Do you struggle to entertain the kids over the summer holidays or have you learnt every trick in the book? Feel free to share your comments and tips on my Facebook page. This summer, I’ll be taking Little Miss Diva on as many of these 50 free and cheap Bristol activities as I can squeeze in! Have a great summer everyone!
Now until Sept 2. Gromit Unleashed 2. Free (£8 for a family of 5 by bus).
I can’t wait ‘til school is out as I’ve been looking forward to Gromit hunting for weeks now! It’s Wallace & Gromit’s third Bristol arts trail across the city and for the first time there will be three characters to find: lovable canine Gromit, his old pal Wallace and arch nemesis Feathers McGraw. Check out the Gromit character locations by clicking here. Let’s have some fun this summer and share our selfies on the Broke in Bristol Facebook page using the hashtag #GromitHunt. For bus tickets click here.
July 19 and 20. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Pick up a free fairy door trail and see if you can discover all eight fairy doors at the Blaise Castle House Museum.
Will they be in the Victorian schoolroom, near the costumes or next to the toy collection? Collect the names of each door to win a sticker. Blaise is beautiful in the summer so take a picnic and make a day of it. Most suitable for 3 to 10 year olds, click here for more details.
July 20 to 22. Bristol Harbour Festival. Free.
You can buy a programme at the festival but families should head to Queen Square which welcomes Cirque Bijou and its mash-up of circus, street theatre, comedy, walkabout and things to play, make and do. Don’t miss Helena Humm on the flying trapeze and the popular Racing Babies! Check out the family activities here.
July 20, 27. Aug 3, 10 & 17. Friday Twilights at the zoo. £5.
Save money on your trip to Bristol Zoo Gardens by visiting in the evening. On selected days, tickets are £5 and visitors can explore the zoo after hours to a soundtrack of live music, enjoy BBQ food and loads of family fun.
July 22. South West Dance Theatre: Being Romeo & Juliet. Free.
As part of the Bristol Shakespeare Festival, South West Dance Theatre dance out the moods and emotions of Romeo and Juliet at Trinity Community Arts from 7pm. Free but you must book tickets.
July 22. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Another chance to take younger kids on the fairy door trail at Blaise Castle and if the weather’s nice pack a picnic!
July 23 to Aug 31. Pop up Aardman cinema at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway. Free.Shows will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays over the school holidays from 11am ‘til 4pm. Each show is 30 minutes long and there’s no need to book. The cinema will be located outside the Topshop entrance of The Mall or in front of M&S on the lower level if the weather is bad. Spaces are subject to availability. Check out the website for other free summer activities
Until Aug 31. Book Island Café Trail. Free.
Looking for fun and free family activities to do over the summer holidays? Simply visit 4 of the 30 independent, family-friendly cafés on the Book Island Café Trail, ask for one of the entry cards, find and read the books and send the completed card back before Aug 31. Post about your finds on social media and get an extra chance to win per post/share. More info about the trail and the participating cafés here.
July 25. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Spend the day at Blaise Castle where you can also take younger kids on the free fairy door trail.
July 26. Clubbing in the Crypt – Bristol. 50p for children, £1 adults.
Dig out those dancing shoes for Clubbing in the Crypt where a professional DJ will be playing tunes for all ages from the 1950s to the present day.
July 26 to 29. Hamlet the musical. Free (booking essential).
The timeless story of Hamlet is retold at The White Bear and is brought to life through rewrites of modern hits including classics by Queen, Britney Spears, ABBA, and Elvis Presley. Book in advance here.
July 26. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Another chance to take younger kids on the fairy door trail at Blaise Castle and if the weather’s nice pack a picnic!
July 26 to Aug 30. Brizzle Kidz Clubhouse. Free.
Introducing the Brizzle Kidz – the Galleries free kids club on the ground floor near 71 Queens and Eurochange every Thursday throughout the school holidays. On July 26 kids can make cute boggly eyed creatures. Click here for more details.
July 26 & 30. Wallace & Gromit – free outdoor screenings.
Pack some cheese and crackers and head over to the Big Screen on Millennium Square for a grand day out! Deckchair seating will be available on a first come, first served basis, but feel free to bring along your own blankets/camping chairs/beanbags. See the film programme for times,
July 27. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Spend the day at Blaise Castle where you can also take younger kids on the free fairy door trail.
July 28. Become an archaeologist for the day at Blaise Castle House Museum. Pay what you think.
Kids will be able to dress up, take part in arts and crafts, enjoy a Roman feast and get involved in mini excavations. Click here for more information.
28 to 30 July. Upfest. Free.
Upfest is back for its 10th anniversary and will take over Bedminster at the end of July. You can look forward to loads of artists, live entertainment, children’s workshops and the chance to buy affordable art.
July 28 to 29. Thai and Multi Cultural Food Festival in Millennium Sq. Adults £4.
Loads to keep the kids entertained at this festival with a costume parade, catwalk and cultural fashion show as well as DJs, a Thai boxing demo and children’s entertainment.
July 28. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Another chance to take younger kids on the fairy door trail at Blaise Castle and if the weather’s nice pack a picnic!
July 29. Bristol Islamic Cultural Fayre at Eastville Park. Free.
The Islamic Cultural Fayre will feature live stage performances, exhibitions, a five-a-side football tournament and funfair rides.
July 29, 31 and Aug 1 and 2. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Spend the day at Blaise Castle where you can also take younger kids on the free fairy door trail.
Aug 4. Redfest. Free.
This free music and arts festival returns to St George Park this year with events also being held at local venues showcasing just what the area has to offer. Click here for more details including the line up.
Aug 5. Bristol Amnesty International Goldney Garden Party 2018. £5 adults, under 12s free.
On Sunday the gates to Goldney Hall in Clifton will be open for Amnesty International’s 36th Goldney Garden Party where there will be a packed line of up entertainers and lots of things for kids to do.
Aug 5 and 7. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Pick up a free fairy door trail and see if you can discover all eight fairy doors at the Blaise Castle House Museum.
Will they be in the Victorian schoolroom, near the costumes or next to the toy collection? Collect the names of each door to win a sticker. Blaise is beautiful in the summer so bring a picnic and make a day of it. Most suitable for 3 to 10 year olds, check exact dates before heading on out: https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/blaise-castle-house-museum/whats-on/fairy-door-trail/
Aug 7. See Hear Storytelling at SS Great Britain. Free.
Storyteller Sarah Mooney captivates the imaginations of young visitors with new twists on classic legends. Children can join in the action with stories of whales and angel fish, pirate treasure and stormy seas. Sea Hear Storytelling happens the first Tuesday of every month. Upcoming dates for 2018: 7 August, 4 September.
Aug 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19. The Blaise Summer 2018 fairy door trail. Free.
Pick up a free fairy door trail and see if you can discover all eight fairy doors at the Blaise Castle House Museum. Blaise is beautiful in the summer so bring a picnic and make a day of it. Most suitable for 3 to 10 year olds, more information here.
Aug 9 to 12. Free. Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Free.
Undeniably one of the highlights of the summer, you can either take the kids to Ashton Court or watch the fiesta from one of the city’s vantage points. My favourite is Perrett Park, but you can also check out Clifton Downs, Bedminster Down, Leigh Woods, Brandon Hill and Victoria Park.
Aug 15, 21 & 29. Summer Crafty Cathedral at Bristol Cathedral. Suggested donation £2 per family.
This two-hour drop-in craft session is ideal for under 11s and is part of a programme being run in partnership with St Mary Redcliffe which offers activites for families in church buildings across August.
Aug 16 to 18. Hoo-ha at Colston Hall. Some foyer events are free.
Main events are ticketed but there is free fun in the foyer including a Junior Jungle Rave, It’s Time to Play with CBeebie’s Sid and Rebecca and Rocktopus. Full listings here.
Until May 2019. Fabric Africa at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. Free, donations welcome.
Fabric Africa is a stunning snapshot of the diversity of modern and historic textiles from across the continent of Africa.
Adventure playgrounds. All holidays. Free.
Don’t forget Bristol’s Adventure Playgrounds If your children are eight and over, you can register them and leave them in the capable hands of the play workers. Little Miss Diva loves the Felix Road Adventure Playground in Easton, but there’s also free play at Lockleaze Adventure Playground, Saint Paul’s Adventure Playground and Southmead Adventure Playground. Top tip – send them with a friend or sibling. Younger children from aged 5 can join in too, but must be supervised by an adult.
Cinema. All holidays. From £1.50.
Vue Cinemas and Odeon offer really cheap tickets during the holidays if you don’t mind watching films that aren’t necessarily the latest releases. I’ll be taking Little Miss Diva to watch Show dogs. We enjoy 40% off cinema tickets when watching the latest releases all year round with our Gourmet Card. Want to find out how you can get one for free? Email me by clicking here.
Restaurants. All holidays. Up to 50% off.
I may be broke in Bristol but as I tend to live frugally there should be enough in the pot to enjoy a treat day this summer. I’ll probably take Little Miss Diva on a surprise trip to Frankie & Benny’s where it’s 25% off the total bill! You can choose from loads of Bristol restaurants and enjoy between 25 and 50% off your bill all year round. Want to know how to get a free Gourmet Card and also save money on your bills? Email me by clicking here.
Have I missed anything? Please feel free to share your cheap and free events and don’t forget to like the Broke in Bristol Facebook Page to be the first to know about what’s happening near you.
