6 festivals happening in October 2018

Celebrate the end of the season with one final hurrah, as we round up the best local and national events:

 Local

Bristol24/7 recommendation
Oct 5-14
Cheltenham Literature Festival
Price: various
www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature
You’re pretty much guaranteed to find a goodly amount to enjoy from a gathering of more than 1,000 of the world’s most rated writers, actors, politicians, poets, sports folks and opinion formers, including a dedicated festival for young folk and families. More than 450 events will cater to everyone, inviting along guests including John Torode, Gary Barlow, Jo Brand, Romesh Ranganathan, Philip Pullman and Sir David Attenborough.

Bristol24/7 recommendation
October 20-21
Wild and Well
Price: £50 (weekend)
www.wildandwell.org/essential-info
New for this year, Wild and Well is a new wellbeing festival taking place in venues including M Shed, We The Curious, the SS Great Britain, Brandon Hill and Ashton Court. Wild & Well is based around four themes – move, eat, connect and explore – and is aimed at anyone who wants to live in a “happier, healthier, more connected way”. Festival highlights include drum’n’bass dance workshops, foraging walks, panel talks on topics such as nature connection and mental health, kindness, and ageing creatively, wild caveman cooking and a dedicated children’s area where children will build their own pop-up adventure playground over the weekend using reclaimed wood.

October 26-28
Harmonica Festival
Bristol Folk House
Price: £30 (weekend)
www.harmonica.co.uk/festival.htm
This event totally sucks. And blows. And is therefore everything the harmonica devotee could wish for, featuring star guests, workshops and tutorials, jam sessions, contests and trade stands.

Bristol24/7 recommendation
Oct 20
Simple Things
Various venues
Price: £34.50 (day ticket) / £20 (night ticket)
www.simplethingsfestival.co.uk
Slowdive, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Helena Hauff and DJ Stingray are amongst the big names at this achingly trendy one-dayer. This year offers a new format (either buy a day ticket or a night ticket rather than dipping into both as in previous years) but the same commitment to boundary-pushing sounds from the organising team at Crack Magazine.

National

October 5-8
We Love the 70s
Minehead
Price: £87 w/e
www.bigweekends.com/your-break/181678
In fairness, though it might be a more accurate name, We Love A VERY Particular Part Of The 70s So Don’t Give Us Any Of That Punk Shit wouldn’t scan too well on the posters. On which you’ll find touted such names as Leo Sayer, The Real Thing, Showaddywaddy, Racey, Mud II, Stylistics’ front man Eban Brown, and the great “Geno! Geno!” Geno Washington.

Bristol24/7 recommendation
October 10-21
London Film Festival
Price: various
www.bfi.org.uk/lff
More than 200,000 attendees enjoyed/rolled eyes at/slept through 374 features and shorts in 2017, where a rather creditable 68 countries were represented. This year promises to be bigger and better.