This Bristol Brood

If you’ve been aching for some festival action, here’s my round up of family-friendly festivals in Bristol that are hopefully set to take place in 2021. Valley Fest showcases Bristol’s live music scene as well as the city’s fine local food producers, so expect lashings of good ol’ West country spirit with everything from charcuterie to cider, street food to sit-down feasts. One of the most famous of all the festivals in Bristol, this free four-day family-friendly event is the largest hot air balloon fest of its kind in Europe. The best campsites near Bristol: recommended by families Where to take cracking photos of hot air balloons in Bristol

There are some cracking social distancing-friendly things to do in Bristol with kids this Easter – from egg hunts to animal encounters, arts and crafts to online murder mysteries, just take a look at this egg-cellent (sorry) lot… Easter Extravaganza at Old Down Country Park (12-18 April) Choose from events such as Family Workshop – Easter Egg Painting (2-18 April), a make-your-own lockets Junior Drawing School for older children (6 April), and a free artist-led family ‘Exquisite Corpse’ workshop with Let’s Make Art (10 April), as well as a free live hedgehog drawing class (13 April). Solve riddles and clues which your children will help solve to find pre-printed (or drawn) clues from PDF downloads in advance of the event, plus Easter bunny skills training, games and songs, as well as an amazing Easter themed egg hunt game around your home. Discover more things to do in Bristol with kids: National Trust near Bath and Bristol: days out with kids Family walks in Bristol: parks and open spaces to avoid the crowds Pin it for later:

’s 17th century mansion (you might recognise it as the Warleggan town house in Poldark), sits snuggled in a steep valley and ancient deer park, against a picturesque backdrop of Cotswold hills and manicured gardens. It’s a steep downhill from the play park to the mansion house, then back to the car park on your return, so be aware the minibus isn’t currently running, but you can email ahead of your visit if you have any access issues. Nestled in the Cotswolds, surrounding an unfinished Victorian mansion, the secluded valley of Woodchester Park is home to the remains of an 18th- and 19th-century landscape park, a chain of five lakes fringed by woodland and pasture, and lots of wildlife. Dolebury Warren (postcode BS40 5DL) is the site of an Iron Age hill fort with breathtaking views over the Mendips and North Somerset, while Tor Hill Woods (postcode BA5 2XP,) offers a beautiful backdrop to the city of Wells, a mosaic of paths through the woods and views of the stunning Wells Cathedral.

And, while weekly birthday gatherings of 30-ish hyperactive children are but a distant memory, with lockdown restrictions slowly starting to lift, outdoor spaces for small groups certainly feel like one of the safest ways of celebrating upcoming birthdays. Choose your package – prices range from small (£75) to large (£100), with a disco option (£135/£160) or bouncy castle (+£25). From 12 April, Fun Science are offering small, personalised birthday celebrations with activities such as popping test tubes, themed slime-making and a rocket launch in the garden! The price (£200 per outdoor booking (Fri-Sun) or £180 per outdoor booking (Mon-Thu)) includes drop off, set up and collection of the Cinema Equipment: Sleep Under Bristol (whose gorgeous indoor sleepovers in festival-style tents I reviewed here) offers Bell tent and dome hire for beautiful outdoor party setups in your garden.