New year, new improved you

Make 2018 the year you try something new, conquer your fears or master your craft! Bristol has plenty of ways to help you enhance your personal repertoire – from salsa dancing lessons to street art workshops, cookery to circus skills classes. We’ve put together a little list to get you inspired…

Music | Sport | Out-of-the-ordinary | Arts & Crafts | Animal Experiences | Face your fear | Drink | Food | | History

Music

• Learn to Salsa

Image - Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival

On 18 March, Colston Hall becomes an electric Havana nightclub for one night only as part of the Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival. Throughout the evening, the Dockside All-Stars will be playing a selection of classic Salsa, Mambo and Cha-Cha. Included is a FREE Salsa dance class before the show, so get ready to wiggle those hips!

Many of the performers visiting the Bristol International Jazz and Blues Festival will also be sharing their talents and expertise in a series of Masterclasses. These include guitar, percussion and blues masterclasses, a breathing rhythms workshop as well as a ‘Funk 101’ masterclass with legend, Pee Wee Ellis.

Click here to see more Bristol festivals

Sport

• Learn to climb

Bristol-based Adventurous Activity Company offers everything from a high ropes course to abseiling and rock climbing. Or you could try ‘adventure caving’ with Cheddar Gorge X-treme, who promise to have you climbing rock faces and exploring hidden, underground caverns in no time.

You could also try climbing the rigging at Brunel’s SS Great Britain or taking a thrilling, swinging Leap of Faith at Bristol Zoo Project.

For more information on climbing in Bristol click here

• Try paddle boarding

Image - Paddleboarding, credit Carolyn Eaton

Explore Bristol’s historic waterways on a paddleboard with SUP Bristol's expert instructors to guide you.  Work those muscles as you glide past Brunel’s SS Great Britain, drift below Clifton’s rainbow-coloured houses, float alongside The Matthew and meander past the striking M Shed cranes.

• Go canoeing  

For a fun and alternative way of seeing the city’s sights, hop aboard one of Adventurous Activity Company’s large, open Canadian-style canoes. Learn the techniques, then take a tour through the heart of Bristol.

• Get on yo’ bike

Image - Pedal Progression

Adrenalin-seekers should head to the beautiful Ashton Court Estate or Leigh Woods for some of the best purpose-built mountain bike trails in the West Country. Pedal Progression offer mountain bike hire, skills coaching and guided mountain bike rides. 

Out-of-the-ordinary

• Blow Glass

Image - Bristol Blue Glass

Why not attempt something unusual? Watch glass being blown using methods that are over 300 years old at Bristol Blue Glass before giving it a go yourself!  

• Circus skills

This year Bristol has been selected as one of the Six Cities of Circus for the international celebration of 250 years of Circus as an art form – making it the perfect place to learn breath-taking, gravity-defying circus skills! Circomedia run courses and classes for all ages and abilities - choose from trapeze, aerial hoop, rope and silks and acrobatics. If you’re not sure what circus skill you want to learn, then you can book onto one of their taster sessions and try your hand at a range of activities.

Arts & Crafts

Image - Spike Island

The Royal West of England Academy runs drawing classes that cater for all levels and abilities. Explore drawing, printing, painting and photography, amongst many other creative activities in this wonderfully inspiring environment. 

Windmill Hill City Farm provides a selection of educational courses throughout the year. Upcoming workshops include life drawing, art and craft, pattern making and sewing, silver and copper jewellery-making, writing and poetry, stained glass workshops and yoga.

Spike Island offer a huge range of arty courses, covering everything from screenprinting to Japanese wood block printing to advanced etching, pulp pouring and textile printing.

Arts, crafts, photography, pottery, writing, languages, fitness – Bristol Folk House run a whole caboodle of courses for your learning pleasure. Be sure to replenish all that spent brain power with something delicious at the Folk House Café.

Arnos Vale Cemetery hosts a wide variety of educational experiences and family activities throughout the year. Forthcoming classes include Jumpfit, yoga, pilates, stained glass window workshops and a photography workshop.

Events and workshops run throughout the year at the beautiful Westonbirt The National Arboretum, from free guided walks to tree-discovering events. Look out for the Mindfulness Photography Workshop – the next one takes place on 27 January.

• Become wise in the ways of street art

Image - Graft

If you’re looking for a fun, creative, truly Bristol experience, Graft run graffiti workshops and tours led by professional graffiti artists. Get an insight into the history of Bristol graffiti, as well as the chance to develop skills with spraycans and paint markers.

Take a street art tour of the city with Where the Wall before ‘getting your hands on the cans’ with one of their Street Art Stencil Art Drop-In & Spray Sessions.

Animal Experiences

• Get up close to exotic animals

Image - Bristol Zoo Project

Ever wondered what it’s like being a zookeeper for a day? Now you can find out! Go behind-the-scenes with a Zookeeper on an experience day at Bristol Zoo Project or Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm.

Face your fear

Conquer your fear of flying with Easyjet Bristol. The Fearless flyer courses are held at Mercure Grand Hotel in Bristol City Centre (17 & 18 March). The Experience Flight will take off from (and land back at) Bristol Airport at 10am on 18 March and will last a maximum of 1 hour.

Drink

Image - cocktails at The Milk Thistle 

Experience all the steps of the gin-making process from botanicals to bottling at the 6 O'Clock Gin distillery. Your evening will include a tutored tasting.

Go adventuring on a gin safari! Andy Hamilton gets you foraging for your own botanicals before instructing you on how to make your own gin using the plants that you have picked. 

Grab your beer-loving buddies for a Bath Ales Brewery Tour and discover how they create Gem, Wild Hare and Special Pale Ale from malt, hops and water. Catering for groups of 12 to 25 people, tours include a generous tasting of their beers and a goodie bag.

Become wise in the ways of Bristol beer, explore ale-tastic pubs, microbreweries and tap rooms on a Bristol Hoppers tour. 

For an insight into brewery life and the history of brewing in Bedminster, join Bristol Beer Factory's Brewery Tours, held on the last Tuesday of every month.

Bristol Brewery School run a range of classes on all things beer – from a brewing crash course to ingredients courses. What’s more, you’ll be treated to breakfast pastries, lunch and that all important sampling.  

Find out how to brew your own glorious beer with Brewhouse and Kitchen Brewery Experience Day. 

Book onto a Moor Beer or Butcombe Brewery Tour and see them work their magic.

Image - Craft Beer Festival

Become a wine aficionado in the fabulous historic cellars of Averys Wine Merchants. 2018 marks their 225^th anniversary – so they know a thing or two about vino. Tastings feature a wide range of wines from around the world, accompanied by cheese and pâté.

Learn how to mix and muddle delicious prohibition style cocktails with The Milk Thistle’s award-winning bartenders in a cocktail masterclass.

Food

• Take a tour

Get to know Bristol one bite at a time on an EatWalkTalk Bristol Food Tour. Learn more about Bristol's cultural heritage, fantastic local produce, meat, seafood and sweet treats while sampling its fabulous foodie hot spots.

• Cookery classes

Learn tips and tricks for artisan crafts and food preparation skills at Source Café in Bristol’s Old City. Source offers regular Basic Butchery, Fish filleting and Basic charcuterie, plus seasonal courses.

History

Bristol museums run special workshops and events alongside their regular programme. Keep an eye on their What’s On page for curated film evenings, workshops, social media training days, historical walks, talks and lots of other special events.