Love Saves The Day

Love Saves The Day is a house, drum and bass and hip hop festival that began on Sunday 3 June 2012 at Castle Park, Bristol, BS1 3XD, on Diamond Jubilee weekend. Team Love — Dave Harvey, Tom Paine and Rag Satguru, with TDR Productions Ltd — organised it. eFestivals put capacity at five thousand, 11:00 to 23:00, and £29.50 sold out. Stamp the Wax listed Bonobo, Annie Mac, Roots Manuva, Eats Everything, Disclosure, Jessie Ware, Joker, Pearson Sound with Joy Orbison, Maya Jane Coles, Ben UFO, Mr Scruff, Jamie Jones and DJ Derek. UK Festival Guides dated the 28 February notice: the Wow! stage team from Glastonbury, See No Evil and In:Motion, with the city’s Placemaking Initiative.

In 2014 the Fest went to two days. Mixmag dated the first Sunday with Chic featuring Nile Rodgers. Eats Everything ran a Just Jack takeover. In 2015, 23 and 24 May, it moved to Eastville Park, Fishponds Road, Eastville, BS5 6XA. Stereoboard, Laura Johnson on 31 March, quoted Paine: a new home, eight stages, Groove Armada on Saturday, Azealia Banks and Jessie Ware. David Rodigan, Horace Andy, Jah Shaka and Channel One Sound System covered the day. Stormzy said it was his first festival. The site held about 23,000. There were five Eastville editions. In 2019 Lily Allen closed the last Eastville and joined Shy FX for Roll the Dice. Bristol Post wrote that 2019 was the fastest seller.

2020, billed as the last dance at Eastville on 23 and 24 May, was cancelled by the pandemic. In 2019 Team Love had applied for an Ashton Court licence, up to 39,999 people, 11:00 to 23:00. In 2021 the Fest used Clifton Downs on the first weekend of September: BBC and Bristol Post spoke of 50,000 to 60,000 across two days. Paine told the BBC the ride ran from Castle Park to Eastville to The Downs. In 2022, 2 and 3 June, on the Platinum Jubilee, the Fest opened Ashton Court Estate. Mixmag dated the Love Saves Stage with Bicep live. Paine called it a new chapter: bigger stages and more room.

On 24 and 25 May 2025 the Fest returned to Ashton Court. Bristol247 put up to 60,000. Overmono closed Saturday at 21:30; Nia Archives Sunday at 21:45. BBC, Sarah Turnnidge and Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley on 23 January, named Groove Armada, Andy C, Ghetts, Girls Don’t Sync, Hybrid Minds, Skream & Benga, Wilkinson, Camo & Krooked, Chris Stussy, Eliza Rose, Netsky and Shy FX. Long Ashton Parish Council’s sheet, Team Love/TDR, set gates at 12:00, last entry 20:00 and a 23:00 Sunday close. There were seven stages. Ms Dynamite, Giggs and Groove Armada with Eats Everything played. Paine told the BBC they were bringing big names and local talent.

On 23 and 24 May 2026 the Fest returned to Ashton Court. The BBC wrote that more than 30,000 were expected. Sub Focus closed Saturday; Sammy Virji Sunday. Rizzle Kicks reunited on the main stage on Sunday. Confidence Man, Girls Don’t Sync, Eve, Katy B, Goldie and Joy Orbison sat on the announcement. Those dates have passed. The site lovesavestheday.org is kept. House, drum and bass and hip hop measured the bill. Bristol pins the map: Castle Park in the centre, Eastville to the east, The Downs to the north and Ashton Court to the west, in North Somerset.

enquiries@lovesavestheday.org is the mail. Harvey came from Leicester’s circuit and In:Motion. Paine programmed Bristol clubs. Satguru promoted nights — up to 74 in ten weeks — and had worked with Field Day, Bloc Weekender and Bugged Out. Just Jack pinned the local side from the start. Eats Everything crossed 2012 and 2025. Jessie Ware played in 2012 and headlined 2015. Disclosure DJed at the start of their rise. The Fest holds as a May bank holiday — or a September in 2021 — on Bristol public grass. Mixmag filed eleven years. Bristol Post and the BBC dated the moves. The Fest measured five thousand in 2012 and tens of thousands at Ashton Court. It sits at Castle Park, Eastville, The Downs and Ashton Court. Bristol Post, Stephen Sumner on 15 November 2019, dated the planned last Eastville and the application before North Somerset councillors on 19 November. The licence asked for ten to twelve live acts a day. Ashton Court had hosted the Ashton Court Festival. Team Love also produced The Downs festival and Breaking Bread. Paine said 2022 brought an extra-long bank holiday. Mixmag filed Fatboy Slim, Four Tet and Dizzee Rascal in later editions. The Fest measured North Somerset as the estate’s county and Bristol as the city of origin. Long Ashton’s FAQ named TDR as the Bristol production company. Gates on Saturday 2025 opened at noon.