WHAT’S ON

City Nature Challenge

n 28 April – 1 May

City Nature Challenge 2023 is taking place from 28 April –1 May. The Festival of Nature team and partners have put together an exciting programme of free familyfriendly nature events, including expert-led wildlife walks, at beautiful outdoor locations across the West of England region. Help put your local nature on the map this Spring. citynaturechallenge.org.uk

Journey to Mars

n 4 May –5 June, Aerospace Bristol Aerospace Bristol is set to host Luke Jerram’s Mars as part of a new Journey to Mars exhibition. From 4 May to 5 June, the artwork will be stunningly displayed alongside the last Concorde ever to fly. The temporary exhibition marks the 20th anniversary of Mars Express, Europe’s first mission to Mars, with models of the Mars Express Orbiter and the Beagle 2 lander on display alongside Jerram’s sculpture. Measuring seven metres in diameter, Mars features detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface. aerospacebristol.org

Mental Fitness Month: Life by Numbers

n 4 –31 May, Arnolfini Cafe Bar

Life by Numbers –an art show in support of male mental fitness charity Talk Club –will take over the walls of the Arnolfini Cafe Bar for the month of May to promote Mental Fitness Month. Six Bristol artists will fill the walls of the Arnolfini bar and cafe with original artworks and prints, many of which will invite conversation about mental health. arnolfini.org.uk; talkclub.org

Coronation Celebration n Until 6 May, Grey-Harris & Co.

Grey-Harris & Co. celebrates the coronation of King Charles III with an exhibition in late April, based in Clifton. Their extensive Victorian premises are unique in that they are one of the principal traditional silversmiths and jewellers in the West of England. The works on display are of immediate association to the present and previous English coronations, including a lifetimes collection of royal souvenirs and artworks spanning over 400 years in date. One particular item of note is the 30ft hand panorama, that depicts the coronation procession of King George IV (r.1820-1830) and dates to 1821. The procession is presented in 133 numbered scenes in etching and aquatint with hand colouring and dates to 1821. Another item on display will be the remarkable William IV cut-glass sceptre surmounted by a cross pattée, hallmarked William Neal, London 1833. greyharris.co.uk

Binocular and Optics Show

n 12 May, Chew Valley Lake

LCE Bath is returning to Chew Valley Lake for a binocular and telescope show on the lawn of Car Park No. 2, overlooking the magnificent Chew Valley Lake. A unique opportunity to “try and buy” the latest binoculars and telescopes from some of the leading manufacturers including Hawke, Opticron, Swarovski, Nikon, Vortex and Zeiss, with plenty of “Show Only Offer” on the day. The show runs from 10am until 3.30pm. For more information, call 01225 462234 or email bath@lcegroup.co.uk

Lankum n 12 May, Trinity Centre

Lankum are a contemporary Irish folk music group from Dublin, consisting of brothers Ian and Daragh Lynch, Cormac MacDiarmada and Radie Peat. They have gained worldwide acclaim for their first two albums and captivating and euphoric live performances. Their third album, The Livelong Day, successfully blends alternative folk and psychedelia. It takes both the earthy and alien elements of their sound to create an immersive, otherworldly sonic landscape. trinitybristol.org.uk

The Eight Mountains (12A) n 12 –18 May, Watershed

A striking, dazzling and melancholic film about a friendship between men who can’t talk about their feelings and about winning and losing at the great game of life.

In a secluded village in the mountains of Italy, an unlikely brotherhood forms between two young boys: Pietro, a boy from the city, and Bruno, who has only ever known life in the mountains. Over the years Bruno remains faithful to his home while Pietro aspires to greater heights. As decades pass and the two grow up, their paths ultimately lead them back to where they first met – and back to each other. watershed.co.uk

SABOTAGE by NoFit State Circus n 13 May –2 June, The NoFit State Big Top, Wilson Street, St Pauls

SABOTAGE brings a darker, grittier, and more subversive edge to NoFit State’s trademark large scale contemporary circus spectacular. Back in the Big Top with incredible new acts, original music, new apparatus and a more theatrical feel, SABOTAGE challenges the status quo. SABOTAGE has nothing in it that makes it unsuitable for children, but it is not made for them specifically. Book your tickets at: nofitstate.org/sabotage

Euro Choralvision Song Concert n 13 May, 5pm, St George’s Bristol

Euro fever comes to Bristol as Exultate

Singers presents a late afternoon European song concert of sacred and secular choral music in a wide variety of languages, sounds and musical flavours, revealing how vividly each country's national identity and traditions are expressed in its choral music. Hello, this is Bristol calling! At the end the audience will be invited to award their douze points to their favourite piece which the choir will perform again as an encore. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

Elmwood’s: Bristol Valuation Day n 17 May, The Club room, The Clifton Club, 22 The Mall, BS8 4DS Elmwood’s is hosting a valuation day on 17 May at The Club Room in The Clifton Club. If you would like to receive a free, no obligation expert valuation, bring your fine jewellery, watches, designer handbags and fashion item to the event between 10.30am –6pm (zero fees for selling). For more information, visit: elmwoods.co.uk

Tubular Bells 50th Anniversary n 17 May, 7pm, St George’s Bristol

Mike Oldfield’s groundbreaking album Tubular Bells was released on 25 May 1973 and to celebrate its 50th anniversary –almost to the day – Bristol Ensemble performs a stirring chamber orchestral arrangement of the album, fleshing out the now iconic melodies with a bank of strings. stgeorgesbristol.co.uk

Calamity Jane n 19 May, Averys Wine Cellars

Bristol Film Festival is celebrating the sharpshootin’, toe-tappin’ musical comedy Calamity Jane this month as it turns 70. Doris Day leads a stellar cast in this misadventure, which won an Oscar for the song Secret Love. The festival will be pairing the film with wines from the frontiers of the Wild West – but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be American. bristolfilmfestival.com

Samuel Wesley Symphonies by Candlelight n 20 May, 7.30pm, John Wesley’s New Room

The Bristol Ensemble return to John Wesley’s New Room with a candlelit evening of compositions from Samuel Wesley. Known as the ‘English Mozart’, Samuel Wesley was the nephew of John Wesley and his early musical education took place in Bristol. newroombristol.org.uk

Jake Morley n 21 May, The Louisiana

Seriously captivating live, Bristol-based Jake Morley brings his distinctive songwriting and implausible guitar playing to The Louisiana to showcase material from his third studio album Some Things Are Like Other Things. thelouisiana.net n