FORWARDS Festival 2025: Bristol’s Progressive Music Weekend Returns

The beloved inner-city festival is back this August with a powerhouse lineup, including Barry Can’t Swim, Ezra Collective, Jorja Smith, and The Last Dinner Party.

Fantastic news for Bristol bound inner-city music lovers as FORWARDS Festival releases their first announcement for the August weekend packed with acts.  Following their hot streak of the last few years, jamming artist after artist in to a two day slot of hectic summer insanity, they return with performers in tow to keep the masses happy and cheering for more.  Celebrated as one of the UK’s best progressive festivals, FORWARDS has become known nationally as the fest that helped kickstart the movement of gigs caring for more than just the ticket count, committing to serious positive change and social initiatives whilst maintaining a fantastic lineup.

On this issue there’s no change.  With the first release of artists and acts, Scottish producer and DJ Barry Can’t Swim and very recent 2025 BRIT Award winners / British jazz quintet, Ezra Collective are co-headlining.  On the following day, once you’ve recuperated from what is sure to be an unstoppable musical force and manoeuvred through an endless crowd back to whatever poor friends sofa you’ve managed to swindle your way into sleeping on, ’25 Grammy Award Winning artist Doechii, Jorja Smith and ’25 BRIT Award winners of the Breakthrough Artist category, The Last Dinner Party, are all co-headling.

Of course, staff and personal favouritism dictate preference of the artists we wish to see.  In the case of FORWARDS festival, we will be undoubtedly be in attendance for return of Happy Mondays to the stage.  Orbital will draw a huge a crowd as is their nature, so be warned that if you see me running through, pushing people out of the way: stand aside.  The Silhouettes Project produce a fantastic and eclectic collective of genre bending and heartwarming songs that actually have something to say, and Snapped Ankles will be sure to present a decent into rock-madness for all to see.

Always a wonderful addition to festival season, and perfectly timed to take place on the August bank holiday, if you’re not going, you’re missing out.  More to follow as the updates come in!