15 magnificent things to do this May in Bristol – from cutting-edge street art to delicious food markets

It’s always in May that the English countryside looks its best. Flowers are in bloom, trees are budding, and all sorts of animals and insects spring into life. And there’s no better place to witness it in full than at Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, often considered one of the most important plant collections in the world.

There are over 15,000 specimens and 2,500 species of trees from across the world – including everything from English oaks to Japanese maples and Californian incense cedar. But it’s a haven for everything from animals, plants, insects, fungi and lichen all year round – and it’s especially abundant with wildflowers this time of year too.

Europe’s largest live street art festival returns to paint Bristol. If cutting-edge street art is on your May hit list, UPFEST returns with a 17-day programme of mural painting, free workshops, live events and community projects across Bedminster, Southville and central Bristol. Melo, aka Bristol-based muralist Esme Lowe, will lead this year’s festival as the headlining Festival Artist.

Spike Island is turning 50 this year, and the artist-led gallery is once again hosting its Open Studios as part of its celebrations. Thousands of visitors will get behind-the-scenes access to over 70 artists’ studios, Spike Print Studio, UWE Bristol Fine Art studios, and the work of many other creative practitioners. Expect performances, creative workshops for all ages, as well as plenty of food and drink offerings.

After debuting in 2024, DIASPORA! returns for 2026 celebrating cultural diversity through the arts—for a region-wide programme of live music, performance, film, storytelling and community celebrations. With roughly 100 events spanning the ten-day festival period, discover something for everyone at the landmark festival by heading here.

To honour the late, great Martin Parr, this is your last chance to catch an exhibition of Martin’s iconic series, The Last Resort. Shot around the English seaside town of New Brighton between 1983 and 1985, The Last Resort was one of the pioneering bodies of work driving British colour documentary photography and established Martin as one of Britain’s most influential photographers.

To me, Love Saves The Day marks the beginning of summer in Bristol. The legendary festival returns to Ashton Court with standout live acts, next-gen DJs and the UK’s most exciting names in electronic music. Among the headline names is Sammy Virji, with a high-energy, genre-hopping set, and the signature bounce and charisma of Rizzle Kicks, while Sub Focus return to the LSTD stage with an all-new audiovisual live experience.

Not into dance music? Dot To Dot is also back that same Bank Holiday weekend. The one-day festival for the hottest emerging bands and artists will be tearing up Bristol’s coolest venues, like Lambrini Girls, Fcukers, NewDad, Mandy, Indiana, Ratboys, and 30+ more acts.

It’s the Great Bristol Run this month. And, while it’s probably too late to start training now, you can still head down and cheer on the runners. If you want to compete in next year’s race (10k or half marathon), however, then you’d best get training today! Bristol’s coolest running club meets every Tuesday at the Left Handed Giant Brewpub. LHG Run Club is for “no show-offs, no egos, just good vibes”, and always ends with pizza and beer. Ideal for those just starting on their run journey!

British Summertime is here; therefore, a rooftop drink is definitely overdue. From luxurious restaurants to cosy terraces, Bristol has some of the most incredible rooftop bars (and some are more hidden than others). Check out our guide featuring The White Lion’s insane view of Clifton Suspension Bridge this May.

Transforming East Street and Dean Street into an all-day food festival (10am-4pm), eat:Bedminster will come alive with stalls offering farmer’s market favourites such as cider and cheese, award-winning bakeries and patisseries, together with fabulous street food stalls and plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free food and drink options available. Keep an eye out for pockets of entertainment dotted throughout the market, too!

The city’s month-long, annual walking festival—Bristol Walk Fest—is taking us all around this city. From nature trails, scenic hikes and historical tours to walking sports, family-friendly strolls and cultural walks, there are plenty of walking-related events and activities to check out. There are inclusive walks taking place all over Bristol, for people of all ages, interests and abilities—most of which are free too.

Unlike our Scottish friends, England and Wales are a bit stuck when it comes to wild camping. There is only one place in England where you can go, and it’s not far from Bristol – and that’s Dartmoor National Park. With these long weekends coming up, you’ll surely be thinking of day trips out of the city. And the moorlands of Dartmoor (two hours from Bristol) are breathtaking. If you’d prefer to go to Wales, we’ve also heard that Brecon Beacons Visitor Centres carry a secret list of landowners in the area that will happily host wild campers.

Get ready for a mad one in Stokes Croft. The infamous Block Party returns with over 16 hours of non-stop bangers across 25 stages—for fans of DnB, grage, jungle, disco, house, techno, breaks, psytance, UK funky, donk, and well, pretty much everything.

Wake The Tiger is to host a major fundraiser supporting humanitarian aid in Gaza this May. With all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), the evening will combine live music, political discussion and immersive art—with a music line-up that includes Lowkey, Toddla T, DJ Die and Krust, and many more. You can learn more here.