Bristol BID Care and Repair Festival
Care & Repair Festival brings free, hands-on creativity, sustainability and community to Broadmead this spring
The two-week festival will see free activities and workshops taking place at Sparks Bristol and John Wesley’s New Room
A new, free family-friendly festival celebrating making, mending and wellbeing is coming to Broadmead this April as part of Bristol Business Improvement District (BID)’s Love Bristol, Love Broadmead programme.
Running from Tuesday 7th – Sunday 19th April 2026, Care & Repair Festival invites people of all ages to get hands-on with workshops, creative activities and shared experiences that champion sustainability, skills-sharing and community connection.
Across the two weeks, visitors can take part in a wide range of free activities, including jewellery, clothing and bike repair workshops, alongside embroidery, crafting and creative sessions for all ages. The programme also features storytelling, singing for wellbeing, mindful drawing and interactive exhibitions exploring Broadmead’s past, present and future, giving people the chance to learn new skills while reconnecting with the city centre.
Activities will take place across key locations including Sparks Bristol – the department store dedicated to sustainability and reuse – and John Wesley’s New Room, one of Bristol’s most historic buildings, offering a unique setting for creativity, wellbeing and community gathering.
Marie Sellars, Community and Learning Manager at John Wesley’s New Room, said: “The Care & Repair Festival is an important opportunity bringing together heritage, creativity and care in a way that is accessible, inclusive and relevant for all. John Wesley’s New Room is a place deeply-rooted in community, reflection and wellbeing. We are delighted to host a programme that invites people to slow down, get creative and connect with their space, place and each other.”
Care & Repair Festival forms part of Bristol BID’s Love Bristol, Love Broadmead series, which puts community, creativity and collaboration at the heart of the city centre. Following the Big Broadmead Spring Clean, the festival continues this work by encouraging people to not just enjoy the area, but to actively care for it.
Delivered in partnership with Artspace Lifespace and Global Goals Centre – co-creators of Sparks Bristol – John Wesley’s New Room and Bristol BID, Care & Repair Festival will transform Broadmead into a hub of practical, creative activity, focused on repairing, reusing and reimagining everyday items and spaces.
Alongside practical workshops, the festival also creates space for conversation and collective action, with community litter picks, wellbeing sessions and opportunities for visitors to share their ideas and aspirations for the future of Broadmead.
Sabrina Shutter, Senior Events Project Manager at Bristol BID, says: “Care & Repair captures what Love Bristol, Love Broadmead is all about – bringing people together through shared experiences that make a real difference to how we see and use the city centre. From learning new skills to taking part in creative activities, this festival offers something for everyone while encouraging us all to take pride in Broadmead and play a part in its future.”
Jenny Foster, Co-Director at Global Goals Centre and Sparks Bristol, adds: “Care & Repair is about giving people the tools, confidence and inspiration to rethink how we use what we already have. Through simple acts like fixing, making and sharing skills, we can build stronger, more connected communities while reducing waste. Sparks Bristol is proud to be part of a festival that brings this ethos to life in the heart of the city.”
Care & Repair Festival takes place from Tuesday 7th – Sunday 19th April 2026 across Broadmead. All activities are designed to be accessible, inclusive and free to attend, with a mix of drop-in and bookable sessions available throughout the programme.More information, including the full programme and how to book your place for events, can be found here: www.bristolbid.co.uk/projects/care-and-repair-festival
More information on the wider Love Bristol, Love Broadmead campaign, including upcoming creative, community and care projects from May onwards, can be found here: https://www.bristolbid.co.uk/projects/love-bristol-love-broadmead/