International Cultural Festival returns to Sparks Bristol

The International Cultural Festival will return to Sparks - Bristol’s department store with a difference- for its third edition on Saturday 6 June 2026, transforming Broadmead into a vibrant celebration of the many communities that shape Bristol. 

Running from 11am-6pm across the ground floor of Sparks Bristol and outside into Broadmead, the free family-friendly festival will bring together global arts and craft stalls with live music, dance, workshops, food, fashion and family-friendly activities in a joyful day of creative exchange and community connection.

Organised by Global Goals Centre and supported by Bristol BID, Community Fund and Bristol Community Festival, the International Cultural Festival celebrates culture, inclusion and connection through shared experiences and marks the launch of the Bristol Refugee Festival (Saturday 6th - Sunday 21st June). Visitors can expect a packed programme throughout the day, including African drumming, Latin American dance, flamenco workshops, choirs, a Fashion Show and interactive music sessions, alongside creative activities such as Chinese calligraphy, Polish folk art workshops, textiles and embroidery sessions, face painting and drawing workshops for all ages. All events will be supported by BSL interpretation.

Latin American Market will also host a Global Food Market in Bristol, with cuisine from across the world. Taking place just a month after Sparks celebrates its third anniversary of changing retail habits in the city, the festival reflects how the former department store has become a thriving hub for creativity, sustainability and community-led activity. Since opening in 2023, Sparks has welcomed more than 1.4 million visitors and become a nationally-recognised example of how high street spaces can be reimagined for community use, creativity and climate action.

Jenny Foster, Co-Director at Global Goals Centre and Sparks Bristol, said: “The International Cultural Festival is a celebration of the many communities, traditions and stories that shape Bristol. Sparks was created as a space for people to come together, share ideas and imagine better futures and this festival captures that spirit perfectly. We’re proud to welcome communities from across the city into Broadmead for a day filled with creativity, connection, music, food and learning.”

The International Cultural Festival is supported by Bristol Business Improvement District (BID) as part of its wider Love Bristol, Love Broadmead campaign - a programme designed to celebrate the city centre through creativity, community activity and shared experiences. June’s theme for Love Bristol, Love Broadmead is ‘Global Broadmead’, celebrating the international businesses, resident communities and many international visitors that sustain the vibrancy of the city centre.

Earlier moments in the campaign have included the Big Broadmead Spring Clean, during which over 250 volunteers came together to refresh the area, the Care & Repair Festival - focused on sustainability, wellbeing and skills-sharing - and Blossoming Broadmead, which has brought public art, performances and creative events into the city centre throughout spring. 

Anna Farthing, interim Head of Place at Bristol BID, said: “Thanks to changing shopping habits, Broadmead is no longer dominated by chain stores. Instead, it is fast becoming one of the most eclectic and vibrant parts of Bristol, shaped by the entrepreneurial energy of people from all over the world. Supporting the International Cultural Festival as part of Love Bristol, Love Broadmead is an opportunity to celebrate the ambitions and achievements of independent small businesses, while encouraging more people to experience everything the city centre has to offer. Events like this help create welcoming, joyful spaces where communities can come together, share the best of their traditions, and connect.”

More information about the International Cultural Festival, including the full programme, can be found at: https://sparksbristol.co.uk/events/international-cultural-festival-2026. More information about Bristol BID’s Love Bristol, Love Broadmead campaign can be found at: https://www.bristolbid.co.uk/projects/love-bristol-love-broadmead/.