Things to do in Bristol during the Cricket World Cup

Cricket fever is heating up in Bristol, with the city set to host three matches in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in June (1 June: Afghanistan v Australia, 7 June: Pakistan v Sri Lanka and 11 June: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka).

However, the fun starts a few weeks earlier when England take on Pakistan in an ODI before three official warm up matches take place at the County Ground.

The city is also a great base from which to reach matches in other host cities, including Cardiff (just across the Severn Bridge) and Taunton (just a short hop down the M5). So, when you’re not watching the world’s best battle it out for the top prize, here’s a handy guide of things to do in Bristol during the Cricket World Cup.

See the sights of Bristol

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Be wowed by the views of Bristol’s world-famous landmark, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and learn about its history with a guided tour from the Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre.

Brunel’s SS Great Britain

The Being Brunel exhibition at the SS Great Britain in Bristol.

Did you know, Brunel’s SS Great Britain took the first ever All England cricket team to Australia 158 years ago, before any sporting world cup events were established? The attraction is celebrating the ship’s role in international cricket with a special exhibition (25 May -21 July). Discover more of the ship’s history, along with the sights and smells of life on-board, before popping into Being Brunel for an exploration of the life and legacy of the Victorian engineer behind her design.

Bristol Zoo Gardens

Wander the beautiful gardens of Bristol Zoo Gardens and get up close to African penguins, seals, gorillas, red pandas and hundreds of other animals.

Wild Place Project

Wild Place Project sits in the midst of beautiful countryside. Visit to find woodland walks and habitat-themed areas of parkland filled with wildlife including eland, cheetah, zebra and giraffe. Until 1 September, there are 20 six-foot-tall, bold and beautiful hand-painted bear sculptures to seek out.

Aerospace Bristol

The last Concorde to be built at Aerospace Bristol.

Blast off on a journey through aeronautical history at Aerospace Bristol and step aboard Concorde Alpha Foxtrot - the last ever Concorde to be built and fly.

We The Curious

Make astounding discoveries at We The Curious through hundreds of interactive scientific exhibits, including seasonal stargazing in the UK’s first 3D planetarium.

Bristol Aquarium

Go on a spectacular sea safari at Bristol Aquarium and discover underwater life from the British coast, to warmer waters and exotic tropical seas.

Watershed

Watch an independent film at Watershed and keep an eye out for special food, drink and cinema events at this waterfront multi-media art centre. 

Bristol Harbourside

Learn about Bristol’s rich maritime history as you cruise through the Harbour with Bristol Packet Boat Trips while tucking into a freshly baked cream tea (from 8 May – 6 October). Alternatively, enjoy the full ‘riverboat experience’, passing through Hanham Lock before stopping at a riverside pub for lunch (from 4 June-26 September).

Bristol Street Art

A street art mural in Bristol.

Take a street art tour around the city with graffiti experts Where the Wall: seek out the city's best street art on a Blackbeard to Banksy The Ultimate Bristol Walking Tour; get stuck into a Graft graffiti workshop; or discover Banksy's Bristol at your own pace by downloading the Banksy Bristol Trail by Cactus Apps.

Exhibitions

M Shed

Find out about the story of Bristol and its people at M Shed through interactive displays and quirky historical paraphernalia. Don’t miss Tattoo: British Art Revealed (16 March- 16 June).

Royal West of England Art Gallery

Celebrate the best of historic and contemporary British art at the Royal West of England Academy (RWA), England’s only regional Royal Academy of Art. Look out for RWA Sculpture Open Exhibition - which celebrates the diversity of form, medium and scale in contemporary sculptural practice (16 March – 2 June) and Gaudier-Brzeska: Disputing the Earth at RWA (16 March – 2 June 2019), which pays new attention to Gaudier’s versatility as an animal artist.

Spike Island

View contemporary art at Arnolfini or Spike Island - both are exciting hubs of creative and cultural activity based on Bristol’s Harbourside. Look out for Paul Simon Richards Quasi-Monte Carlo at Spike Island (6 April -16 June) featuring computer-generated imagery and spoken word monologue and Sriwhana Spong’s largest exhibition to date outside of her native New Zealand, IDA-IDA at Spike Island (6 April – 16 June).

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

Pop into Bristol Museum and Art Gallery to see the brand new Banksy in residence as well as world-class collections and dynamic exhibitions, including the ornithological-themed Natural Selection from father and son team Andy Holden and Peter Holden (1 June-1 Sept).

Shopping

Gloucester Road, close to the Brightside Ground, is famous for having the longest stretch of independent shops in the UK. From a bargain hunter’s perspective, it’s also a mine of quality charity and vintage shops. To help you navigate your way to the best items, join Becky Barnes’ Personal Stylist Charity Shop Tours (running until 22 June).

Theatre

An on-stage performance of Matilda the Musical.

At the end of play, head off to see a West End musical or touring blockbuster show at Bristol Hippodrome. Tim Minchin’s Multi award-winning Matilda The Musical, inspired by the Roald Dahl book is showing from 7 May-8 June), and 1980’s pop culture hit, Fame The Musical is on from 10-15 June.

Festivals

Bristol Walk Fest

A group on a walk past some street art at the Bristol Walk Fest.

Stretch your legs with one of Bristol Walk Fest’s strolls (1-31 May). There are over 150 amazing walks and events for all ages and abilities to choose from, including street art, foraging and walking tennis!

Dot to Dot Festival

Discover the stars of tomorrow at the Dot to Dot festival on 25 May, when it returns with another line-up of innovative and exciting acts in intimate spaces across the city. The xx, Ed Sheeran and Mumford and Sons have all performed at the festival before they hit the big time.

Love Saves The Day

Dust off your boogie boots and let off steam in between matches at Love Saves The Day festival (25-26 May). The event boasts a magnificent musical line-up, combining the best of Bristol’s thriving underground scene with pioneering artists across the globe, including headliners Lily Allen and Chase & Status

Clifton International Festival of Music

Bristol’s most thrilling summertime classical music event welcomes world class artists alongside the city’s most gifted home-grown talent for a series of concerts, lectures and workshops (1-8 June).

Festival of Nature

The UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world, Festival of Nature arrives in Bristol’s Millennium Square from 8-9 June with its biggest programme yet. The family-friendly event features interactive exhibitions, live performances and talks from the giants of the natural history world.

Bristol Craft Beer Festival

Two men eating food and drinking beer at the Bristol Craft Beer Festival.

Bristol Craft Beer Festival (7-8 June) features over 250 beers from 35 brewers. Whether you’re a seasoned craft beer aficionado or a complete and utter novice in the ale department, raise a glass of world-class beer to your chosen cricket team and enjoy great street food and live music on the waterfront.

Bristol Food Connections

Gather with the Bristol’s food community at Bristol Food Connections (12-23 June) for a citywide celebration of every aspect of food, featuring over 100 events. 

Cider Salon Bristol

Taste one of the South West’s most well-loved beverages in the city of cider itself. The Cider Salon (7-9 June) will showcase 60 speciality ciders during a weekend of talks, tastings and dinners at independent venues across the city. In addition to the main tasting event, there will also be a city-wide programme of fringe activities.

Eating out

Food on a table in the Coconut Tree in Clifton, Bristol.

Craving a coffee? After a swift half or a cheeky tipple? Gloucester Road is brimming with cafés, bakeries and pubs. Check out well-celebrated local boozer the Gallimaufry, vegan restaurant Suncraft, or Sri Lankan street food restaurant The Coconut Tree. Head south, past walls adorned with street art (look out for the Banksy next to The Canteen) towards Stokes Croft and the brand new Masa + Mezcal restaurant. Or, head up Gloucester Road, towards Horfield Common, where you’ll find The Wellington – part of Bath Ales pub estate, serving a great range of beers. 

On a warm day, it’s hard to beat Bristol Harbourside. Check out Cargo - a cool collection of cafés, shops and bars in repurposed shipping containers on the waterfront. The wider Wapping Wharf area is also great for dining out.

For scrummy street food from all over the globe, head to one of Bristol’s markets; Try St Nicholas Market (open Monday-Saturday 9.30am-5pm), St Nick’s Vegan & Wellbeing Market (Monday), Street Food Market (Tuesday & Friday 11-2.30pm), The Nails Market (Friday & Saturday 10am-5pm), Bristol Farmers’ and Producers’ Market (Wednesday 8am- 2.30pm) and  Tobacco Factory Market (Sunday 10-2.30am), Harbourside Market (Sat & Sun 11am-4pm or Thurs on Broad Quay 12-3pm) or Finzel’s Reach Market (Friday 10am-2pm) for extremely yummy grub.

27 Mar 2020(last updated)