For many people the Bristol Harbour festival is an opportunity to celebrate the heart of the beautiful city, and the harbour itself.
In 1802, famous architect William Jessop proposed installing a dam and lock at Hotwells to create the floating harbour and a £530,000 scheme was approved by Parliament. Construction began in May 1804 and today the Harbour still provides the city with a bustling centre filled with activity.
The docks used to be a vital part of Bristol’s economy but in the second half of the 20th Century its prominence began to fade, its economic power waned and questions were asked about what to do with the waterway and the land alongside it. Sadly the Port of Bristol Authority decided to close the city centre docks in the 1960s.
Local groups took up the fight to save the docks, and the first Harbour Festival in 1971 was a massive part of the plan. The festival is free for all and brings over 250,000 people together each summer to celebrate Bristol’s rich maritime history and enjoy some of the city’s best music and entertainment.
“CIRCUS SKILLS. STREET DANCE ACTS. BOLLYWOOD MOVES. FIREBRAND STREET POETS. ALL THESE AND MORE WILL FEATURE THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.CATERING FOR ALL AGES, A PACKED PROGRAMME OF ENTERTAINMENT HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER TO ENSURE THERE’S SOMETHING FUN AROUND EVERY CORNER.”
[https://www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk/]
2018 is the 250th anniversary of modern circus in Britain and there are celebrations taking place throughout the year all over the country. Here Bristol is the UK’s leading City of Circus, with the largest concentration of circus professionals living and working in the city.
Cirque Bijou are Bristol-based show-makers who push the boundaries of contemporary
circus, street theatre and spectacle to make work that is unexpected, unforgettable and
celebratory.
Circomedia (founded in 1993 by Bim Mason and Helen Crocker,) is a school for contemporary circus and physical theatre based in Bristol, England.The school offers a variety of training courses and workshops that teach circus skills in the context of physical theatre, performance and creativity.
