Welcome to April! I’m feeling in the festival spirit already, but with good reason as you’ll see once you read through what’s coming up in the next few weeks.
We all know that Bristol comes alive when the sun gets its hat on, so it’s time to start clearing your weekends for all of the music, food and arts festivals which will be arriving in the city in the next few months. But before that, here’s what you can look forward to in April (*Spoiler* – it’s a good’un).
Easter weekend frolics!
It wouldn’t be Easter weekend without a beer festival, and the one I’m most excited about has to be Beerfest at The Volunteer Tavern – running from Thursday night until Monday, the festival will kick off with a tap takeover from the magnificent Moor Beer and will see oodles of other breweries and beverages over the course of the weekend. The Steam Crane in Bedminster are also having a Beerd Brewery tap takeover on Easter weekend, and Aviator in Redland are hosting a South West beer festival.
Those of a sweet-toothed disposition should head along to Brunel Square next to the SS Great Britain over the weekend to check out Taste Chocolate Festival – featuring tastings, a cookery theatre, live music and a Prosecco bar!
To see out the long weekend in suitably fun fashion, Milk Thistle are hosting a Pirates Vs Privateers party on Sunday 5th April – tickets are £10 and include 2 cocktails, so choose your side, pick out your costume and come along for some Easter Sunday swashbuckling (whatever that is). If you prefer your evenings a bit more sedate, you can head along to their next Gin Club, or their Kentucky Derby soiree instead.
In other exciting news, the new outdoor bar at The Apple opens on Thursday 2nd April, which means you can expect to see the cobbles of Welsh Back awash with a sea of folks swilling cider until dark o’clock every day of the long weekend – The Apple’s lush ploughman’s lunches are also back for summer, yay!
Cheese-tastic
Speaking of cheese, April seems to have stirred some dairy-cravings across town, with more cheese events than I’ve ever seen before! You can match your cheese with wine in events at Arch House Deli, Goldbrick House or Bristol Wine School, or learn how to serve and pair it at Coexist Community Kitchen on 16th April.
Love cookery classes?
I’ve already wittered on about the variety of cookery classes available across town from The Devilled Egg Academy, Little Kitchen, Bordeaux Quay and Source, but this month you can try something a bit different courtesy of Hamilton House as they host a speed dating cookery class – Pulled is on 10th April and for £25 in addition to the class you get a cocktail and a two course meal, as well as the potential to meet your foodie soulmate!
Ready, steady, Eat!
The end of April sees the return of the tipis to Queen Square, as Eat Drink Bristol Fashion serves up another fortnight of fine dining, music and tasty tapas to the masses. The dining events will be a bit pricey for many, but the tapas menu is well worth a look – let’s hope the weather is as good as last year!
If you want to be organised, the event listings have also gone live for Food Connections, which starts on 1st May – more info on that in my May listings 😀
Dates for the Diary:
Thu 2nd – Ice cream alchemy class at Coexist Community Kitchen (£25)
Thu 2nd – Wine & Canapes at The Library
Thu 2nd-Mon 6th – Beerfest at The Volunteer Tavern
Sat 4th – Hoedown at Brewdog
Sat 4th-Sun 5th – Cafe Mulino pop-up in St Werburghs
Sat 4th-Sun 5th – Taste Chocolate Festival
Sun 5th – Pirates vs Privateers party at Milk Thistle
Wed 8th – Tasty Tapas class at Little Kitchen
Thu 9th – Cheese & Wine tasting at Arch House Deli (£25)
Thu 9th – Gin Night at Goldbrick House (£15)
Thu 9th-Mon 13th – Beerfest at The Hope and Anchor
Fri 10th – Pulled: Speed dating cookery class (£25)
Sat 11th – Yoga & Bread Making class at Hamilton House
Sat 11th – Truffle oil tasting at Arch House Deli (Free)
Tue 14th – Szechuan supper tasting at Flinty Red
Wed 15th – Whisky tasting at Weber & Tring’s (£25)
Wed 15th – Cider tasting at The Cider Shop
Wed 15th – Cheese & Wine tasting at Arch House Deli (£25)
Thu 16th – Cheese pairing and serving class at Coexist Community Kitchen (£25)
Fri 17th – Thai Street Food cookery class at Little Kitchen
Fri 17th – Sunny Republic tap takeover at Beer Emporium
Sun 19th – Celebration of spring lamb at Bell’s Diner (£30 for 3 courses)
Wed 22nd – Cheese & Wine night at Goldbrick House (£25)
Thu 23rd – Gin and tonic tasting at Bristol Wine School
Wed 29th – Launch of Eat Drink Bristol Fashion
Thu 30th – Gin Club at Milk Thistle
Thu 30th – Spring in Tuscany cookery class at Papadeli
Thu 30th – Cheese & wine tasting at Bristol Wine School
If you like this, you’ll also like…
A Life Less Organised 
What a great service your blog does with its list of events. Keep on! But can I be cheeky and mention the ‘Wines of the Mediterranean’ event I’m running at Stoke Lodge on Saturday 25th April. More details on http://www.bristolcourses.com
Of course, will add in now 🙂 – thanks for reading and the lovely compliment!
Those ploughman’s sarnies sound mighty fine!
Oh they are gooood
Reblogged this on dannybarkerphotography and commented:
This is great ” What’s On ” guide to our lush city !
Thank you! Glad you find it helpful 🙂