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Christchurch Music Festival is an annual three day music festival, which takes place every July on Christchurch Quay, or as it is known locally, the Quomps. In 2026, the event attracted around 15,000 visitors.

How to get to Christchurch Music Festival

The Quomps is just past the bottom of Christchurch High Street, 4 miles east of Bournemouth. By car, drive along the A338/A35.

By Bus

Buses number 1a/1b/1c and 20, plus the New Forest Breezer 81/82 and Beach Breezer 70 Buses all stop at the Christchurch High Street, around an 8 minute walk from the festival venue.

Parking

There are several car parks in Christchurch. The closest to the festival site is Mayor’s Mead, where parking costs £2.70 for 2 hours. However, the chances of finding a space during the festival are not great. Further details of all the car parks in Christchurch can be found here.

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 event takes place over a weekend in July. In 2026, the dates were:

• Friday 17th July (4 pm – 11 pm)
• Saturday 18th July (11 am – 11 pm)
• Sunday 19th July (11 am – 8 pm)

2027 dates are as follows:

• Friday 16th July (11 am – 11 pm)
• Saturday 17th July (11 am – 11 pm)
• Sunday 18th July (tba)

Note: For 2027, both Friday and Saturday will be for over 18s only.

Price

Starting prices for tickets are £44 for Friday and £44 for Saturday. Or £77 for both days. It’s not well publicised, but in the past, there has been no entry fee for Sunday. In 2026, paid tickets were introduced for Sunday too. But the organisers later relented and stated that purchasing a ticket for Sunday was not compulsory, but gave priority access. Will there be a charge for Sunday in 2027? Watch this space…

Details

Main Stage

Not surprisingly, the main action takes place on the Main Stage. Most acts are local artists, well known within the local music scene. Plus a sprinkling of tribute bands and headline acts from further afield. Headliners for 2026 were The Real Thing, Toploader and Jon & Jo from S Club. 2027 acts are yet to be announced.

Beer Tent

The Beer Tent is a party venue with top local DJs in action to get you in the mood for dancing. This year, there were also a couple of live bands performing.

Bandstand

There are performances on the Bandstand throughout the day, which plays host a range of young, local talent.

VIP Lounge

On Friday and Saturday, those prepared to fork out for VIP tickets have a fourth music option.

Funfair

There is a Funfair inside the festival site with a range of rides from white knuckle to mini roundabouts.

Food & Drink

Two Street Food Villages provide festival goers with a wide range of food options including burgers, bratwursts and bao buns. Plus several choices for those with a sweet tooth, such as donuts, churros and ice cream. Note: In 2026, these vendors were prohibited from selling any drinks.

In 2026, in the midst of a heatwave and with many thousands of people in attendance, the festival became a victim of its own success/greed. Options for purchasing drinks were limited to just two bars. Many people complaining of waiting over an hour to purchase a drink. Hopefully, this issue will be addressed for 2027.

Note: You are not permitted to take your own food and drink into the venue. However, the festival site does not cover the entire Quomps. There is an area of grass just behind the stage, which is outside the fence, if you want to sit and enjoy a picnic.

Christchurch Music Festival For Children

As mentioned above, from 2027, children are only permitted to attend on Sunday.

Funfair

Obviously, children will enjoy the funfair. There are rides such as roundabouts, dogdems and trampolines to appeal to younger children. Fairground rides operate on a token system and most cost £3-£4.

Kid Zone

The festival has a dedicated Kid Zone area. Activities include a bubble machine, dressing up corner and play area stocked with toys, all of which can be played with at any time.

There is a schedule of Children’s Activities including dance shows, party games and skateboarding. We attended the sensory dance/ movement session, which was great fun, although Orla wasn’t quit sure what was going on!

Next to the marquee are some stalls which offer sweets, face painting and hair braiding (these are not free).

The Quomps

In addition, there are a Playground and Splash Park on the Quomps, just outside the festival site.

• Updated: July 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.