St Pauls • Bristol
Festive Activities in Bristol
Ho ho ho, ’tis the season of baubles, snowflakes and mulled wine. Hoorah! The year is done and it is time to celebrate the Christmas season and treat yourself to some festive fun with friends. Bristol as ever, has the angel on top of the tree, the presents glinting underneath and a jam-packed roster of things to do. From wreath making in Southville’s favourite cafe to rollerskating at an 80s ski lodge, we’ve rounded up the festive activities for you this December.
Whether you’ve got Christmas with the family on the cards, a host of friends around the table or you’re getting away from it all – we hope you have a joyful one.
The Good The Bad and the Coyote Ugly
The Wardrobe Theatre
The team at The Wardrobe Theatre takes your typical Christmas panto and flips it on its head with an absurd mix of two classics. The frankly iconic Coyote Ugly combined with one of the great spaghetti Westerns. After previous shows of Oedipuss in Boots and Drac and Jill, we know we’re in for a treat. Not for the faint-hearted.
Christmas Kitchen Disco
Bristol Beacon
Strap on your jingle bells and dance the night away with Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Christmas Kitchen Disco at the newly reopened Bristol Beacon. Sophie brings her pop-tastic back catalogue and some karaoke classics for a very fun festive night. No dancefloor casualties here.
Owl Be Seeing You
St George’s
Okay, not strictly Christmas-themed, but we’re including this one as a reminder of the full spectrum of events going on in this beautiful city of ours. Head to the beautiful St Georges and spend the evening listening to owl-whisperer Chris Sperring and conservationist and author Mary Colwell discuss all things owl. They ask; do owls live in Bristol? What species swoop around the outskirts of the city? How do they operate in darkness? Fascinating stuff – Merry Christmas!
Treefest
St Mary Redcliffe Church
Gather ’round dear folks, for a god old sing-song at the enchanting St Mary Redcliffe Church. They’ve stuffed the place with evergreens so you can belt your heart out in this beautiful church surrounded by Christmas trees. Twinkling lights and (probably) questionable singing – it doesn’t get much more festive.
Winterland
Propyard
The crew at Propyard know how to have a good time. Take a 400-metre rink, neon lights, and a rolling list of Bristol DJs on the decks; you have their ode to Christmas 2023. Book a table in the ski lodge for hotdogs and comfort food or just spend your evening gliding under the disco ball. There’s also a ‘crazy boules’ game; two words you rarely hear together.
Accidental Meetings – Lena Willikens
Strange Brew
Nothing like ringing in the start of the festive season like a six-hour dance. Willikens’ brings esoteric electro and sludgy acid alongside Demdike and Bristol’s favourite Memotone. Ho ho ho.
Christmas Steps Pop-up Shop
Perennial Gallery
Love local and shop local at this curated pop-up on the perfectly named Christmas Steps. Find ceramics, illustrations, prints, cards, clothes and decorations from independent artists and makers. Arguably the most festive street in Bristol so make sure to loiter and browse the rest of this arts quarter. Christmas Steps pub is perfect for a post-shop tipple.
This Is Your Musical: Christmas Special
The Bristol Improv Theatre
If you haven’t been lucky enough to experience how Bristol Improv Theatre do things, now is the time. A host of talented artists, actors and musicians present an evening of theatre, musical numbers and show tunes, made up on the spot and inspired by your stories.
Bristol’s Christmas to-do list just got longer with this festive list of fun. Let us know if we’ve missed anything and we will pop it on the list. Now, who’s ready for a team outing?
