Upfest Street art festival gets underway
It feels great to be bringing the festival back in all its glory, especially for its 15-year anniversary Steve Hayles
EUROPE’S largest street art festival gets underway in Bristol today – and organisers say it will be “bigger and better than ever before” to mark its 15th anniversary.
For the past two years Upfest took place in alternative ways due to the coronavirus pandemic, but this year it’s back in full swing.
The festival, which brings in large crowds from across the city and beyond, promises to return its traditional format with an additional twist.
Fans of the festival can expect to see incredible murals emerging in the streets of Bedminster and Southville from street art’s biggest talents from today onwards.
Then, following three weeks of street painting, the festival weekend will see hundreds of artists painting live with festival hubs at Tobacco Factory and Ashton Gate Stadium and a base at Greville Smyth Park.
This year, Upfest will use the popular park as its main venue for the first time, with music and live painting to be enjoyed at the green
space across the weekend of May 28 and 29.
The festival is free to attend and the huge murals traditionally painted during the festival weekend
will now be created leading up to the big festival celebration.
Organisers say this will allow more people to enjoy seeing these spectacular creations come to life first hand.
At the end of May, the murals will all be complete for viewing as more than 250 artists paint live alongside music stages, food and drink stalls and family activities on the festival weekend.
Upfest co-founder Steve Hayles said: “It feels great to be bringing the festival back in all its glory, especially for its 15-year anniversary.
“This year will see a new format to the festival with three weeks of street painting, then a weekend with a true festival feel at Greville Smyth Park.
“We can’t wait to bring the fans of the festival together again for an incredible weekend of live painting.”
The festival will also be supporting the NACOA (National Association of Children of Alcoholics), and Mr Hayles says they will “be back at the festival making sure the kids have a fantastically crafty time”.