The Welcome Fair is the highlight of welcome week, with over 13,000 attendees last year!

This event has something for everyone - whether you're eager to explore new groups, communities and sports (even giving them a try!), or simply looking to indulge in delicious food and drink from local vendors. Stroll through our vibrant market stalls, and when you're ready to unwind, grab a beer from our SU bar.

No matter the weather, it’s the perfect way to kick off the year. Don’t miss out!

All University of Bristol students can come to the Welcome Fair, as long as you’re a registered with the University of Bristol and have your Ucard or photo ID!

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Date: Friday 27 September 2025
Location: The Downs, Parrys Lane  
Gates open for quiet hour: 9:30am
Gates open for general access: 10:30am
Last entry: 5pm
Event closes: 6pm  

Public transport

Bristol SU Welcome Fair takes place on Durdham Downs at the junction of Parrys Lane and Saville Road. What Three Words /// impose.foal.assure As part of our sustainability plan, we urge you to use public transport where possible or even walk to the event.

Buses - First Bus

Durdham Park Stop - 1, 2, 2a or 3 buses. From this stop it is a 6minute walk to the Welcome Fair entrance along Westbury Road

Black Boy Hill Stop – 1,2a, 3, 72a, 505 buses. From this stop it is a 12min walk to the Welcome Fair entrance along Westbury Road.

Due to the volume of people making their way to the event waiting time for buses is longer than advertised and demand for each bus is higher.

Where possible we highly recommend walking or cycling to the event. Dott scooters are available and can be dropped at the top of Redland Hill or Whiteladies Road.

Cycling

Please bring your own lock to take advantage of the temporary bike rack on Parrys Lane. Don’t attach bikes to the perimeter fencing or you risk having it removed.

Please collect your bike on the same day, bikes left overnight may be removed Bicycles, skateboards, scooters, roller blades or personal motorised vehicles are not permitted inside the event – this is with the exception of mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs

Electric Scooters

Electric scooters are available to hire across Bristol. There isn’t parking available at the fair, so you will need to leave your scooter at the nearest parking area. These can be found at the top of Redland Hill and Whiteladies Road. Download the Dott app to get started.

We strongly recommend that you wear a helmet when using the scooters, use one per person and do not drink and ride. Find out more about the Scooter Scheme.

Walking

If possible, we highly recommend walking to the fair. It is only a short distance from the Stoke Bishop Halls and within walking distance to most of the Clifton Halls.

Bristol SU Welcome Fair takes place on Durdham Downs at the junction of Parrys Lane and Saville Road. Access to the site is along uneven hard standing path and the event takes place fully on grass. In the event of bad weather, mud and puddles are likely. So please bare this in mind before attending and wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

Limited accessible parking is available on-site to those who need it. For more information, please contact bristolsu@bristol.ac.uk

Quiet Hour

The first hour of the Welcome Fair (9:30-10:30) is designated as a quiet hour. During this time, there will be lower numbers on site and no music, providing a calmer environment for those who need it. If you would like to bring a carer with you to the event, who is not a registered student please email bristolsu@bristol.ac.uk to arrange this.

Calm Tent

We are pleased our calm tent will return this year. It's a small, relaxed space away from the buzz where students can take a moment of calm. Numbers inside the tent are limited, and staff will do their best to manage capacity for students who need it. Please feel free to pass this information on to anyone who may benefit from this relaxing space.

Support Animals

Students are welcome to bring their support animals to the event. Animals will be registered at entry in case they become separated from their owners.

Hidden Disabilities

We understand that a hidden disability is not immediately apparent. We support the hidden disability sunflower scheme and advertise this to all stall holders and staff working at the event. A supply of hidden disability stickers will be available at the main entrance and at the Calm Space – please ask a member of staff.

Care Givers

Students who would like to attend the Welcome Fair with a care giver are welcome to do so. We ask that on entry, it is made clear to staff that the non-student is a care giver, so their entry is not questioned further. All non-students need to be registered on-site as part of our licence requirements, but details will be destroyed after the event.

Care givers can be pre-registered via an Airtable form and will be able to gain entrance using photo ID.

Other questions around accessibility

If you have other access requirements, please contact us in advance of the event via bristolsu@bristol.ac.uk and we shall make every effort to make a reasonable adjustment to meet your needs if possible.

Water

Water points can be found across the site.

Toilets

There are wheelchair accessible toilets on site, alongside single cubicle all genders and male and female toilets.

Getting Around

If you need directions to any areas of the site or have any questions, there will be members of staff to help. You will find them roaming the site wearing backpacks with flags. You will also find them at the Bristol SU Info and Meeting Point which is located by the main entrance/exit.

Seating

Accessible Seating will be available across the site, so you can take a break when you need it. For a quieter space, please visit the calm space.

If its sunny, bring a picnic blanket and set yourself up to watch the Give it a Go arena with a drink from the SU Bar.

Under 18s

If you are bringing an Under-18 to the site, please use this Airtable form to pre-register their attendance and to gain access.

Information if you are bringing children on site:

• Alcohol will be present on site
• Bar sales will be subject to an ID check
• Children should be supervised at all times
• Children will be given a wristband with your contact details in case they do get lost

Lost Property

Lost property will be located at the Bristol SU Info point. Please ask a member of SU Staff for information, they will be in light blue branded uniform.

The fair is open to all University of Bristol students no matter which year you’re in. You’ll just need to bring your UCard with you.

Yes, as long as you are a registered student at the University of Bristol and have photo ID we will be able to let you in to the event.

University of Bristol Students are able to attend the fair and you’ll need to show your UCard to come in.

Students with children or carers are invited to bring them to the event with them. You can pre-register their attendance by emailing bristolsu@bristol.ac.uk or register them on the day by talking to a member of staff. They will be wearing blue branded uniform.

No – Destination Bristol is run by the University and will give you an introduction to different university services. We will be there, so come and say hi at the SU stand.

The Welcome Fair is run by Bristol SU and is your opportunity to meet the wide range of student groups at Bristol and will take place on the Downs on Saturday 27 September.

The Welcome Fair will only be running on Saturday 27 September, however all of the information about who is there and what they are offering is available online at bristolsu.org.uk/welcome-fair

If you aren’t able to attend the fair, you are still able to attend Give it a Go! sessions to meet our student groups and decide if you wish to purchase membership. This year we are holding a special Give it a Go! takeover day, where our student groups will be present in all our spaces from morning to night on Friday 19 September.

You can see a full list of all the student groups attending the fair by using the tool directly below this FAQ.

The fair is outside on a grassy area – in the event of bad weather, mud and puddles are likely. Dress appropriately for the weather and wear comfy shoes.

But this is our festival celebrating all the best things about Bristol SU. So, feel free to grab some glitter, face paint and wear what you want!

Make sure you bring your U-Card for entry to the fair, and a refillable water bottle. There will be food vendors and a bar at the fair, so you might find it useful to bring money, although entry to the fair is free.

Depending on the weather, you might wish to bring a raincoat or sun cream.

The Give it a Go arena is a space at the fair where different student groups will be running free ‘Give it a Go’ sessions so that you can try out a range of different activities. Booking is not required.