Playful Broadmead
Step into Playful Broadmead and see the city centre through fresh eyes. Find fairy doors, uncover hidden surprises, get creative and enjoy free family-friendly activities.
Date
Late July to September
Anna Farthing
Interim Head of Place (Maternity Cover)
Discover the magic of Playful Broadmead this summer
This summer, Bristol city centre will become a place of imagination, creativity and discovery with the arrival of Playful Broadmead (late July to early September), a free family-friendly programme designed to help children and grown-ups alike see the city in a whole new way.
Spanning Cabot Circus, Castle Park and of course Broadmead itself, Playful Broadmead will transform familiar streets and spaces into opportunities for adventure. At the heart of the programme is a magical Fairy Doors project, launching on National Play Day (Wednesday 5 August 2026), where miniature doors will appear on shopfronts, walls and public spaces across the city centre. Each door offers a glimpse into a tiny hidden world, encouraging families to look closer, explore their surroundings and see how many fairy doors they can discover.
Alongside the Fairy Doors project, families can enjoy a range of free activities designed to spark curiosity, creativity and playful exploration throughout the summer holidays. Whether uncovering hidden surprises, discovering new corners of the city or simply spending quality time together outdoors, Playful Broadmead invites families to experience Bristol city centre from a fresh perspective.
With an exciting programme, Playful Broadmead promises plenty of magical moments for visitors of all ages. Scroll on to discover the fun that awaits you this summer…
Step into a world of wonder…
Think like a fairy and discover a miniature world hidden across the city’s shopfronts, walls, and public spaces this summer. Playful Broadmead‘s Urban Fairy Doors are transforming the heart of Broadmead one magical door at a time.
Can you find them all?
Playing in Broadmead this summer
Discover an exciting programme of events and special offers for the whole family this summer. From free kids’ meals at Harvey Nichols to £1 cinema tickets, family fun at Cabot Circus to free kids bus travel, love Broadmead, love local this summer.
Glass and Colour Works – The Galleries Entrance Window artwork
This vast new artwork brings dazzling colour and transmitted light to Broadmead. Created by architectural glass artist Edward Rhys Jones and produced by street art specialists Upfest, Glass and Colour Works is rooted in the sites heritage.
Promoting curiosity, imagination, playfulness, and helping to promote a family-friendly atmosphere in Broadmead, Glass and Colour Works is accompanied by the vibrant stone spheres that occupy the space outside the entrance.