Bristol Harbour Festival
Encyclopedia
The Harbourside in Bristol
, England, has hosted the Bristol Harbour Festival for 40 years, with over 250,000 visitors attending live music, street performances and a variety of live entertainment. The festival includes music stages, a dance stage, street theatre performances, and water displays. A highlight of the festival until 2010 was the Saturday Night Fireworks presentation.
Most of the activities are held near the waterfront, so a significant part of the festival is connected with the seagoing vessels moored nearby.
The liveliest part of the festival is quayside, but the main attractions are, of course, seaside — with all the water displays, with tall ship
s from many countries and hundreds of sailing boats and old-time boats of all kinds.
This event inspired similar events across the Channel, such as Les jeudis du Port and Fête Internationale de la mer et des marins in Brest
, Brittany
and across Western Europe.
Bristol Harbour Festival celebrates the city's maritime heritage and the importance of Bristol's docks and harbour, and takes place over a weekend at the end of July or beginning of August. 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of the festival, and as such is currently scheduled to include additional activities during the week of 23 - 29 July, prior to the main festival itself.
. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre will be bringing a single dancer doing a solo piece by the company’s new artistic director Robert Battle. New York City Ballet
will be performing a piece from Swan Lake as well as an excerpt from Stars and Stripes.
The Bristol Old Vic
is involved with the festival for the first time, with two specially commissioned performances ‘Run’ and ‘Fallen’ from The Bristol Old Vic’s Young Company.
Cirque Bijou and the circus stage will now be based in Castle Park
, the newest expansion to the festival. Mario Queen Of the Circus will also be performing, along with the Invisible Circus
The Queen Square
music stage is programmed by Colston Hall
with headliners such asSt Pauls and St Georges Reggae Orchestra and Ska Cubano.
In 2009, Beth Rowley
, The Hot 8 Brass Band, Sheelanagig, The Blessing and Phantom Limb appeared on the Queen Square Stage, programmed by Colston Hall
and supported by Willmott Dixon. Let's Tea Party, Kid Carpet
, Nuala and the Alchemy Quartet, The She Creatures, Natty, Barry Adamson
and Alex Wilson's Uplifting Roots on the Amphitheatre Stage.
Babel, Bobby Andersen and Slow made up some of the highlighted acts on the Cascade Steps
stage.
Locally sourced youth acts played on the Remix Stage, in the Mud Dock area of the harbour. The 2009 festival had a new 'Dance Village' which featured international and locally celebrated dance performers including two principal dancer
s from the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York.
The Millennium Square
Circus Stage programmed by Cirque Bijou featured Duo Ssens, a world class static trapeze act, local comperes Stickleback Plasticus and the Black Eagles, acrobats all the way from Tanzania
.
After parties took place at local venues including the Thekla and the Louisiana.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England, has hosted the Bristol Harbour Festival for 40 years, with over 250,000 visitors attending live music, street performances and a variety of live entertainment. The festival includes music stages, a dance stage, street theatre performances, and water displays. A highlight of the festival until 2010 was the Saturday Night Fireworks presentation.
Most of the activities are held near the waterfront, so a significant part of the festival is connected with the seagoing vessels moored nearby.
The liveliest part of the festival is quayside, but the main attractions are, of course, seaside — with all the water displays, with tall ship
Tall ship
A tall ship is a large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques. "Tall Ship" can also be defined more specifically by an organization, such as for a race or festival....
s from many countries and hundreds of sailing boats and old-time boats of all kinds.
This event inspired similar events across the Channel, such as Les jeudis du Port and Fête Internationale de la mer et des marins in Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
and across Western Europe.
Bristol Harbour Festival celebrates the city's maritime heritage and the importance of Bristol's docks and harbour, and takes place over a weekend at the end of July or beginning of August. 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of the festival, and as such is currently scheduled to include additional activities during the week of 23 - 29 July, prior to the main festival itself.
Entertainment
The Bristol Harbour Festival has a variety of entertainment from dance acts, interactive theatre, international circus acts and a mix of musicians. The Dance Village, programmed by Ashley Russell will be showcasing; The Netherlands Dance Company will be dancing a piece by Hans van ManenHans van Manen
Hans van Manen is a Dutch ballet dancer, choreographer and photographer.He is a son of a German housemaid. He studied under Sonia Gaskell, Françoise Adret and Nora Kiss. Van Manen wrote many ballets. He worked for the Dutch National Ballet from 1973 to 1985. He was awarded the Erasmus Prize in...
. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre will be bringing a single dancer doing a solo piece by the company’s new artistic director Robert Battle. New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
will be performing a piece from Swan Lake as well as an excerpt from Stars and Stripes.
The Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic
The Bristol Old Vic is a theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, King Street, in Bristol, England. The theatre complex includes the 1766 Theatre Royal, which claims to be the oldest continually-operating theatre in England, along with a 1970s studio theatre , offices and backstage facilities...
is involved with the festival for the first time, with two specially commissioned performances ‘Run’ and ‘Fallen’ from The Bristol Old Vic’s Young Company.
Cirque Bijou and the circus stage will now be based in Castle Park
Castle Park, Bristol
Castle Park is a public open space in Bristol, England, managed by Bristol City Council. It is bounded by the Floating Harbour and Castle Street to the south, Lower Castle Street to the east, and Broad Weir, Newgate and Wine Street to the north...
, the newest expansion to the festival. Mario Queen Of the Circus will also be performing, along with the Invisible Circus
The Queen Square
Queen Square, Bristol
Queen Square is a garden square in the centre of Bristol, England. It was originally a fashionable residential address, but now most of the buildings are in office use....
music stage is programmed by Colston Hall
Colston Hall
The Colston Hall is a concert hall and grade II listed building situated on Colston Street, Bristol, England. A popular venue catering for a variety of different entertainers, it seats approximately 2,075 and provides licensed bars, a café and restaurant....
with headliners such asSt Pauls and St Georges Reggae Orchestra and Ska Cubano.
In 2009, Beth Rowley
Beth Rowley
-Background:Rowley was born to British parents who moved back to Bristol, England from Peru when Rowley was two years old.-Early career:She was influenced by her family's love for many different musical styles, particularly blues, country, folk, gospel and Latin American music. When aged 16, Rowley...
, The Hot 8 Brass Band, Sheelanagig, The Blessing and Phantom Limb appeared on the Queen Square Stage, programmed by Colston Hall
Colston Hall
The Colston Hall is a concert hall and grade II listed building situated on Colston Street, Bristol, England. A popular venue catering for a variety of different entertainers, it seats approximately 2,075 and provides licensed bars, a café and restaurant....
and supported by Willmott Dixon. Let's Tea Party, Kid Carpet
Kid Carpet
Kid Carpet, real name Ed Patrick, is a musician from Bristol, UK. His music has been described as 'kiddy disco punk' and 'shit-hop', as it is recorded in his home studio using instruments such as samplers, Casio keyboards, and various children's toys including plastic Fisher-Price guitars and...
, Nuala and the Alchemy Quartet, The She Creatures, Natty, Barry Adamson
Barry Adamson
Barry Adamson is a British rock musician who has worked with rock bands such as Magazine, Visage, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the electronic musicians Pan sonic and Depeche Mode. Adamson created the seven-minute opus "Useless " remix for the latter band in 1997...
and Alex Wilson's Uplifting Roots on the Amphitheatre Stage.
Babel, Bobby Andersen and Slow made up some of the highlighted acts on the Cascade Steps
The Centre, Bristol
The Centre is a partially pedestrianised public open space in the central area of Bristol, England, created by covering over the River Frome. The northern end of The Centre is a paved area circuited by Colston Avenue; the southern end is separated from this by a major road junction and is a larger...
stage.
Locally sourced youth acts played on the Remix Stage, in the Mud Dock area of the harbour. The 2009 festival had a new 'Dance Village' which featured international and locally celebrated dance performers including two principal dancer
Principal dancer
A principal dancer is a dancer at the highest rank within a professional dance company, particularly a ballet company....
s from the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York.
The Millennium Square
Millennium Square (Bristol)
Millennium Square is a location in the centre of Bristol, England. It was built as part of the At Bristol development, and has become a popular public area.-Attractions:...
Circus Stage programmed by Cirque Bijou featured Duo Ssens, a world class static trapeze act, local comperes Stickleback Plasticus and the Black Eagles, acrobats all the way from Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
.
After parties took place at local venues including the Thekla and the Louisiana.
See also
- Bristol HarbourBristol HarbourBristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of . It has existed since the 13th century but was developed into its current form in the early 19th century by installing lock gates on a tidal stretch of the River Avon in the centre of the city and...
- International Festival of the SeaInternational Festival of the Sea, 1996The International Festival of the Sea, 1996 was a maritime festival, held in and around the Floating Harbour in the English port city of Bristol. Held in 1996, it was the first of a series of International Festivals of the Sea that have since been held in various United Kingdom ports.The key theme...
, held at Bristol in 1996