn ’ t got half the venues Bristol has . The city has been built on its reputation as an arts and culture hub from back in the 1970s . I would imagine if you added up all the shows in Bristol in any given year , there would be as many as there are anywhere else , apart from London or Manchester .”
Among the city ’ s many venues is the O2 Academy Bristol ( 1,600 ) and the Bristol Old Vic ( 540 ); one of the oldest continuously working theatres in the UK , it was built in 1766 and was the subject of a two-year , multi-millionpound , redevelopment project in 2018 .
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