It's been a long wait but after a two-year break, Bristol Pride Festival is finally returning in all its glory for 2022!
After the event was cancelled in 2020 and scaled-down in 2021, it's so exciting to see the festivities ramped up for a triumphant return. This year's Pride Day Festival will take place on The Downs on Saturday, July 9 with an afterparty at Bristol's O2 Academy. Did you know that Bristol Pride is one of Bristol's largest festivals and also one of the largest free, donation-run Pride events in the UK? No? Well, now you do!
The headliners for each party have been announced, and Bristol will soon be welcoming Carly Rae Jepsen (remember 'Call Me Maybe'?) for the day party and the Scissor Sisters' Ana Matronic for the afterparty.
But did you know that Pride isn't limited to just one day? Across Bristol, you'll find a large number of Pride fundraiser events, queer parties, and LGBTQIA+ workshops and masterclasses in the weeks surrounding Pride. Yuup is delighted to announce that this year we've partnered with Pride to bring two weeks of experiences for and by the local queer community of Bristol.
A number of queer creators, makers, movers and shakers are hosting experiences on Yuup to celebrate Pride 2022. Do you fancy a drag brunch on the Clifton Triangle (with a cheeky bottomless option available)? Or perhaps a spot of body harness making with a drag costumier in a queer plant shop might be your thing? Maybe you're a wholesome soul that wants to make needle-felted art in a queer-friendly, inclusive environment? Well, you are certainly in luck this year!
Before I kick off with the Yuup experiences supporting the local queer community this Bristol Pride, I just wanted to quickly share some regular local LGBTQIA+ collectives, events and queer nights out in Bristol.
If you are new to Bristol or new to Bristol's queer scene it can be difficult to find things to do within the LGBTQ scene at first, but we have a bustling scene with plenty of things to do whatever your interests! We have two gay districts found in Old Market (Bristol Bear Bar, Old Market Assembly, The Old Market Tavern) and also Frogmore Street (Queenshilling, OMG bar, and OMG club).
Consider the below a short introduction to queer nights in Bristol if you've been unsure of where to start:
- Slaughterhaus Bristol: A Bristol-based alternative drag cabaret
- DTYM Bristol: A queer/pop/RnB LGBTQ+FRIENDS club night
- Punka: A indie/rock alternative club night and live music gigs
- The Drag Collective: Drag shows, karaoke nights, and quiz nights
- Femmegeddon: A drag cabaret night celebrating female, nonbinary, and AFAB performers
- Brizzle Boyz: A cabaret night championing drag kings, BIPOC, and trans performers
- The Shade Pullers & Lash Stackers Social Club: An intergenerational drag and cabaret show
- WIG Bath: A queer cabaret in Moles, Bath
- B.Please!: A queer electronic, house and techno music collective and club nights
If want to celebrate Pride on a local, grassroots level (or just fancy mixing up the celebrations this year) then here are some awesome local experiences for and with the Bristol queer community this Pride season:
1. Drag Brunch with Bristol Dynasty at The Lost and Found: Sunday, July 3
The Bristol Dynasty drag collective will be hosting an extra-special drag brunch this Pride at The Lost and Found on Clifton Triangle. You can get tickets to just the drag show or tickets for brunch with the drag show. If you are feeling extra fabulous that day you have the option to upgrade to bottomless brunch on the day!
This event hosted by the devastatingly beautiful drag artists Macha Zu, Spank, and Phoenix Philia will delight, amaze, shock, and excite! Hold on to your garters, it's going to be a rather fabulous ride!
🏳️🌈 Book Drag Brunch with Bristol Dynasty at The Lost and Found, tickets from £12
2. Make music and compose a song with musical duo Try Me: Wednesday, June 29
Fancy making the next queer anthem? Join Bristol-based genre nonconforming girl-boy duo 'Try Me' for a good-vibes only musical workshop. You'll be jamming out together, recording a track, and generally having a smashing time making music with Bristol's alternative creatives. You'll go home with dancing feet, a video of the experience, a heart full of joy, and your new track.
🏳️🌈 Book make music with Try Me, £25 an adult
3. Movement: physical theatre masterclass with Xanthe Kween: Saturday, July 2
The way we move our bodies has a deep connection with our mental health. Join drag artist Xanthe Kween for a theatrical workshop that will have you connecting with your body and thoughts in an entirely new way. This workshop is open to anyone and is a safe place to get experimental with your body and reconnect with where your body wants to take you. Turn words, thoughts, and emotion into movement and feel the weight of the world become lifted. You'll also take home a physical movement diary so you can keep practising this healing art form.
🏳️🌈 Book Movement: physical theatre masterclass, £15 an adult
4. Make a body harness with Bristol Drag Collective: Friday, July 8
Ah yes, the humble body harness. This strappy garment, enhancing your body's best assets, is a staple of both the queer wardrobe and the festival-ready wardrobe. Fun over jeans and a nice top and daring with just some lingerie or a sheer dress underneath, this diverse little number will quickly become your favourite accessory.
Want to wrap up your bod like a Xmas present? (Yes, yes you do). The Bristol Drag Collective presents 'Wrapped Up'! Join Pom Pom, drag queen and costume maker to the stars (no, really, you've seen one of her creations on a giant RuPaul's Drag Race UK billboard) for a fun body harness workshop. You'll make your own harness with top-quality materials at MILA plants in the centre of Bristol.
🏳️🌈 Book Bristol Drag Collective: Wrapped Up, £25 an adult
5. Queer life drawing with Bristol Life Drawing: Friday, July 1 + Wednesday, July 6
Love bodies in every shape, size, colour, and gender! Join Bristol Life Drawing for an inclusive, untutored, and easy-going life drawing workshop. Basic pencils and paper will be provided, but feel free to capture the beauty of the human form with your own materials. Collage, crayon, oil pastels, watercolour- the possibilities are as limited as your imagination!
🏳️🌈 Book Bristol Life Drawing, £12 an adult
6. Make a needle-felted friend in a queer-friendly environment: Friday, May 27 + Friday, June 10 + Friday, June 24
HOW CUTE IS THIS LITTLE FRIEND? Just want to pinch their cheeks! You can make yourself your very own little felted buddy with the incredibly talented illustrator and artist, Honey Parast. This queer-friendly workshop is really a place to feel at home and make something utterly adorable. Learn the art of needle-felting and create your own unique friend to take home- bonus points if your needle-felted friend is dressed in their best Pride finery!
🏳️🌈 Book make a needle-felted friend, £15 an adult
7. Learn Aerial Hoop with Alexa Gibbens: Friday, July 1
Take your body for a flight of fancy with aerial artist Alexa Gibbens. Have you ever seen the majestic creatures of the circus, twirling in the air suspended by fabric and hoops? Have you wished you could be said majestic creature? Well now you can! This Aerial Hoop workshop will teach you the basics of this amazing art form as well as a few beginner-friendly moves that will certainly turn a few heads.
🏳️🌈 Book Learn Aerial Hoop, £20 an adult
8. Afro-Fusion Dance Fitness with Brice: Every Sunday
Want to feel good about yourself? Want someone to give you that fluffy, glittery, bubbly feeling inside? Brice is your person for that! Join the effervescent Brice for a feel-good fitness class filled with body-loving moves and grooves. The pick-me-up you never knew you desperately needed, you'll be glad you met Brice!
🏳️🌈 View all fitness classes by Bricercise Fitness and Dance, £18 for two
9. Make MASSIVE drag lashes with cocktails and drag show at The Cloak and Dagger: Saturday, July 2
Let your eyes be the envy of the South West with this flutteringly fantastic drag eyelashes workshop. Functional and stylish, these beautiful lashes are perfect for Pride, festival season, club nights, or dress-down Friday. With a selection of embellishments and gems, you'll make some massive lashes with The Bristol Drag Collective that'll have people saying "jeepers creepers! Where'd you get those peepers?"
Your host? AFAB non-binary drag artist, lash maker to the stars of RuPaul's drag race, and DJ: Remy Melee! They will teach you the tricks of their trade whilst you sip on a delicious cocktail courtesy of The Cloak and Dagger. You'll also be treated to a cheeky drag performance to get you in a fabulous mood!
🏳️🌈 Book Bristol Drag Collective: On The Lash, £20 an adult
10. Lovers' photoshoot with queer wedding and love photographer Steffy Rose: Multiple dates available
This one is extra-special. Have an anniversary, engagement, or pregnancy to celebrate? Or perhaps you just want some heartfelt photos to keep forever. Capture beauty, love, and queer joy with your lover or lovers in this wonderful photoshoot! Steffy Rose is a queer wedding and love photographer that captures queer couples in intimate and beautiful settings. She is a safe space for anyone wanting to capture trans and gay joy and she is fiercely passionate about celebrating the beauty of disabled, plus size, or marginalised bodies.
This Pride, select your favourite spot in Bristol and let Steffy immortalise your love with gentility and care.
🏳️🌈 Book Steffy Rose Pride photography shoot, from £50 for two lovers
