Where

Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd September 2023

Doors open: 12:00

Last Entry: 20:00

Close: 23:00

Site address: Durdham Down, Circular Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS9 1NE

What3Words location: Lace, Edge, Wished

Admission

FORWARDS is open to all ages, however under 18s will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Anyone aged between 5 - 15 years will need to purchase a kids ticket.

Children aged 4 or under go free, but still need to be registered for their free ticket.

We will be operating a Challenge25 policy for alcohol on all bars, so be sure to bring your ID with you.
Last entry to the event is 20:00.
There is no general re-entry to the festival. However, we do have an official Parental Re-admission Policy in place. Someone who has a child will be allowed to leave the site to drop them off and then come back in without the child. This policy only extends to people who are leaving the site with a child and must still be cleared with security at the main gate. Re-entry will not be granted in any other circumstances. Please make sure that you (or whichever adult) is taking the children off site speaks to the team at the main gate BEFORE leaving as you MUST collect a pass out and be back on site by 8pm. If no pass out is collected then you will not be allowed to come back on to the site.
Prohibited Items

Please note, the following items are prohibited and will prevent entry to site:

Fireworks, laser pens, or flares

Alcohol, illicit drugs, or legal highs including nitrous oxides

Animals (with the exception of assistance dogs)

Selfie sticks and gimbals

Umbrellas

Glass

Cans

Hi-Vis waistcoats, jackets or vests

Bicycles or scooters

Food, drink, cool boxes, picnic hampers (with the exception of medical requirement or baby bottles)

Pens or paint

Unmanned aerial vehicles (aka Drones)

Anything which could be considered an offensive weapon or could cause danger or nuisance.

All confiscated items will not be returned. If you believe you need an exception to this list, please email enquiries@teamlove.org and we will do our best to assist you.

Transport

There is no general public parking on the site. There will be road closures and parking exclusions in the surrounding area, so please come to the festival on foot, by bike or public transport.

There is an allocated drop off / pick up point approximately 500m from the festival site for taxis / Ubers. (What3Words: Cowboy.Roses.Units)
We have a limited amount of bike parking. If you would like to use it, please make sure you bring a lock. All bikes are left at owner’s risk.
There is an allocated drop off / pick up point on Ladies Mile, approximately 500m from the festival site for Taxis / Ubers (What3Words: Cowboy.Roses.Units)
There will be road closure sin the area surrounding the festival site. Residents will have received a letter detailing planned traffic management. If you have any further queries, please email enquiries@teamlove.org
Yes! A dedicated Shuttle bus service will be picking up from 11:30 until 19:00 at frequent intervals (at least every 10 minutes), picking up from Bristol Temple Meads and Queen's Square on Prince Street (just outside Broad Quay) and dropping off approximately 800m from the festival gate (What3Words: Oval.Flat.Cages)

Return Shuttle Busses run from 19:00 every 30 mins until 21:30 when they will run a frequent intervals until midnight.

Buy Tickets Here
A ticket on the day is £8 return/ £5 single, but you can save money by buying in advance below. Get your £6 return now!

Buy Tickets Here
Big Green Coach are delighted to be the official ticket and coach travel provider for FORWARDS Festival 2023. We are also delighted that all our coach services to this festival are going carbon neutral.

TICKETS ARE NOW SOLD OUT.

(Please note: These services are subject to change depending on low location ticket sales. In line with the Big Green Coach sustainability initiatives, a minimum number of tickets for each coach must be reached in order for them to run. You will be contacted by Big Green Coach should any change to your service occur.)
The Voi park will be located beside the Taxi/Uber pickup point on Ladies mile, approximately 500m from the festival gate (What3Words: Cowboy.Roses.Units.) Please note that Voi use will only be available travelling to the festival as they will not be available after the festival finishes.

Tickets

First, please check the provider you purchased your ticket through, as we have multiple ticket providers who each have their own terms of service.

Most of our providers require a separate ticket for each day, but if you have purchased a weekend ticket please check your ticket carefully to make sure you have either a reusable bar code or 2 individual day bar codes per ticket.

Please only buy tickets from authorised agents. Beware of touts and unauthorised ticket agents selling tickets as there is no guarantee of their authenticity. You will be refused entry if you attempt to use a counterfeit ticket. Please note that tickets are non-transferable.
We want to make our event as accessible as possible - please contact us if you would like to attend but are facing financial difficulties. Please contact enquiries@teamlove.org for more information.

If you are on disability based benefits, you may be eligible for a free companion / PA ticket. Please consult the Accessibility section at the top of this page for more information.
It's a shame you can't join us this year, but don't worry! We have a dedicated Tixel page for safe and secure fan-to-fan reselling. Check it out here
Yes! AXS are doing group deal tickets. For more info and to book, look here (link: https://www.axs.com/uk/series/19350/forwards-bristol-group-tickets-tickets?skin=forwardsbristol). With a group deal you and your friends can save on booking fees, and thanks to AXS individual ticket system your lead booker can send out everyone's tickets in advance, so you don't have to all arrive at the same time!

Accessibility

We have the following accessible provisions at the festival:

Personal Assistant / Companion Ticket

Viewing Platforms

Accessible Parking

Accessible Toilets

Lowered Bar Areas

BSL interpreters

Hearing loop

If you would like to register to use any of these facilities, please read “How Can I Book Accessibility Provisions” below.

If you require a provision we have not listed here, please email accessibility@teamlove.org for clarification and advice.
The following information provides details about the bookable accessible provisions at the festival. If you have any questions that are not answered below please contact accessibility@teamlove.org.

If you would like to register to use any of the following accessible facilities.

Personal Assistant / Companion Ticket

Viewing Platforms

Accessible Parking

Accessible Toilets

Lowered Bar Areas

Firstly, you will need to purchase a ticket through our website, and then complete the ACCESSIBILITY FORM by selecting the facilities you wish to use. You will also need to upload some supporting evidence along with your application. (Please read the form for details of suggested documents). Once you have submitted your form we will get back to you within two weeks to let you know if it has been approved.

Please note that submission of the form alone does not automatically guarantee eligibility for use of the accessible facilities. If you have any queries about eligibility, please contact us prior to purchasing your ticket at accessibility@teamlove.org.

If you require the form in an alternative format please contact us at accessibility@teamlove.org or call 0117 9411611.

Our accessible facilities will only be available to ticket holders who have pre-registered their requirements. This is to ensure that we have time to put appropriate provisions in place on site. Please complete the form no later than 4th of August 2023. Information Packs will be sent out to anyone who has successfully registered during the week before the event.
Festival Site Information:

FORWARDS will be taking place on Durdham Downs which is an open green-field site. It has some limited pavement and tarmac paths on the peripheral entrances and exits, however most of the space consists of grass and green space. While there will be some sheltered areas (some stalls and marquees), it is predominantly an open-air event. Ground conditions are therefore weather dependent, if we experience extreme weather the ground may become muddy and the grass may well get churned up. This means that mobility across the site may become compromised. We ask you to consider this before purchasing a ticket.

Induction Loops

There will be an induction loop at the Accessibility Box Office, Information Tent and a designated area in the Panel Talks Tent.

British Sign Language (BSL) Interpreters

Due to the amount of time required to book performance interpreters for our shows, anyone wishing to have the BSL service needs to contact the accessibility team at least three months prior to the event to ensure there is enough time to put the appropriate provision in place. Please contact accessibility@teamlove.org for enquiries.

Assistance Dogs

We welcome assistance dogs on the site. There will be an area provided for toileting and drinking. Please let us know on your form if you are bringing one in advance of the event. To organise this please contact accessibility@teamlove.org.

Strobes

Please note that strobe effects may be used at this event. However, there will not be any specific announcements prior to their use.

Accessoloo

Accessoloo is an onsite changing facility with toilet, hoist and changing table that will be joining us. N.B. Please bring your own sling if you wish to use the hoist.

Medical Services and Welfare Area

We have an onsite medical tent with trained First Aiders should customers need this service.

Diverse Sensory Calm Space

In addition, we have an onsite sensory break out space provided by Diverse UK. This space aims to provide a safe, low level stimulation and recalibration zone for those on the Autistic Spectrum or for those who need a place to have a moment of calm, rather than having to leave the festival.

If you have any queries, please contact accessibility@teamlove.org or call 0117 941 1611.

Please note: The disabled access facilities are for festival goers with permanent disabilities – pregnant people and/or people with recent injuries such as broken legs, hip replacements etc do not qualify.

We take our accessibility seriously and therefore there will be a small number of Mystery Shopper tickets available to disabled customers. For more information please go to the AIE website here.

FAQs

Welfare

We have a fully equipped Medical Centre on site that is manned by qualified staff. Please make yourself aware of its location as you enter the festival. If you suspect somebody is unwell take them to the Medical Tent. If in severe cases they are not moving, please do not attempt to move the individual. Alert a member of Security or a Steward immediately who will call for the exact help needed.

If you take any medication regularly remember to bring it with you in the original packaging with your prescription label on it and make your friends aware of any illness or allergies you may have. Look after yourself and those around you.

The Welfare Tent is located right next to the Medical Centre. If you need to grab a quiet five minutes or just want someone to talk to, the Welfare Tent provides a safe and non-judgemental space to do this.
FORWARDS is a space created in Bristol for everyone; our emphasis is on inclusivity for all and to make sure everyone feels safe to express themselves. We would like to emphasise that we want all our attendees to behave with respect when attending our event.

We will not tolerate any kind of harassment or disrespectful behaviour. Speak to our team if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable or notice something happening to someone else that doesn’t feel right. Don’t be a bystander. Practice consent and respect everyone’s boundaries.

We are inspired by bringing together culture and community through festivals and events. We want our spaces to be inclusive of people from all backgrounds, diverse in output, and a place where people can come together. Our events are a creative space where everyone can share their knowledge, experience, and culture in a space that is open and accessible for all.

If you would like to read our full Inclusion, Diversity & Equality statement, please click HERE.
If for any reason you feel unsafe or notice something that doesn’t seem right, we are proud to have Safer Spaces Now on site, a team dedicated to the emotional wellbeing and safety of festival audiences. Safer Spaces Now is a community interest company that was set up to help educate and create a culture that confronts and prevents sexual violence, harassment and domestic abuse at festivals and events; providing all women and girls access to specialist support, reporting and ongoing localised referral pathways. They are gender informed but their services are gender inclusive, turning no one away that needs a safe space.

They use specially trained outreach teams educating and engaging festival goers, staff and vendors with zero tolerance and don't be a bystander messaging, to de-stigmatise talking about and reporting sexual violence. Their tents are set up as a welcoming safe space where people can come and hang out, use facilities and escape to some calmness. The tents also provide a safe space for people to report incidents and get the professional support they need.

Please read here for more info, or come find the Safer Spaces Now team on site. Their tent is next to the info and welfare tents.

Food & Drink

A Cashless Festival

We operate a cashless system across all the bars at FORWARDS. Some traders and fairground rides may still accept cash payments, but please ensure you are able to pay on card or Apple / Google Pay before entering the site.

Reusable Cup Scheme

We will once again be running our reusable cup scheme across all bars. There will be a levy on your first cup - if you always bring your empty cup back to the bar, you won’t be charged again.
There should be food available to cater for most dietary requirements but please do check with each individual vendor in advance of purchasing food if you have particular requirements or allergies. If you have concerns or wish to speak with someone regarding a special dietary requirement which impacts your health, please contact accessibility@teamlove.org.

We encourage attendees to bring their own empty reusable water bottles, and there will be multiple water refilling stations around the site.

We can’t allow attendees to bring their own food and drink into the venue. There will be plenty of reasonably-priced bars and traders on site providing a wide variety of refreshments all day long. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options will be available.

Kids

The Kids Area will have lots on offer to entertain the children. Expect crafts, dance, workshops, and more!

For

more information and details on how to sign up to some of the experiences, please check out the Kids Area page here.

The Kids Area is open from 12:00 - 18:00, we recommend arriving early so as not to miss out on any performances.

Press

For press applications please contact: forwards@margaretlondon.com

Sustainability

We wish to harness the power of live events to bring people together for incredible music moments and positive change. We understand that our activities and festival will always have an effect on our surroundings, but wish to create better & greener practices with everyone that attends or works at FORWARDS.

Reducing the impact our festival has on the planet is one of our core values and we’ll try our best to consider sustainability in every element of the festival.

As a Vision: 2025 member, we are putting measures in place to significantly reduce our climate impacts by 2025.

We pledge to:

Develop and publish a net zero strategy.

Measure emissions annually.

Reduce consumption of fossil fuels onsite.

Reduce waste and aim for 50% (or more) recycling rates.

Improve accountability and the sustainability of food sourcing.

To get to FORWARDS, you can:

Walk, cycle or Voi, we have parking facilities at the entrance of the site

Jump in our shuttle bus to the festival site, which is carbon-balanced with Ecolibrium.

We're lucky to be close to the city centre, which makes it easy to use low-emission transport to get to the site.

When onsite you'll find that we are:

Getting rid of single-use plastics on site as part of “Drastic on Plastic” campaign.

Providing plenty of recycling bins, so please make sure you put your rubbish into the correct bin.

Offering more veggie and vegan food options, with lots of new traders joining us.

Powered by HVO biofuel generators and have now implemented some BMW electric cars for artist transport.

Please remember to:

Bring your own refillable water bottles to use at one of our many Frank Water refill points around the site.

Be mindful of your water usage, don't waste a drop.

Try and avoid food wastage, don’t order more than you can eat.

Look up the weather forecast and bring adequate clothing and footwear.

Use the toilets onsite and outside of the festival. Do not urinate on the premises!

We want to know your views on sustainability at FORWARDS, please keep an eye out for our sustainability reps! They will be onsite and conducting short surveys, if you can, spare them a minute of your time so we can make things even better.

The Downs is a gorgeous site which we care about, please help us keep the ground clean and wildlife happy & healthy!

If you would like to learn more, we are thrilled to release our 2022 Sustainability Report, detailing our data and findings from last year’s festival season, across all our events. Download it Here

Traders

Trader applications are now closed for this year. Please email enquiries@teamlove.org if you wish to pre-register for our 2024 events.

Volunteering

Volunteer at festivals and raise money for a charity of your choice!

Volunteering is a gateway to making unforgettable friends while getting free entry to FORWARDS. Volunteering with My Cause UK means you become part of a community that is exciting, adventurous, and passionate about making a change in the world we live in.

For more information & details on how to apply, head here.
Applications to join our bar staff team are now open! Please apply via the link here

General

To get in touch with us, please email: enquiries@teamlove.org
Lost Property

During the weekend, please go to The Info Tent (located near the Main Gate) if you lose or find something. If you need to contact us about lost property after the show, please email enquiries@teamlove.org. Found property will be held for 1 month before being destroyed or handed to authorities.
We will be running a cloakroom, this can be found at the Info Tent. The cost per small item is £4, and £6 for large items.
Clothing & Footwear

FORWARDS will be taking place on Durdham Downs which is an open air green-field site. It has some limited pavement and tarmac paths on the peripheral entrances and exits, however most of the space consists of grass and green space. While there will be some sheltered areas (some stalls and marquees), it is predominantly an open-air event, with both stages uncovered - we would advise all attendees to bring waterproof coats & clothing in the event of rain. Ground conditions are also weather dependent, if we experience extreme weather the ground may become muddy and the grass may well get churned up, so wellies are advised.