
Art / Bristol Savages
Bristol Savages 108th Annual Exhibition
Annual exhibition for this long-standing Bristol creative fellowship
: Saturday, Apr 28 2018 - Saturday, May 12 2018
Festivals By Month
32 festivals happening in May 2018
From Noam Chomsky to Dusky via walking, jazz, cider and Taylor Swift
News
East Bristol Brewery Trail to return in May 2018
Five breweries join forces for the annual event
Mayfest makes a very welcome return this month, with a programme of exciting and thought-provoking theatre from May 10-20. This is the 15th installation of the home-grown festival, which continues to attract some of the most interesting theatre-makers from around the world. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a carousel of all this year’s events.
We’re also sliding headfirst into the summer music festival season. Around a dozen festivals will take place around the region this month, including Love Saves The Day on May 26 and 27. The team will be celebrating seven years of partying with their biggest ever line-up at Eastville Park.
Find even more things to do this month in our What’s On section.
Art / Bristol Savages
Annual exhibition for this long-standing Bristol creative fellowship
: Saturday, Apr 28 2018 - Saturday, May 12 2018
Art / Abstract Expressionism
Evocative, semi-abstract, often haunting landscapes
: Thursday, May 3 2018 - Saturday, May 26 2018
Art / Exhibition
Group show draws on common human desire to be different
: Tuesday, May 1 2018 - Saturday, May 12 2018
Art / Open studios
Spike Island's big and brilliant annual open studios event
: Friday, May 4 2018 - Monday, May 7 2018
Art / Exhibition
Debut exhibition at Gloucester Rd co-working space
: Friday, May 4 2018 - Sunday, May 6 2018
Art / Drawing
Bristol artist explores identity, sexuality and nostalgia through portraiture
: Saturday, May 5 2018 - Sunday, Jul 8 2018
Art / Collaborative exhibition
Make and display your own sculptures
: Saturday, May 5 2018 - Sunday, May 20 2018
Art / Exhibition
UWE students evoke childhood drawings. Launch May 6
: Sunday, May 6 2018 - Saturday, Jun 30 2018
Art / Bristol communities
Artists explore communities through the medium of photography
: Tuesday, May 8 2018 - Thursday, May 10 2018
Art / Ceramics
Beautifully decorated earthenware pieces
: Wednesday, May 9 2018 - Saturday, Jun 30 2018
Art / Documentary Photography
More images from the hugely successful Stokes Croft photography project
: Friday, May 11 2018 - Friday, May 18 2018
Art / Art Trail
BS3's brilliant art trail returns
: Saturday, May 12 2018 11am & Sunday, May 13 2018 11am
Art / Art Battle
Live painting competition featuring 12 local artists
Motion: Tuesday, May 15 2018 7pm
Art / Collaborative exhibition
Exhibition, workshops and live collaboration sessions
: Friday, May 18 2018 - Tuesday, May 22 2018
Art / Bristol music
Photos, fanzines, memorabilia celebrate our city's rich music scene
: Saturday, May 19 2018 - Sunday, Sep 30 2018
Art / Exhibition
Group show celebrating creativity
: Friday, May 25 2018 - Thursday, May 31 2018
Art / Art and Science
Collaborative exhibition between artists and scientists
: Friday, May 11 2018 - Tuesday, May 22 2018
Books & Spoken Word / Politics
True scale of sexism, prejudice and discrimination faced by women
Waterstones Bristol Galleries: Tuesday, May 1 2018 7pm
Books & Spoken Word / History
History of Britain's relationship with the Commonwealth
Waterstones Bristol Galleries: Wednesday, May 2 2018 7pm
Books & Spoken Word / Food in Books
Food from well-known books
Bristol Central Library: Thursday, May 3 2018 7:30pm
Books & Spoken Word / Gender Equality
Why women are still fighting for equality
St George’s Bristol: Thursday, May 10 2018 6:30pm
Books & Spoken Word / Race
Writer, rapper, poet in conversation with David Olusoga
St George’s Bristol: Friday, May 11 2018 7pm
Books & Spoken Word / Travel
Reconnecting with the outdoors
Stanfords: Monday, May 14 2018 6:30pm
Books & Spoken Word / Poetry
One of Bristol's top poetry nights
The Room Above: Tuesday, May 22 2018 8pm
Books & Spoken Word / Fiction
Award winning debut novel
Spike Island: Thursday, May 24 2018 6:30pm
Books & Spoken Word / Poetry
Vanessa Kisuule begins her role as Bristol's City Poet
City Hall: Friday, May 25 2018 6pm
Books & Spoken Word / Music
Folk legend's memoir
Waterstones Bristol Galleries: Wednesday, May 30 2018 7pm
Books & Spoken Word / Memoir
Poet and model introduces her memoir
Waterstones Bristol Galleries: Thursday, May 31 2018 7pm
Music / House
Distilled's opening party
The Crofters Rights: Tuesday, May 1 2018 11pm
Music / Rave
Free rave at Motion
Motion: Friday, May 4 2018 10pm
Music / House
A day time summer party
Motion: Saturday, May 5 2018 1pm
Music / Dancehall
Dance Link Up
Trinity: Sunday, May 6 2018 9pm
Music / Electronic
One year anniversary party
Motion: Sunday, May 6 2018 10pm
Music / House
South African record producer and DJ
Trinity: Tuesday, May 8 2018 9pm
Theatre / Launch Party
Ghanaian DJ and producer kicks off Mayfest '18
Trinity: Thursday, May 10 2018 9pm
Music / House
Jazz, disco and lo-fi
The Crofters Rights: Friday, May 11 2018 10pm
Music / Hip-Hop
Eagerly awaited collaboration
Thekla: Saturday, May 12 2018 7pm
Music / Hardcore
A night of hardcore
: Thursday, May 17 2018 10pm & Thursday, May 17 2018 10pm
Music / Hip-Hop
A new take on a classic
Marble Factory: Friday, May 18 2018 10pm
Music / House
LSTD after party
Motion: Sunday, May 27 2018 10pm
Comedy / Edinburgh Previews
Wednesdays: new material and Edinburgh previews
: Wednesday, Apr 25 2018 - Wednesday, Jul 25 2018
Comedy / Stand-Up
Popular fortnightly new material night
Arts House Cafe: Thursday, May 3 2018 8pm
Comedy / Edinburgh Fringe
Weekly Edinburgh Fringe previews at Smoke & Mirrors
Smoke and Mirrors: Monday, May 7 2018 8pm
Comedy / Edinburgh Fringe
Weekly Edinburgh Fringe previews at Smoke & Mirrors
Smoke and Mirrors: Tuesday, May 8 2018 8pm
Comedy / Observational comedy
Brilliant, Bristol stand-up with his acclaimed 2017 show
The Comedy Box at the Hen & Chicken Studio: Friday, May 11 2018 8:30am
Comedy / Observational comedy
Affable comic muses on his relationship with class
Colston Hall: Saturday, May 12 2018 7:30pm
Comedy / Observational comedy
Ever-incisive and confrontational Aussie expat
The Comedy Box at the Hen & Chicken Studio: Saturday, May 12 2018 8:45pm
Comedy / Observational comedy
Acclaimed new show from the pull-no-punches comic
The Lantern: Sunday, May 13 2018 7:30pm
Comedy / Edinburgh Fringe
Weekly Edinburgh Fringe previews at Smoke & Mirrors
Smoke and Mirrors: Monday, May 14 2018 8pm
Comedy / Stand-Up
Popular fortnightly new material night
Arts House Cafe: Thursday, May 17 2018 8pm
Comedy / Observational comedy
Extra date added due to demand
Colston Hall: Friday, May 18 2018 8pm
Comedy / Observational comedy
Uptempo, hugely likeable Malawian expat with a few tales to tell
: Thursday, May 24 2018 8pm & Friday, May 25 2018 8pm
Comedy / Observational comedy
Devon-based Canadian comic and yarn-spinner extraordinaire
The Lantern: Friday, May 25 2018 8pm
Comedy / Observational comedy
James Acaster, Gary Delaney, Abandoman, Ed Gamble
Colston Hall: Friday, May 25 2018 8pm
Comedy / Stand-Up
Lauded comic explores our pursuit of wealth, power and pleasure
The Comedy Box at the Hen & Chicken Studio: Friday, May 25 2018 8:30pm
Comedy / Confessional Comedy
Cheddar's finest export examines himself at mid-century point
Bristol Old Vic: Sunday, Nov 19 2017 7:30pm
Comedy / Improvised comedy
The usual nice mix of improv, sjetches and stand-up
Cafe Kino: Saturday, May 26 2018 7pm
Film / Documentary
A quartet of great thespian dames have a get-together while Roger Michell's camera rolls
Film / Action
Multi-national martial arts rockers battle motorcycle ninjas in craptastic cult sensation
Film / Ballet
Kenneth MacMillan's saucy ballet returns to Covent Garden
Film / Art House
World cinema classic launches May '68: Film and the Revolution season
Film / Documentary
Documentary about Glastonbury Festival's naughty cabaret
Film / Comedy
Both parts of the movie starring the legendary Tommy Wiseau of The Room fame + intro by Greg Sestero
Film / Event Cinema
Rory Kinnear and Anne-Marie Duff star in Rufus Norris's gory, post-apocalyptic production
Film / Comedy
The Monkees’ legendary, acid-fried commercial suicide movie from 1968
Film / Documentary
A documentary about the "untapped power of our innermost sense of knowing"
Film / Event Cinema
Acclaimed radical reworking of the fairytale in a WWII setting
Film / Event Cinema
Christopher Wheeldon's Tony Award-winning musical theatre production based on the MGM classic
Film / Fantasy
Ropy 1986 Clive Barker horror adaptation screened in a church crypt
Film / Documentary
Celebrating the creativity of BAME filmmakers for Black History Month
Film / Drama
4K restoration of the patriotic wartime classic broadcast live from the Albert Hall
Film / Documentary
A haunting documentary following four terminally ill cancer patients
Film / Documentary
Bereaved parents embark on a road trip to explore the grieving process
Film / Animation
Early animation by Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki opens day of features by Encounters Alumni
Film / Comedy
Shagadelic gentleman spy gets the full groovy orchestral treatment
Film / Event Cinema
The troubled impressionist titan in his own words
Film / Drama
Ian McEwan adaptation followed by a Q&A with producer Elizabeth Karlsen
Film / Documentary
'Rocku-docu-mockumentary' about Madness saxophonist Lee ‘Kix’ Thompson
Film / Drama
Classic whodunnit plus mystery wines
Film / Comedy
All-American superhero takes on commies in sixties anti-imperialist satire
Film / Documentary
Award-winning documentary about the land rights struggle in Cambodia
Food & Drink / Box-E
With a very special guest
: Wednesday, May 2 2018 6pm & Thursday, May 3 2018 6pm
Food & Drink / wine
First-ever Bristol based wine festival
: Friday, May 4 2018 - Sunday, May 6 2018
Food & Drink / Beer
Five Bristol breweries within easy walking distance once again roll up their shutters
: Saturday, May 5 2018 12pm & Sunday, May 6 2018 12pm
Food & Drink / gin
Gin + Mexico = excellente
Psychopomp Microdistillery: Saturday, May 5 2018 6pm
Food & Drink / Berber & Q
The Stokes Croft restaurant and bar joins forces with the Hackney favourites
Jamaica Street Stores: Sunday, May 6 2018 12pm
Food & Drink / Vegetarian
The Shoreditch restaurant joins forces with Root
Root: Tuesday, May 8 2018 7pm
Food & Drink / Vegetarian
A meat-free eating extravaganza hosted by Jay McGuiness to celebrate National Vegetarian Week
: Saturday, May 12 2018 12pm & Sunday, May 13 2018 12pm
Food & Drink / Beer
With guest brewers, additional liquid refreshment, street food and DJs
: Saturday, May 19 2018 - Saturday, Aug 18 2018
Food & Drink / gin
When you make your own gin you can capture memories
Secret Location: Saturday, May 19 2018 6:30pm
Food & Drink / Coffee
A monthly free event at the St Werburgh's roastery
: Friday, Mar 23 2018 - Friday, Aug 31 2018
Music / Alternative Rock
A night of rock
The Crofters Rights: Tuesday, May 1 2018 8pm
Music / Indie
Legendary indie band return for a handful of dates
O2 Academy: Wednesday, May 2 2018 7pm
Music / Latin
La Reina is dead
Trinity: Wednesday, May 2 2018 7:30pm
Music / Post Punk
Melancholic post-punks
Thekla: Friday, May 4 2018 7pm
Music / Sludge
Stoner sludge metal
Thekla: Friday, May 11 2018 7pm
Music / Alt-Pop
Bristol born psych-pop
The Exchange: Tuesday, May 15 2018 7:30pm
Music / Doom
Doom double bill
Thekla: Monday, May 14 2018 7:30pm
Music / Indie Pop
Explorative bedroom pop
Thekla: Wednesday, May 16 2018 7pm
Music / Psychedelic
Newly signed psych band
The Crofters Rights: Friday, May 18 2018 7pm
Music / Folk
Queen of US Folk
Colston Hall: Wednesday, May 23 2018 7:30pm
Music / Rock And Roll
Chicago based Rock N Roll 'fool'
Colston Hall: Thursday, May 24 2018 7pm
Theatre / Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Opener in BOVTS' ever-excellent Directors' Cuts season
: Tuesday, May 1 2018 - Saturday, May 5 2018
Theatre / BAME
Double bill from Black and Asian dance company
Bristol Old Vic: Wednesday, May 2 2018 7:30pm
Theatre / 20th Century
The Kelvins stage Arthur Miller's great Italian-American drama
: Wednesday, Oct 11 2017 - Saturday, Oct 21 2017
Food & Drink / Coexist
Banquet of wild and ancient foods, plus theatre, storytelling, song, poetry
Theatre / Contemporary Dance
More of the company’s unique theatre-dance-rock-gig style
: Friday, May 4 2018 7:30pm & Saturday, May 5 2018 7:30pm
Theatre / Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Next in BOVTS' ever-excellent Directors' Cuts season
: Tuesday, May 8 2018 - Saturday, May 12 2018
Theatre / Comedy
Fast-paced, foul-mouthed hotel-set comedy
: Tuesday, May 8 2018 8pm & Wednesday, May 9 2018 8pm
Theatre / New Writing
Nick Payne's dazzling play about love, quantum theory and more
: Thursday, May 10 2018 - Saturday, May 12 2018
Theatre / Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Continuing BOVTS' ever-excellent Directors' Cuts season
: Tuesday, May 15 2018 - Saturday, May 19 2018
Theatre / Musical
Epic musical of love and loss in the Vietnam War and after
: Wednesday, May 16 2018 - Saturday, Jun 23 2018
Theatre / Comedy
Physical-comedy tribute to Caledonia
: Friday, May 18 2018 8pm & Saturday, May 19 2018 8pm
Theatre / Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Concluding BOVTS' ever-excellent Directors' Cuts season
: Tuesday, May 22 2018 - Saturday, May 26 2018
Theatre / Masked theatre
Masked theatre experts Vamos explore Post-Traumatic Stress
: Tuesday, May 22 2018 8pm & Wednesday, May 23 2018 8pm
Theatre / New Writing
Polly Stenham's searing debut play
: Wednesday, May 23 2018 2pm & Wednesday, May 23 2018 7:30pm
Theatre / Anne Frank
Multimedia play continues the Anne Frank story
: Thursday, May 24 2018 - Saturday, May 26 2018
Theatre / Family theatre
Sally Cookson adapts Patrick Ness' acclaimed all-ages bestseller
: Thursday, May 31 2018 - Saturday, Jun 16 2018
Theatre / Launch Party
Ghanaian DJ and producer kicks off Mayfest '18
Trinity: Thursday, May 10 2018 9pm
Theatre / Dance
Dance and live music from The British Paraorchestra
: Thursday, May 10 2018 - Saturday, May 12 2018
Theatre / Children's Theatre
Ages 0-12: dance, play and song with Caroline Bowditch and Company
: Friday, May 11 2018 - Friday, May 11 2018
Theatre / Immersive theatre
Immersive vocal experience from the brilliant Verity Standen
Multiple venues: Friday, May 11 2018 - Saturday, May 19 2018
Theatre / Mayfest
Japanese troupe bring their unique, playful, physical style to Mayfest
: Saturday, May 12 2018 5pm & Sunday, May 13 2018 5pm
Theatre / Family theatre
Yep: Drag Queens read stories to children
Multiple venues: Sunday, May 13 2018 2pm & Sunday, May 20 2018 2pm
Theatre / Comedy
Artist Annie Siddons on her advenures in leafyland
: Monday, May 14 2018 7pm & Tuesday, May 15 2018 7pm
Theatre / Live music
Trinity is transformed into a music venue on the brink of closure
: Tuesday, May 15 2018 - Friday, May 18 2018
Theatre / Confessional
Artist/performer Scottee explores working-class masculinity
: Wednesday, May 16 2018 - Friday, May 18 2018
Theatre / Mayfest
Part one of Ridisulusmus' warm, witty exploration of mental health issues
: Wednesday, May 16 2018 - Saturday, May 19 2018
Theatre / Comedy
theatre company's humorously dark, klezmer-fuelled folktale
: Thursday, May 17 2018 - Saturday, May 19 2018
Theatre / Choir
A choir sings out observations of the world
: Saturday, May 19 2018 2pm & Sunday, May 20 2018 2pm