Bristol Light Festival – Circus Activities

We are excited to partner with Bristol BID for this year’s Bristol Light Festival, as they bring the popular Swing Song installation to our doorstep on Portland Square from Thursday 19 – Saturday 28 February, 5pm – 9:30pm!

We’ve curated a range of exciting activities that you and your family can enjoy alongside the Light Festival to add some circus sparkle to your experience.

Our building and bar will be open to the public from 5pm on from Sunday 22 and 28 February. Come on in and say hello!

Our Light Festival Programme:

Circus in the Square – Thu 19 to Sat 21 Feb

We’ll be bringing circus into Portland Square with walk-about performances from stilt-walkers and jugglers to entertain you as you wait for your turn on the Swing Song sculpture.

Flying Trapeze in St. Paul’s Church – Sun 22 to Sat 28 Feb, drop-in between 5pm – 8:30pm

With Swing Song giving you the chance to swing in the Square, we have the unique opportunity to open up our beautiful church venue and give you the chance to fly on our flying trapeze!

Drop-in to take to the skies and experience the thrill of flight on England’s only full-sized indoor trapeze rig!

Participants will climb a ladder to our platform the height of our church balcony, grip onto the trapeze, and swing back and fourth across our building before letting go and dropping into the net below. With a harness on and our friendly team to guide you through every move, anyone can have a go*!

Check out the video below for a sneak peek into your experience…

This thrilling activity is open to both children and adults with a fee of £5 per person for up to two swings. *Height restrictions apply. No prior booking needed.

Drop-in and have a go, or pop-in from the cold for a warm drink in our bar or to watch some flying from our viewing gallery!

Please note that there won’t be a catcher for flips and tricks at these drop-ins but the flying itself is just as exciting!

Variety Bungalow Fri 20 & Sat 21 Feb, 7:30pm

Join popular juggling extraordinaire and compere Jon Udry and a line-up of spectacular guests for a joyful evening of circus, comedy and creativity. Recommended for ages 16+, this jam-packed variety show is a fantastic weekend treat – book your show tickets today!

About Swing Song

Swing Song is a set of interactive swings which light up and play music as you swing back and forth. Fly high for a crescendo or go low for more ambient vibes. The swings play a set of music tracks which are responsive to the movements of the players.

One swing controls the bass line, another controls the melody, and a third controls drums and percussion. Small movements produce simple tunes, but as users swing higher and higher the tracks evolve into more complex melodies. Subject to site permissions.

Bristol Light Festival is presented by Bristol BID and supported by Cabot Circus and Visit Bristol, Visit West’s consumer channel for Bristol. The festival is curated by Creative Director Katherin Jewkes.

Event details

Light Festival Dates & Times: Thursday 19 – Saturday 28 February, 5pm onwards. Free.

Flying Trapeze Dates & Times: Sunday 22 to Saturday 28 February, 5pm – 8:30pm. £5 per person for up to two goes. Fly as many times as you like and pay as you go.

Location: St Paul’s Church, Portland Square, Bristol, BS2 8SJ

Swing Song Photo Credits: ShotAway

Wheelchair and step-free access can be found at our side entrance of St Paul’s Church. We use What 3 Words to give you an exact location on a map. Follow the link below to find this entrance.

Side Entrance Exact Location: https://what3words.com/mostly.ledge.chop

Main Entrance: Stepped Access

For performances, our main double doors serve as the principle entrance. This entrance consists of three steps up to the Box Office foyer, and three further steps up to the main building. We use What 3 Words to give you an exact location on a map. Follow the link below to find this entrance.

Main Entrance Exact Location: https://what3words.com/total.offer.native

Circomedia does not issue refunds unless the event is cancelled or postponed to a date on which you are unable to attend.

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