Bournemouth Entertainment

With lots of things to see and do, Bournemouth has much to offer visitors in search of entertainment. The town is home to three cinemas: an ABC, an Odeon and an Imax cinema. There are over 30 nightclubs and bars catering to a wide range of styles and tastes in music, from jazz and soul to garage. No matter how many nightclubs and bars there may be, there are twice as many pubs located all over town to be enjoyed.

Nightlife

Having been awarded British Resort of the Year status, Bournemouth is rapidly establishing a reputation as the South Coasts entertainment capital. With a profusion of bars, pubs and clubs, it is easy to see why Bournemouth attracts many party-goers.

Many top acts and international DJs have put the town on their agenda, with the city attracting large crowds who gather to see the bands while soaking up the electric Bournemouth party atmosphere. The music scene is certainly open for change and progression, and as clubs continuously keep up with the latest music trends, this seaside resort sees more and more nightclubs opening. Due to the large number of students living here, who constantly ebb and flow through the city year after year, Bournemouth has managed to maintain its youthful and bubbly atmosphere.

Theatre and music

Located in the centre of Bournemouth, the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) is the towns top venue for entertainment, conferences, festivals, exhibitions, concerts, comedy events, musicals, ballroom dancing and leisure activities. Close to the pier, this large and modern venue is also home to the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre and the Bournemouth Pier Theatre, which stage a variety of events, ensuring there is always a diverse choice of shows to enjoy.

The traditional Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre is located close to the seafront and Bournemouth Pier. Among the attractions are a Victorian-style interior, period furnishings and large fountains. Many regular theatrical productions are staged at this venue including ballets, concerts and comedy events. Various famous celebrities come to perform here, with it ranking as one of Bournemouths most prestigious theatres.

There is now a huge buzz to the Bournemouth live music scene, leaving an enthusiastic public, desperate to discover more, flocking to see what this brave new live music venue will offer next. The Opera House is one of Bournemouths longest running live music venues, having hosted top-class acts during its history including Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Faces and Pink Floyd.

The Old Fire Station is the Student Unions massive venue and caters particularly for the universitys students. It is one of Bournemouths most popular clubs and regularly sells out its capacity of 1,200 with great club nights and rocking gigs. In three rooms, the resident DJs entertain with a broad range of music from cheesy pop to hardcore drum and bass.

Festivals

Summer is the perfect time for festivals and there are numerous in Bournemouth and the neighbouring areas of Dorset.

• Rallye Sunseeker National Car Rally (February) is the leading motor sport event in the south of England, with cars racing through Bournemouths streets and along the seafront.
• Bournemouths annual Fitness First Bay Run (April) is Dorsets foremost half-marathon (13 miles). Starting from Bournemouth Pier, the race sees over 1,000 competitors take part every year and takes in one of the UKs most scenic marathon routes.
• Bournemouth Live! music festival (June) attracts a wide variety of performers from around Europe, with venues including the Pine Walk Bandstand, Lower Gardens and the Pier. Expect to see over 100 performers playing folk, jazz, blues, rock and pop.
• Boscombe Arts Festival (July) features a large variety of works by both local and international artists. This festival includes several exciting events and activities.
• The RAFs Red Arrows (August) fly along Bournemouths seafront in their yearly summer air show display. Thousands flock to the cliff-tops of the beachfront to watch the nine Hawk aircraft perform tricks in formation and fill the skies with their flashy coloured exhausts.
• Harley Davidson Rally (September) sees over 500 American Harley Davidson motorcycles power across Bournemouths Pier Approach in a potent exhibit of chrome and steel. This event also features a concert and a collection for charity.
• Bournemouth Great Dorset Steam Fair (September) is one of the top steam events in the country.
• Bournemouth Firework Display (November) is staged in the Littledown Centre, which hosts the Bonfire Night festivities in Englands hippest seaside town. There is a Family Display, a Rainbow Display, a loud White Knuckle Display, a free kids disco and a bouncy castle.