Upfest Festival Area Walking Tour

This 3-hour tour explores Bedminster during Europe's largest street art festival season, with exclusive access to artist studios and potential meet-and-greets with participating painters. The route covers the densest concentration of large-scale murals created specifically for Upfest, often with the artists' stories and techniques explained directly by the creators. Outside festival season, the tour can be arranged but focuses on the permanent works and festival legacy. Small group sizes enable personalized conversations with the artistic community. Best for serious street art fans and those wanting behind-the-scenes access. This is a moderate activity lasting 3 hours. Group size: max 12. You meet at North Street, Bedminster. Key highlights: Access to active artist studios during Upfest season, Direct conversations with international and local street artists, Coverage of all major Upfest mural locations.

Price: £25

Duration: 3 hours

Difficulty: moderate

Group size: max 12

Best for: serious street art fans and those wanting behind-the-scenes access

Best time: Festival season (May-June) offers artist studios open and festival atmosphere. Tours run year-round but with different focus outside festival dates.

Meeting point: North Street, Bedminster

Languages: English

Here is how the experience unfolds:

10:00am Meet on North Street Bedminster - Small group gathers for briefing on festival history and the day's route through festival zones.

10:15am-11:00am Main festival mural zone walking - Cover the densest concentration of large-scale works created specifically for Upfest with detailed artist backgrounds.

11:00am-11:45am Artist studio visits - Access 2-3 open studios where artists may be working, with opportunities to ask about techniques and commission processes.

11:45am-12:30pm Secondary mural locations and festival timeline - Visit additional artworks and see how the festival has expanded across Bedminster over multiple years.

12:30pm-1:00pm Meet-and-greet and wrap-up - Informal gathering where participating artists answer questions and discuss their creative practise and inspirations.

The whole experience takes 3 hours. Difficulty: moderate. You meet at North Street, Bedminster.

• Access to active artist studios during Upfest season
• Direct conversations with international and local street artists
• Coverage of all major Upfest mural locations
• Behind-the-scenes information on commission selection and curation
• Exclusive access to areas normally closed to public during festival setup
• Accessibility: Moderate fitness required. Mostly flat walking but some uneven surfaces in industrial areas. Limited wheelchair access due to studio locations.

What is included: 3-hour guided walking tour, Expert guide with festival connections, Access to artist studios, Meet-and-greet with participating artists, Festival map and artist directory.

Not included: Food and drink, Upfest festival entry ticket (if festival is running), Art purchases. You will need to arrange these yourself.

What to bring: Comfortable walking shoes, Camera or sketchbook, Cash for artist prints or merchandise, Water bottle, Sun protection (especially during summer festival). Having these with you makes the experience smoother.

Best time to go: Festival season (May-June) offers artist studios open and festival atmosphere. Tours run year-round but with different focus outside festival dates..

Tip: Only runs during festival season

Tip: Includes meet-and-greet with participating artists

Accessibility: Moderate fitness required. Mostly flat walking but some uneven surfaces in industrial areas. Limited wheelchair access due to studio locations..

Operator: Upfest | Book directly (opens in new tab)

After this activity, these are within easy reach:

• Wapping Wharf (10 min walk)
• Harbourside (12 min walk)

This activity is run by Upfest.

Book directly at their website (opens in new tab).

Cancellation policy: Free cancellation 48 hours before tour.

Accessibility: Moderate fitness required. Mostly flat walking but some uneven surfaces in industrial areas. Limited wheelchair access due to studio locations..

Best time to go: Festival season (May-June) offers artist studios open and festival atmosphere. Tours run year-round but with different focus outside festival dates..

When does Upfest happen and can I do the tour year-round?

Upfest typically occurs in May or June each year and lasts 10-14 days. Tours can be arranged year-round, covering permanent works and festival legacy. However, artist studio access and meet-and-greets only happen during the festival season itself.

Will the artists actually be in their studios when we visit?

During festival season, many artists maintain open studios with high probability of meeting participants. This depends on individual artist schedules. Outside festival season, studio access is limited. Your guide will confirm artist availability 24 hours before the tour.

Is this tour different from visiting the festival independently?

The guided tour provides artist introductions and behind-the-scenes stories not available to general festival visitors. You'll learn about selection criteria, techniques, and the broader festival community. Independent visits allow more flexibility but lack expert context and artist connections.