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✈️How to get to Forwards Festival
Planning your trip to Forwards Festival? Here's how to get there by plane, train or car, and plan your route to the festival site.
- Nearest airport: Bristol Airport (BRS), about 11 km from the venue.
- Allow about 15 min by car from the airport to the site.
- By train, head for Bristol or the nearest major station, then finish by bus, shuttle or taxi to the site.
- By car, plan for on-site parking and expect heavy traffic around the venue on festival days.
🛏️Where to stay near The Downs (Forwards Festival)
Accommodation near the Forwards Festival site fills up fast. Compare hotels, apartments and rentals nearby and book early to stay as close to the stage as possible.
Also consider staying around Bristol, the nearest large city, if the closest options to the site are sold out.
Estimated travel time to the site
| Distance | 🚗 Car / taxi | 🚴 Bike | 🚶 On foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~1 km | ~3 min | ~4 min | ~12 min |
| ~3 km | ~7 min | ~12 min | ~36 min |
| ~5 km | ~11 min | ~20 min | ~1 h |
| ~10 km | ~22 min | ~40 min | ~2 h |
Public transport: depends on the network around Bristol.
Each accommodation's distance to the site is shown on the map above. Rough estimates; allow extra time during festival peak hours.
🌤️Forwards Festival 2026 weather
Weather in The Downs in August 2026?
Typical weather
Chance of rain: about 67% of days
| 2025 | Light rain | 19° / 14° | 2 rainy days |
| 2024 | Rain | 22° / 13° | 1 rainy day |
| 2023 | Light rain | 18° / 12° | 1 rainy day |
Based on the last 3 years over the same period.
Hour by hour
Tap a day to see how temperature and rain changed across 24 hours.
🗺️Things to do near Forwards Festival
Many shows happen in the evening, so use your days to explore the area around Forwards Festival. Guided tours, museums, outdoor experiences and local activities can be booked in a few clicks before you go.
Nearby, Bristol and its surroundings offer museums, walks and local gems to discover between sets.
Bookings via our travel partners. Prices stay the same for you; festt may earn a commission.
📋About
Forwards Festival 2026: indie, hip-hop and electronic music on The Downs, Bristol
Forwards Festival takes place on The Downs, the large green space overlooking Bristol, United Kingdom. Created to champion avant-garde artists and alternative genres, this Bristol festival has established itself as a key cultural event in south-west England.
The 2026 edition features 22 artists with a firmly alternative musical orientation. Among the headliners: LITTLE SIMZ, WET LEG, Amyl and The Sniffers and GOLDIE.
The programme covers electronic, hip-hop, rock and jazz, with influences from afrobeats, art-punk and alternative R&B. Artists like SELF ESTEEM, Tems and Joy Crookes complete a high-quality lineup.
On 28 and 29 August 2026 on The Downs, Bristol. Tickets and programme on the Forwards Festival website.
