49 things to do in Bristol in February 2023

February 1: Jewellery making workshop, Kiln Workshop
A relaxing evening workshop, where you’ll use jewellers wax to create a ring design which will then be cast in silver.

SPONSORED
Open now: Season of Photography, RWA
The RWA’s landmark season of photography is a celebration of contemporary photographic practice in all its forms. Your admission ticket covers both Jem Southam’s A Bend in the River, a beautifully observed series of photographs documenting the changes in the environment, and The RWA Photo Open including over 150 works showcasing the sheer quality and range of photographic work being produced by photographers and artists across the UK and abroad today.

Jem Southam: A bend in the river – photo: RWA

February 2: Comedy at the arcade, Four Quarters
The Park Street arcade hosts its popular comedy night, shining a light on fresh faces on the circuit.

February 3: Madruga presents Shy One B2B OK Williams + more, Thekla
The Wales festival gears up for its July festivities with a lineup loaded with top talent playing at everyone’s favourite boat.

SPONSORED
February 3: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by candlelight, John Wesley’s New Room
The Bristol Ensemble bring their amazing performances of Baroque masterpieces to the magical and intimate candlelight surroundings of the Wesley Chapel.

The Wesley Chapel was built in 1748 so the building is a contemporary of much of the music you will hear tonight. Be transported back to the 1700s in this unique and wonderful evening of baroque music, architecture and candlelight.

February 3-12: Bristol Light Festival 2023, Various Locations
Entering its third year, Bristol Light Festival aims to brighten up the city’s streets for just over a week.

SPONSORED
Starts February 4: 6 Nations Rugby, Full Moon& Attic Bar
Get ready for one of the best day drinking tournaments in UK sport. The Full Moon & Attic Bar will be turned into #stokescroftsbiggestfanzone once again, featuring:

• Free entry admission
• 7 active TVs
• Guinness on tap
• Cans of Lager & Cider for £4
• 2 pint glasses
• Pizza & Asian Street food
• All the best anthems before and after the game

The 6 nations rugby tournament is being screened at The Full Moon – photo: The Full Moon

February 4: Bedminster Lantern Parade, North St
The always popular winter lantern parade promises to bring the South Bristol community together with volunteers and ten local schools aiding this year’s efforts.

SPONSORED
February 5-28: The Japanese Foundation Touring Film Programme, Watershed
The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme, the UK’s largest and ever-evolving festival of Japanese cinema, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year! With an exciting line up, most of which have only recently been released, as well as a selection of masterpieces from the past, this year’s programme explores the evolution of Japanese cinema.

Under The Open Sky still – photo: Watershed

February 5: Make your own Macrame, Creative Space North Street
You’ve seen it hanging in all your friends’ living rooms, now learn to make it.

SPONSORED
February 5-26: Reflections & Refractions: Gender on Screen, Watershed
With the release of Saim Sadiq’s ground-breaking Joyland at the end of the month, February gives us an opportunity to reflect on how gender has been previously presented and received in on-screen narratives worldwide. With this in mind, we bring you a season that invites you to reflect on cinema’s inclusive good intentions and refract from narrow-minded portrayals.

An exploration of gender portrayals throughout cinema – photo: Watershed

February 6: NHS Under siege with Jacky Davis, Bookhaus
Authors John Lister and Jacky Davis discuss their new book about the dangers the NHS are facing in a post-COVID and austerity-ridden Britain.

February 7: Lovely Life Drawing, Pithay Studios
A relaxed life drawing class, where you will start with shorter poses before slowly building up to longer, more detailed ones.

February 8: The Science of ADHD: Navigating Neurodiversity in a Neurotypical World, Hen & Chicken
A talk by Dr Jane Sedgwick-Müller about the rise in ADHD in our society, the potential causes, and what we can do about it.

February 9: Loyle Carner listening party – Cafe Kissa, The Love Inn
A new events series from The Love Inn, attempting to emulate the popular Japanese “jazz kissaten” cafe – the first listening session soundtracked by Loyle Carner’s seminal middle albums.

SPONSORED
February 9: A Victorian Night of Discovery, The Mount Without
Victorian entertainment was not just music hall, dances and theatre; it was tales of the afterlife and communion with the undead. Spiritualism, mediumship and séance was wild, unregulated and utterly, literally unbelievable. Mediums delivered supposed messages from the deceased, comforted the bereaved and offered proof of life beyond death. But did you know that they also made live animals appear from thin air and allowed so-called ghosts to walk among us? Throughout the 19th century, there are accounts of mediums levitating across cities, filling rooms with spirit flowers, dumping eels on the heads of sitters and sharing biscuits with ghosts.

Join Kate as she delivers a brief introduction to this bizarre and fascinating field. She will deliver stories on the most colourful mediums in history and impart the secrets of spirit contact… providing you own a white bedsheet and enough glow-in-the-dark paint!

Victorian medium sessions at The Mount Without – photo: The Mount Without

February 10: Groundhog Day, Averys Wine Cellars (Bristol Film Festival)
A screening of the classic Bill Murray comedy at Averys Wine Cellars, paired with an equally classic wine.

SPONSORED
Starts February 10: Bristol Film Festival, Various Locations
Bristol’s favourite film festival is back for February! Watch cinema classics in unusual venues across Bristol. From fantasy films in Arnos Vale Cemetery to wine-tasting films in a wine cellar- find a star-studded lineup beginning this February!

Bristol Film Festival – photo: Yuup

February 11: Electrikal Sound Festival 2023, Highrise Hub
A rare collaboration at the rare Bristol venue, Highrise Hub opens its doors to Electrikal Sound, for a truly unhinged lineup of pure madness – in all the best ways.

SPONSORED
February 11-19: Could you survive 60 days at sea on rations?, SS Great Britain
This half term, experience what life was like for the lowest-class passengers aboard the SS Great Britain with ‘Eat your way to Australia’. Could you stomach their rations of ship’s biscuits and salt junk, or would you rather go hungry?

Eat your way to Australia – photo: SS Great Britain

February 12: Bristol Seed Swap, Trinity Centre
An effort to make growing more accessible, the incredibly popular annual seed swap is back at Trinity Centre, with speakers, stalls and, of course, plenty of seeds.

SPONSORED
Various dates: Free Exhibitions, RWA
The RWA presents three free exhibitions and activities as part of its Season of Photography, opening this weekend. Between Work and Window displays the portraits of RWA Academicians by internationally renowned photographer Anne-Katrin Purkiss.

Underexposed by Alice Hendy, documents the brilliant work of individuals who attend Bristol Community Links. Fancy creating your own photographic work? The lower ground floor is home to PhotoLab, an interactive exhibition where you’ll be encouraged to take part, play and explore.

RWA photo open – photo: RWA

February 13: The tap dancing mermaid, The Wardrobe Theatre
One for half term – an imaginative puppet show at The Wardrobe Theatre from the now ten year old Tessa Bide Productions.

February 14: Foli – Bristol Djembe players, The Jam Jar
Fancy getting your Djembe on? If African drumming interests you, or you’re a seasoned pro, get down to the Jam Jar.

SPONSORED
February 14: Valentines Concert, St George’s
A Valentine’s night to remember, featuring some of the most romantic pieces of music ever written, from the worlds of film, opera and classical music performed by the Bristol Ensemble – Bristol’s only professional chamber orchestra. Enjoy well-known themes from Lala Land, Doctor Zhivago, The Godfather and Romeo and Juliet as well as much-loved classics by Beethoven, Elgar, Mascagni, Einaudi and more.

SPONSORED
February 14: The Valentine’s Tropical Terrarium Workshop, MILA Plants
The ultimate show of love in Bristol this year can be found at MILA Plants. Receive a dozen red roses, a box of handmade Bristol chocolates, a bottle of prosecco AND make a tropical terrarium filled with gorgeous red and pink plants. This experience is £200 for two people.

Valentine’s Tropical Terrarium – photo: Yuup

February 15: Bristol Community Acupuncture, Easton Community Centre
Making acupuncture accessible for all with a sliding scale pay system, Easton Community Centre are taking bookings for their weekly community acupuncture sessions.

February 16: Robin Ince – Bibliomaniac, Bookhaus
A love letter to bookshops, Robin Ince details his tour around the UK visiting as many as he can, as part of his latest book.

SPONSORED
February 17-25: Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Presents: Emilia, Circomedia
It’s 1611 and, at the age of 42, Emilia Bassano becomes the first woman to have her poetry published in England. For centuries, history has overlooked this achievement in favour of her male contemporaries. Until 400 years later, that is.

Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s triple Olivier Award-winning comedy storms into Bristol next February. A concoction of historical inspiration and imagination, this period romp charts our heroine’s journey from young courtier to a radical writer, well-versed in pushing the boundaries of a stiff society.

With direction from the highly acclaimed Sally Cookson (A Monster Calls, The Old Vic; Peter Pan, National Theatre), this galvanising and riotous production vividly transforms Emilia’s life from page to stage, whilst giving voice to generations of silenced and exploited communities.

Emilia is one of the latest productions from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School – photo: BOVTS

February 17: Furthur Electronix Showcase, The Love Inn
The Love Inn hosts modern breakbeat royalty in Hooverian Blur, backed up by a live set from the impressive Monika Subtrova.

SPONSORED
February 17: A Celebration of Father Ted w/ Joe Rooney, Redgrave Theatre
Join us in celebrating one of the greatest sitcoms ever made, as we welcome renowned stand-up Joe Rooney for a night of all things Father Ted! 

A celebration of Father Ted at The Redgrave Theatre – photo: The Redgrave Theatre

February 18: Turbulence launch party, Greenworks
Fresh on the scene promoters Turbulence really know how to make a splash with their first party, inviting down the holy trinity of UK bass for a serious knees up.

February 19: Make your own pottery pet bowl, Wiper and True Taproom Old Market
Make a bowl for your furry companion at Wiper and True’s new Old Market taproom, led by ceramicists Naomi and Meredith.

February 20: Tree identification in winter, Grow Wilder
Join the Grow Wilder team for a walk around their property and the adjacent area as they teach you how to identify certain types of trees during the colder months.

February 21: Vinyasa flow with Marianne Swift yoga, Easton Community Centre
Designed for beginners and more experienced practitioners alike, Marianne invites you down to try the ancient art of Vinyasa flow.

February 22: 8 Week world of wine course, The Lost & Found
The beginning of an eight week course, teaching you all you need to know about the wines of the world.

February 23: National Theatre Live: Othello, Everyman Theatre
Whiteladies Road’s Everyman Theatre presents a screening of a rendition of the classical play from the National Theatre.

February 24: Amity x Counterslip w/ INVT, Ehua & Cando, Strange Brew
Two of Bristol’s most exciting underground techno/bass promoters team up for a mighty night of left-field bass – and at the perfect venue for it.

SPONSORED
February 24: Fergus Mccreadie Trio, The Mount Without
Fergus McCreadie is one of the most exciting young Pianists on the world stage. With his  unique blend of Jazz and Scottish folk music inspired by his country’s sublime  landscapes, Fergus captures hearts and minds of audiences worldwide. His most recent  album ‘Forest Floor’ saw him earn a Mercury Prize nomination, it won Scottish Album of  the Year and he was also awarded ‘Instrumentalist Of The Year’ by Jazz FM. Fergus plays  with jaw-dropping dexterity, a future star in the making. With his trio he is joined by  David Bowden on Double Bass and Stephen Henderson on Drums.

February 25: Mini Robot Wars – BBB Beetle Brawl 2023, St Michael’s Centre
Robots battling it out for your entertainment live in Bristol – need I say more?

SPONSORED
February 25: Bristol Beacon Presents: Native Harrow, The Crofters Rights
Rich with shimmering psych-folk, introspective lyrical wit and sophisticated 60s homage – Native Harrow is Stephen Harms and Devin Tuel, who emigrated together from Pennsylvania to Brighton, England in 2021. After settling in at the very top of a crumbling regency building where the seagulls call to the sun’s rise and fall each day, they thought “this is the perfect place to make a record.” Two years on, Native Harrow have shared ‘Old Kind of Magic’ – an enchanted collection of songs that reprises 60’s sounds and sensibilities in a delightfully original way, moving dramatically from the opening field recording of the Brighton seaside, to Laurel Canyon-esque folk-rock, piano and rhodes tinged soul-jazz balladry, oud and harpsichord driven 60s technicolour psychedelia, dense modernistic string quartet writing, and wide-as-the-western skies panoramic pedal steel with sepia-toned 12-string.

February 26: Kendal Mountain Tour 2023: Adventure Film Collection, Tobacco Factory Theatres
Part of the Kendal Mountain Festival, the team will be presenting some of the finest adventure films, both documentary and fiction, from the past year.

SPONSORED
February 26: Pinocchio, Redgrave Theatre
Steve Tiplady, as Geppetto, uses the objects of a carpenter’s workshop to tell the tale of the puppet that wants to be a real boy, and the puppet-maker who wants to be a real father. Pinocchio is carved on stage, brushes become a fox and the shadow of two saws transform into a giant shark.

Pinocchio, Redgrave Theatre – photo: Redgrave Theatre

February 27: Escher Music Connection #25, Strange Brew
The always popular monthly night for budding producers to bring along their tunes and hear them played on a meaty rig returns for yet another round.

SPONSORED
February 28: Bristol Beacon Presents: Kerala Dust, Strange Brew
Kerala Dust creates a distinct fusion of Americana and blues with brooding electronica. The trio’s sound reflects the vast range of influences they draw from, taking in Tom Waits, CAN and The Velvet Underground alongside heady club music. The band, who are now based between Berlin and Zurich, released their debut album ‘Light, West’ towards the end of 2020. The record showcases Kerala Dust’s hypnotic sound, imbued with sprawling psych-rock and woozy electronic beats. Live, Kerala Dust’s eclectic, experimental approach makes for a mesmerising and vibrant experience.

February 28: The Science of The Multiverse: Do Parallel Universes Exist?, Hen & Chicken
Asking the real questions at the Hen & Chicken with Harry Cliff, a particle physicist from the University of Cambridge.

And coming soon…

March 10: Bristol24/7 Mansion Takeover, Ashton Court Mansion
Bristol24/7 are having a party. A big one. In a mansion. It’s an opportunity for us to celebrate still being here after a pretty tricky couple of years, thanks to the support of our amazing members. It’s also the official launch of our brand new quarterly magazine, soundtracked by some of Bristol’s amazing bands, live acts and DJs.

Bristol24/7 Mansion Takeover Poster – photo: Bristol24/7

SPONSORED
March 10-18: Bristol Old Vic Theatre School: This House, Tobacco Factory Theatres
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School presents This House. 10 Mar – 18 Mar at Tobacco Factory Theatres. UK politics is in crisis and the country is in economic peril. Fights break out in the Houses of Parliament and the government whips can barely contain the chaos. Sound familiar? Well this time, it’s 1974 and in this not so distant past, Westminster is at war with itself again.

A hung parliament and the tiniest of margins mean that those in power will do everything to just keep going. Even if that means wheeling in someone on their last legs or direct from the maternity ward. In a time where every vote counts, James Graham’s explosive and biting political comedy-thriller This House- which premiered at the National Theatre in 2021 – introduced us to the farcical and fanatical world of 1970s Westminster. Just how far will these parties go for political survival?

This House, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School – photo: BOVTS

SPONSORED
May 18-July 1: The Lion King, Bristol Hippodrome
Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains and to the evocative rhythms of Africa, Disney’s multi award-winning musical is a unique theatrical experience that you will remember forever.

Lionesses of The Lion King – photo: Deen van Meer

Main photo: Illumaphonium 

Read next:

• Bristol24/7 Ashton Court Mansion Takeover
• The literary events enhancing Bristol’s bookshop scene
• In photos: Jem Southam: A bend in the river at RWA

Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast: