The biennial PAPAYA Fest is set to return to the Old Market Assembly and The Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol from October 9-17, promising a celebration of Anglo-Latinx theatre and music that will be lively and entertaining.
The festival will feature opening and closing fiestas with special guest DJs, which will be lively and loud, characterized by dancing that will continue until the lights come up.
The musical programme will include a Reggaeton Ceilidh Fiesta, created by Ania Varez, which is billed as a celebration of connection, playfulness, and finding new ways to move together.
Tamsin Hurtado Clarke, the festival’s artistic director, will portray South American underground revolutionary feminist, Manuela Sáenz, accompanied by Chilean musician, Santiago Jara Astaburuaga, in a performance that will take place in English and then again in Spanish.
A dedicated debate night will be held to discuss the role of feminism within the manosphere and the legacy of Latin machismo.
The festival will also feature a work-in-progress called Tear Us Apart Again, which explores love and relationships in the age of AI, created by Joana Nastari and Dre Spisto, the duo behind 50 Ways to Kill a Slug.
Additionally, the Juicy Bits event will unveil the results of a 48-hour creative collaboration between Bristol– and Latin American-based artists.
Read Also: Vietnam’s three regions post over 12% growth
Eating with Others events will bring people together for poetry and cocktails at East Bristol Books, as well as for dinner at Gigi’s Pizza Shop.
Throughout the week, there will also be film, folk songs, and dark comedy featuring in a packed 2026 festival programme, with the chosen theme running through this year’s PAPAYA Fest being ‘radical togetherness’.
“PAPAYA Fest feels like stepping into my abuela’s house”, she says, “There’s always food on the table, music in the background, and three conversations happening at once. People drop in, stay longer than they meant to, and somehow there’s always room for one more. Family can be complicated, but underneath it all, there’s love. That’s what makes PAPAYA special.”
PAPAYA Fest 2026 will take place at The Old Market Assembly and The Wardrobe Theatre from October 9-17, with the full programme and tickets available at popelei.com/papayafest.
For updates, follow @papayafest, and tune in to the PAPAYA bilingual radio show on BCFM.
As a special treat for Bristol24/7 members, various local businesses are offering exclusive discounts and freebies, including free mini golf at Putt Above for you and a friend on Sundays, 25% off your bill at Pizza on the Park, free coffee or tea at Mark’s Bakery, and a free pint of “Quick Pint” at The Colosseum. Additionally, members can enjoy free bike health checks from Evans Cycles, free portions of small fish & chips from Salt & Malt, free gaming at Chance & Counters, and free pints of any Wiper and True draught at Arnolfini bar.