Poole Entertainment

There is no shortage of good entertainment in Poole and nearby Bournemouth. There are plenty of pubs and bars to discover as well as a lively club scene at weekends. There are many other interesting options on offer including theatre, cinema, comedy and summer festivals.

Nightlife

Poole has a good selection of pubs spread around the town, from traditional English pubs through to newer upmarket drinking bars popular with the younger crowd. The Quay is one of the most popular areas and has some fine old restaurants and bars overlooking the harbour. The Jolly Sailor and Lord Nelson often have lively evening entertainment with music and the added attraction of a late night license.

The club scene in Poole is somewhat limited, but there are many more choices if you include adjoining Bournemouth. Venues come and go and a place that may have been popular one week and can soon find itself out of favour. Two of the more established venues include Elements, the largest nightclub in Bournemouth and The Opera House in Boscombe, which hosts the longest standing weekly club night in the UK. Most styles and tastes are catered for including commercial dance tunes, hip-hop as well as more specialist nights such as Indie and trance. The best way to find out what's on is to pick up a copy of the local paper for complete listings and reviews. Licensing laws have changed recently in the UK, allowing bars and clubs greater flexibility to decide their opening hours.

Theatre and music

The largest arts centre in the United Kingdom outside of London can be found in Poole. The Lighthouse consists of a 669 seat theatre, a 1,500 seat concert hall, a 150 seat studio, a 105 seat cinema, an Image Lab/media suite, a large gallery for photography and digital art, a restaurant and three function rooms. In 1999, the establishment celebrated its 21st year of operation as Poole Arts Centre and underwent an 8.5 million refurbishment to be reborn as the Lighthouse. There is a wide range of events including Mid-scale musical tours, opera, dance, ballet, plays and pantomime. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra play weekly performances on Wednesday nights and the concert hall hosts various big-name pop and rock acts. The Studio caters for small scale adult and children's theatre while the cinema has an eclectic mix of world films, as well as recent releases normally presented four to eight weeks after general release.

The live music scene is also well established and several pubs in the city centre and surrounding areas have regular slots for house bands, playing everything from pop to jazz. There is usually something on most nights of the week and listings can be found in the local newspapers.

Festivals

There is a wide selection of festivals held in Poole throughout the year. Some of the most popular ones are;

• Condor Ferries Dream Machines is held each week from April to September on Poole Quay. Up to 1,000 bikers come to meet friends, compare bikes and have the opportunity of winning the popular Bike of the Night competition. This crowd pulling event has become so popular that Poole Tourism offered a second site located at Harbourside Park.
• Wimborne Folk Festival in June is a colourful spectacle of dance and music that has been running since 1980. The event is based on the town centres streets and has its own very unique atmosphere that attracts thousands of visitors from all over the UK. It features the very best of traditional music as well as a mixture of fine contemporary singers and musicians from both sides of the Irish Sea.
• Summer Breeze on the beach takes place every Thursday in August at Shore Road Beach, in-front of the Sandbanks Hotel Terrace. Visitors are guaranteed a great nights entertainment with live music, BBQ's and a fantastic firework finale at dusk. Family fun and entertainment is in abundance with street entertainers, army displays, a climbing wall, volleyball, tag rugby and paintballing.
• Poole Beer Festival in October is a two day event that showcases over 85 real ales and ciders. Other attractions include a Foreign Beer Bar and entertainment on both days. Tickets can be purchased at local pubs and entry includes a souvenir glass & programme. The event takes place at St Aldhelms Centre on Poole Road.