What’s On in Bristol This Weekend – 4th to 6th September 2026

Looking for what’s on in Bristol this weekend?

The first weekend of September has plenty going on across the city, with a huge food festival, live music, comedy, family activities, theatre, art, nightlife and some brilliant Bristol-specific experiences down on the Harbourside.

From Friday 4th to Sunday 6th September, here are the Base Radio picks for the weekend.

Friday 4th September – Start the Weekend

Bristol Wing Fest – The Prospect Building

You might want to arrive at this one hungry.

Bristol Wing Fest takes over The Prospect Building on Feeder Road from Friday through to Sunday, bringing together some of the best wing traders, restaurants and BBQ teams for an entire weekend dedicated to chicken wings.

Traders will battle it out across categories including Best Buffalo Wing, Best Wild Wing and Best BBQ Wing – with visitors getting to sample the results.

And there’s more than food.

Expect live music, eating competitions, axe throwing, games, arcades and the infamous Lava Wing Challenge.

Friday night kicks things off before the festival continues with sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

Definitely one of our Base Radio picks of the weekend.

Russell Howard – Bristol Beacon

One of Bristol’s biggest comedy exports is back on home turf this weekend.

Russell Howard brings his latest stand-up show to Bristol Beacon, with performances running from Thursday right through until Sunday.

Friday’s performance starts at 7.30pm, with further afternoon and evening shows across Saturday and Sunday.

Expect Russell’s trademark mix of observational comedy, stories and his take on the increasingly strange world around us.

Tickets are currently showing limited availability, so don’t leave this one too late.

UpTones – Bristol Old Vic

Fancy some Friday-night music without spending anything?

UpTones takes over the Bristol Old Vic foyer on Friday evening as part of the venue’s Summer Events Series.

Running from 9pm until 11pm, it’s completely free and you don’t need to book.

A nice option if you’re heading into the Old City and fancy starting the weekend with some live music.

Reggaeton Party – Thekla

Friday night gets considerably louder aboard Thekla.

The Reggaeton Party returns from 10pm until 3am, bringing Reggaeton to the main room alongside a mixture of Baile Funk, Hip-Hop, R&B, Dancehall and Afrobeats.

One for the night owls.

Saturday 5th September – Bristol Comes Alive

Bristol Wing Fest – Day Two

Wing Fest continues on Saturday with both daytime and evening sessions.

Alongside the food, there’ll be music, competitions, games and entertainment throughout the day.

Whether you’re seriously into your wings or just looking for something different to do with a group of friends, this could easily turn into a full Saturday out.

Macbeth – Bristol Old Vic

For something completely different, Macbeth is at Bristol Old Vic this weekend.

Young SixSix has reimagined Shakespeare’s famous tragedy through the eyes of young Bristol performers, exploring ambition, masculinity, violence and power.

There are two performances on Saturday – at 2pm and 7pm.

If you haven’t been to Bristol Old Vic for a while, this could be a good excuse to head back.

M Shed’s Working Cranes and Boats

This might be one of our favourite genuinely Bristol things happening this weekend.

On Saturday and Sunday, M Shed’s historic electric cargo cranes are back in action on the Harbourside.

Visitors can actually go inside the cranes and discover more about the role they played when Bristol’s docks were still a working port.

Visits begin from 11am, subject to availability.

The museum’s historic working boats are also starting their September programme this weekend, offering trips around Bristol’s Floating Harbour.

A brilliant option if you’re looking for family things to do in Bristol this weekend.

Russell Howard – Bristol Beacon

If Friday doesn’t work, Russell Howard has two more shows at Bristol Beacon on Saturday.

There’s a 3.30pm matinee followed by an evening performance at 7.30pm.

Spike Island 50 Summer Party

Saturday night also marks a major milestone for one of Bristol’s best-known creative institutions.

Spike Island celebrates its 50th anniversary with a huge Summer Party running from 5pm until 3am.

The building will come alive with exhibitions, live art, performances and music before turning into a late-night party with DJs from Bristol’s creative community and beyond.

There’ll also be food, bars and plenty happening throughout the building.

Under-18s can attend the earlier part of the event when accompanied by an adult, while the programme becomes 18+ from 9pm.

This is another strong Base Radio social media pick this weekend.

Sunday 6th September – Something for Everyone

Fire in the Mill – Sawmills

This looks like one of Sunday’s hidden gems.

Fire in the Mill brings a family-friendly celebration of folk music, culture and dancing to a historic Victorian sawmill in Bristol.

Running from around 11am until 8pm, the day features multiple stages of live music alongside workshops, a ceilidh, traditional games, puppetry, maypole and Morris dancing, fire pits, food and drink.

The music line-up includes Johnny & Lillie Flynn, Cosmo Sheldrake, Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, Rachael Dadd and plenty more.

It’s designed for all ages, with under-fives able to attend free.

If you fancy doing something genuinely different this Sunday, this could be it.

Bristol Wing Fest – The Finale

Still haven’t had your wing fix?

Sunday brings the final session of Bristol Wing Fest, giving you one last opportunity to work your way through some of the city’s competing wing traders.

Probably not the weekend to start a diet.

Russell Howard – Bristol Beacon

Russell Howard wraps up his Bristol run with another two performances on Sunday.

There’s a 3.30pm matinee, which also features BSL interpretation, followed by the final show at 7.30pm.

King Prawn – Thekla

If you want to finish the weekend with something considerably louder, King Prawn take over Thekla on Sunday evening.

The British band have built their reputation around a high-energy mixture of ska, punk, reggae, hardcore and metal.

Doors are listed from 6pm.

Not exactly a quiet Sunday evening – but then this is Bristol.

More Family Things to Do in Bristol This Weekend

If you’re looking for something to do with the kids, there’s plenty beyond the big events.

Spike Island Kids Art Club takes place on Friday morning, while M Shed’s working exhibits give families the chance to experience Bristol’s industrial and maritime history up close.

You can also make a day of the Harbourside itself.

Visit M Shed, walk around Wapping Wharf, explore Millennium Square or wander across towards the SS Great Britain.

And if the weather behaves, sometimes simply grabbing something to eat and walking around Bristol Harbour is one of the best ways to spend a weekend in the city.

Looking for Something Free?

You don’t always need a ticket to enjoy Bristol.

UpTones at Bristol Old Vic is free on Friday night, while Spike Island’s current exhibitions can be visited during normal gallery opening hours.

Or explore St Nicholas Market, Clifton Village, Gloucester Road, Brandon Hill or Bristol Harbourside without spending anything at all.

There’s always something to discover.

Base Radio’s Weekend Picks

If we had to choose three this week, we’d go with:

Bristol Wing Fest for the big weekend event.

Fire in the Mill for something different that the whole family can enjoy.

And Spike Island’s 50th Summer Party for a proper Bristol celebration on Saturday night.

For families, we’d also give a special mention to the working cranes and boats at M Shed. It’s local, unusual and something you simply don’t get in many other cities.

Whatever You’re Doing This Weekend…

Make Base Radio part of it.

Whether you’re heading out for Wing Fest, getting ready for a night in Bristol, exploring the Harbourside with the family or simply taking it easy on Sunday, we’ll provide the soundtrack.

Great music all day, every day. No repeats, just more variety.

Listen online at BaseRadio.co.uk

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