Poole Harbour Festival

Poole Harbour Festival 2026

Poole Harbour Festival 2026 takes place from Friday 31st July to Sunday 2nd August at Catalina Drive, Baiter Park in Poole, Dorset. This family-friendly event offers live music, food, and community in a stunning seaside setting.

Music

Enjoy live performances across multiple stages featuring local bands, solo artists, tribute acts, and DJs. The main outdoor stage hosts headline acts after dark, while dance areas offer electronic music. A family and acoustic stage provides chill-out sets and kid-friendly entertainment.

Food & Drink

Choose from a range of artisanal street food, including gourmet burgers, wood-fired pizza, Dorset seafood, and vegetarian options. Bars serve local ales, craft beers, cocktails, and sweet treats such as ice cream.

Family Activities

A dedicated kids’ zone offers circus skills workshops, face painting, puppet shows, creative tents, and outdoor games. Interactive entertainment like magic and comedy engages all ages in a safe, supervised environment.

Atmosphere

Set on the edge of Poole Harbour, the festival combines live music with panoramic harbour views, colourful lighting, and a welcoming community vibe, creating an unforgettable summer weekend by the sea.

Poole Harbour Festival takes place at Catalina Drive in Baiter Park (postcode BH15 1TQ), right beside scenic Poole Harbour. The town is well-connected by public transport. Poole Railway Station is about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) from the festival grounds (roughly a 15-minute walk), with regular South Western Railway services from London (Waterloo) and connections via Bournemouth or Southampton. From the station, visitors can walk or take a short taxi into town and then catch a local bus or taxi for the final short journey to Catalina Drive. Poole’s bus station (located near the Dolphin Shopping Centre) is very close by and has frequent routes serving Bournemouth, Christchurch and other Dorset destinations. Coaches such as National Express also stop at Poole or nearby Bournemouth, providing direct links from major UK cities.

If you are driving, note that there is no dedicated festival parking on Catalina Drive. Instead, public car parks in Poole town centre are recommended (for example around the Dolphin Centre and High Street). From those car parks, it’s about a 10–15 minute walk or a quick local bus/taxi ride to the festival site. Poole lies near the A35 road and is easily accessed via the M27 motorway. Travelling from London or the Midlands, follow the M3 to the M27 westbound and then watch for signs for Poole/Bournemouth. Summer weekends can bring heavy traffic, so allow extra travel time. Many visitors choose to park in town and then take a local shuttle bus or taxi for the final short hop to Catalina Drive.

For air travel, the closest airport is Bournemouth Airport (around 10 miles or 15 km east of Poole), offering flights from UK and European locations. From Bournemouth Airport you can take a taxi or a bus into Poole (such as the 737/X1 bus to Boscombe, then a transfer into town). Southampton Airport is another option (about 30 miles away) with domestic and some European flights. For travelers flying into London, Heathrow and Gatwick airports are roughly 2–3 hours away by train or coach. From Heathrow, you could take a train via London Waterloo to Poole (approximately 2–3 hours total journey). Trains from London regularly connect to Poole, but note that summer schedules and occasional engineering works may affect times. Overall, best to plan your route in advance to ensure a smooth journey.

Accommodation in and around Poole is plentiful but tends to fill up fast in summer. Staying in Poole itself keeps you close to the event, with many hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs within a short distance of the park. Nearby Bournemouth and Sandbanks offer further seaside hotel options and holiday parks, often just a short drive away. There are also local caravan parks and countryside campsites for those seeking a camping experience. In fact, the festival typically offers an official on-site camping option at Catalina Drive (advance camping tickets required), or you can choose from several nearby campsites and holiday parks around Poole and the Jurassic Coast. Wherever you stay, book early and allow extra travel time on event days, as roads and public transport get busy.