Jane's Midlife Journey

The rather unusually named Stompin’ on the Quomps is Christchurch’s annual smooth jazz festival. It takes place in the park on the edge of Christchurch Harbour, known locally as The Quomps. The one day event is mainly about the music, but there is also food, drink and other entertainment in the beautiful harbourside setting. All the ingredients for a fantastic afternoon/evening! And it’s free to attend.

How to get to Stompin’ on the Quomps

Christchurch is situated 5 miles east of Bournemouth and can be reached via the A35/B3059. The Quomps is just past the bottom of the High Street.

By Bus

Several buses run between Bournemouth and Christchurch; buses number 1a/b/c plus the 82 New Forest Breezer and the 70 Beach Breezer. The festival site is at the bottom of the High Street, past the Priory. Alight at the Town Centre and walk down the hill for around 8 minutes.

By Train

Christchurch is on the main train line between London and Bournemouth. Christchurch Station is an 18 minute walk away.

Parking

The nearest car parks are Mayors Mead or Christchurch Priory. Parking costs £2.70 for two hours. It’s a popular event, so good luck finding a space!

Note: The festival’s popularity can make parking tricky. Alternatively, parking is somewhat easier to find (and free) in the streets on the other side of the River Stour. You can then walk to the venue (around a mile up to Tuckton Bridge and back down the other side of the river) or take the Wick Ferry straight across the river to the Quomps. Ferries cross regularly throughout the day, with a one way fare costing £1.50.

Times

The festival usually takes place on the first Saturday in August.

• The 2026 event took place on Saturday 1st August from 11.30 am until 10.15 pm.
• 2027 details are TBA.

Price

Stompin’ on the Quomps is free to attend, but donations are welcomed. In addition, there is a raffle to help raise funds for this unticketed event.

My first visit to Stompin’ on the Quomps was in 2022. I’ll be honest, I was looking forward to it until I saw some drone footage posted by the organisers. To say it was busy was an understatement. A heatwave during the school holidays coinciding with the first day of the Premier League football season meant that the world and his wife descended on our corner of Dorset for the weekend. All this after months of lockdown was rather a shock to the system.

However, with my daughter’s in-laws visiting, I relented and we headed off to catch the end of the show. The crowds filled the entire field, but there were a plethora of loud speakers spread around the Quomps, so you could hear the music clearly wherever you were.

People had brought chairs and blankets and set up mini camps on the grassy bank to enjoy the music in the sunshine. There was a lovely, chilled party vibe.

The whole site was surrounded by a ring of food and drink stalls selling all manner of goodies – we headed straight for a Pimms stall. Once we had our drinks, we took a wander round the site.

At first, we couldn’t work out where the music is coming from – there didn’t appear to be a stage. Then we realised that the band is actually in the bandstand (duh). Right on the edge of the Quomps, the Edwardian bandstand was at that moment home to Taverners Big Band.

We really enjoyed the band’s performance, which was mainly instrumental, but they were joined on stage by a singer for numbers like Mack the Knife. The bandstand was surrounded by a ring of enthusiastic dancers.

The performance was excellent, as was the whole atmosphere of the festival. The live music continued as the sun set over the harbour for a perfect evening. I regretted not coming much earlier in the day – a mistake not to be made next time!

As mentioned above, I regretted not coming to the festival much earlier in the day. So, this year I was there nice and early, armed with my trusty chair and some emergency supplies (Prosecco, so I didn’t have to queue at the bar).

This year, there was indeed a stage, placed next to the bandstand, giving the performers a bit more room to strut their stuff. Another great day of music and chilled vibes.

Stompin’ on the Quomps for Children

Stompin’ on the Quomps is an excellent family day out. It has a great laid-back atmosphere and there are plenty of families camped on the lawns with picnics etc.

Unlike some festivals, the music isn’t crazy loud. We took headphones, but they weren’t really necessary. Orla had a great time dancing and eating chips.

At the far end of the site is a range of fairground rides and attractions, including Football Fun Factory, face painting and hair braiding.

In addition, the Quomps has a Playground and a Splashpark, so there is plenty to keep kids of all ages entertained. Lots of families tend to gather on the grass near the playground, so that the children can play while their parents enjoy the music and the festival atmosphere.

• Updated: August 2026

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.

For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.