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Christchurch Carnival is a weekend long event which takes place each August in Christchurch. The main events being an afternoon of music culminating in a Firework Display on Saturday and a Parade through town on Sunday. The recent addition of a River Pageant on Saturday has also proved popular.

How to get to Christchurch Carnival

The main carnival venue is on on Christchurch Quay, or as it is known locally, the Quomps. 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, 33 and the number 70 Breezer Bus all stop at Priory Corner, around a 5 minute walk from the carnival site.

Parking

There are several car parks in Christchurch. The closest to the carnival site is Mayor’s Mead, where parking costs £2.50 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 carnival’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 until 8 pm, with a one way fare costing £1.50.

Dates

The carnival takes place over a weekend in August.

• The dates for 2025 are 15th to 17th August.
• Details for 2026 are TBA.

Price

The carnival is a free community event. However, as it aims is to raise money for local charities, there are collection buckets, a raffle and carnival merchandise on sale.

Details

There is a wide range of activities scheduled over the course of the weekend. Here are some of the highlights:

Friday

Tug O War

A charity Tug O War event takes place on the quayside on Friday evening. It costs £10 to enter, but there is a cash prize for the winners.

Saturday

Saturday offers a full day of entertainment, taking place mainly on the quayside. Bring a chair/blanket relax and enjoy the entertainment.

Music

There is a full day of musical entertainment on stage, consisting mainly of local bands. This year’s headliners were a very popular Tina Turner tribute act.

Entertainment

There is plenty more entertainment on the programme, much of it aimed at children/families. This year’s offerings included Irish dancing, children’s entertainers, a children’s disco and bike stunt displays. Activities available throughout the day included crafts, meeting TV characters and the well travelled Bournemouth Goats.

Food & Drink

There is a large selection of food and drink vendors with pizza, burgers, Thai and Greek amongst the options. Unlike many events, you are also permitted to bring your own food and drink on site.

Fairground

Adjoining the carnival site is a large Fairground with rides, stalls and more food and drink concessions. The rides offer something for all ages and all levels of bravery/stupidity. From merry-go-rounds to the Booster, which will spin you round in a cage 40 metres up in the air.

All rides, except the Booster and Dodgems, cost £2.

River Pageant

Running alongside the carnival, the newly introduced charity River Pageant starts at Tuckton Bridge at midday. From here, boats and other floating vessels, including dragon boats, yachts, rafts and an inflatable duck, headed down the River Stour to finish on the quayside, where prizes were awarded.

Fireworks

Saturday evening ends with a Firework Display at 9.30 pm.

Sunday

Parade

The highlight of Saturday is a Parade through the town, ending on the quayside.

Entertainment

Additional entertainment throughout the day is split across two venues:

On the quayside

Entertainment starts on the Quayside at 10 am, with the parade due to finish here mid afternoon (around 2 to 3 pm). Activities include a mask making workshop so you can join in the fun of the parade. There is also more live music, dance displays and first aid demonstrations.

In the High Street

Another good vantage point to watch the parade from is the High Street. Here, you can get parade ready with face painting. There is also live music with a marching band and steel band performing.

Christchurch Carnival for Children

The carnival is very much geared around families and, as detailed above, there is plenty on offer for children. From fairground rides to face painting, stunt bikes to goat petting. The firework display is also very popular with children. As darkness descends, you can purchase some shiny lights of your own for £1 to add to the illuminations.

With so much to do, much of it free, the carnival offers a great day(s) out for old and young alike.

• Updated: August 2025

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.