air show bournemouth

The Bournemouth Air Festival is an annual air show held along the coast at Bournemouth, Dorset, England. It typically occurs for 3 to 4 days in late August, featuring aerobatic displays from Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and civil aviation aircraft. The event takes place mostly along Bournemouth Beach and the surrounding areas, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, with attendance peaking at over 1 million in some years since its inception in 2008. The festival includes flying displays during the day and at dusk, accompanied by live music and other entertainment on the ground. The festival had been organized and funded by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP Council) until 2024. The 2024 festival was held from August 29 to 31, shortened to three days, but plans for the 2025 event were cancelled due to budgetary pressures and the council ceasing funding. Discussions have been ongoing about commercial operators potentially running the festival from 2026 onwards, but as of mid-2025, no confirmed operator or event has been announced for future years. Best viewing locations for the air show include Bournemouth Beach, particularly between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers, as well as the East Overcliff Drive for elevated views. The show is well known for its innovative displays including dusk flying with LEDs and fireworks and various military and historic aircraft appearances, though specific performers can vary each year. For the latest updates and details on programs, official sources such as the Bournemouth Air Festival website or the local council's announcements would be the best reference points. In summary, the Bournemouth Air Festival is a major, free-to-attend air show event attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors, held annually in late August along Bournemouth's coast, but its future beyond 2024 remains uncertain due to funding and management challenges.