The Bournemouth Literary Festival

Since its establishment in 2004, the Bournemouth Literary Festival has been providing an opportunity for the public to get close to the authors they love and explore new works with both a growing professionalism and popularity. This international festival features works and writers from all over the world, is accompanied by live entertainment and, as well as promoting new works, also has a historical perspective to its proceedings. The festival is held every autumn along thematic lines and is a unique event on the south coast.

The Bournemouth Air Festival

If wonderful men and their magical flying machines are the sort of thing which excites you, the Bournemouth Air Festival is a free event which you surely cannot miss. Set down on the beach a series of stunning aerial displays celebrate the history of flight. The early attempts at flying are showcased alongside the best the modern day can offer in aerial acrobatics. The festival aims itself both at air enthusiasts and those who want to be entertained whilst visiting the city. As well as the stunning displays there are also demonstration stalls, live music and interactive displays.

Great Dorset Steam Fair

The Great Dorset Steam Fair is the top steam festival in the world and rightly draws enthusiasts from far and wide. From heavy haulage road locomotives to the old time steam Funfair there is something for the steam fanatic and interested passer-by as well. The organisers take care to facilitate for children’s needs as they take their first steps into steam and travel back in time. This event lasts 5 days and usually takes place at the end of August or beginning of September.

Surfing

The arrival of Europe’s first artificial surf reef of the Boscombe Seafront (set for the end of 2007) will provide surfers with even better opportunities for catching the perfect wave. The reef itself if an interesting piece of environment engineering; it will be located 225 metres of the shore in front of the Boscombe Seafront Pier allowing visitors to the café to watch the surfers ride the waves whilst they enjoy their coffee and cake. Made from sand filled geo-textile bags, the subsequent changes in the water behaviour is part of a larger redevelopment of this part of the coast, as it will increase the amount of good surfing days from the current 77 closer to the actual 153 days which people come to area to surf.