Bournemouth Air Festival will be taking place very soon, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend its 2024 iteration.

The annual four-day spectacular will be showcasing a range of different aircraft completing displays in the sky.

Organised by the BCP council, the festival will be taking place for the 15th time, having started in 2008 and only having missed a year in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic.

Here's all you need to know about the event including what aircraft you can see, parking and if the Red Arrows will be attending.

Bournemouth Air Festival 2024 complete guide

When is the festival happening?

Bournemouth Air Festival will be taking place from Thursday, August 29 to Saturday, August 31.

Where does it take place?

The main action of the displays takes place in the skies above Bournemouth beach between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers. 

Is it free?

Visitors don’t need to pay an entry fee to attend as it’s free to watch the event. You will need to take money for any food, or souvenirs, and also to pay for parking if you're coming by car.

Will the Bournemouth Air Festival have a live stream?

If you can't make it to Bournemouth Air Festival in person then you're in luck as a free live stream will be available to take it all in.

You can watch the live stream on the Air Festival website here.

What planes will you see at the festival?

The planes and aircraft that are scheduled for Bournemouth Air Festival are:

  • RAF Typhoon Display Team
  • Saab J 35J Draken - Swedish Air Force Historic Flight
  • Saab SK37E Viggen - Swedish Air Force Historic Flight
  • B-17 SallyB Flying Fortress
  • Rich Goodwin's Aerobytes Jet Pitts G-JPIT Muscle Biplane
  • The Red Devils Army Parachute Display Team
  • AeroSuperBatics Wingwalkers
  • The Starlings Aerobatic Display Team
  • The Firebirds
  • RAF Tutor Display Team
  • Rolls Royce Supermarine Spitfire XIX - Rolls Royce Heritage Flight
  • P-51 Mustang - Rolls Royce Heritage Flight
  • Royal Navy Black Cats Display Team - Leonardo AW159 Wildcat HMA2 DUO
  • Westland Wasp HAS1 - Navy Wings
  • Fairey Swordfish W5856 - Navy Wings
  • The Royal Air Force - Lancaster takes to the skies "Lest we Forget"
  • The Gazelle Squadron Display Team
  • Hawker Fury FB1 1 - Ultimate Warbirds
  • Hawker Tempest II G-TEMT - Ultimate Warbirds

Additionally, there are a few aircraft teams involved in Night Air displays which will feature:

  • RAF Typhoon Display Team Dusk Displays
  • The Firebirds
  • The Red Devils Army Parachute Display Team Night Displays
  • Brendan O'Brien and 'Otto' the Helicopter

Will the Red Arrows be performing at Bournemouth Air Festival?

The Red Arrows are usually the highlight of the Bournemouth Air Festival but sadly won't be around for the 2024 iteration due to commitments on their international tour.

What else can you do at Bournemouth Air Festival?

Alongside watching the displays, there are several things visitors can do on the ground to keep entertained.

This includes funfair rides along the seafront, an Armed Forces and Royal Air Force village, a Royal Navy dive tank, a display of vintage cars on the East Overcliff and plenty of food stalls.

If you're in the mood to watch some films then Vision Cinema will have some outdoor screenings on over the weekend, with the schedule available on the website here.

Alongside that, His Majesty’s Royal Marines Band Portsmouth will perform at the Beat Retreat Sunset Ceremony in the Lower Gardens on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 6.40pm as well as a morning concert on Saturday at 11am.

Finally, a fireworks display will occur on Friday and Saturday evening at 10pm after the Night Air Dusk Displays.

Parking options for Bournemouth Air Festival

Event organisers recommend using the Park and Ride service but if you wanted another option then the Avenue Road (BH2 5SL) and Richmond Hill (BH1 1JD) car parks could also work.

They add: "All our seafront car parks get busy very quickly so save yourself a sticky car journey and park and walk."

There is also the option for Premium Parking at the Bath Road South or Eden Glen car parks which you can book in advance to guarantee a spot.

More details on this can be found on the Air Festival website here.

How to get to the Bournemouth Air Festival

Park and Ride

The park and ride service runs on the Friday and Saturday of the festival from Kings Park (BH7 7AF).

It runs every 15 minutes from 9am with the last bus leaving at 11pm where you will be conveniently dropped next to the event site on the East Overcliff.

Bike or E-scooter

Organisers of the air festival are encouraging people to take a Beryl Bike or E-scooter to the festival where possible. E-scooters and bikes aren’t allowed on the site itself.

You can find a list of your nearest bay, bike or scooter and learn how it works on the website here.

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Bus

Timetables for Morebus can be found on their website here.

You can catch one of their services from the following destinations to get to the festival:

  • Poole - m1, m2, 16, 17, and 70
  • Westbourne - m1, m2, 16, 20, and 50
  • Bournemouth Station - m1, 13, 17, 50, and X6
  • Southbourne - m2
  • Wimborne - 13
  • Christchurch - X1 and X2
  • Ringwood - X3 and X6

Train

If you’re coming by train, there’s a railway station in Bournemouth which is around a 30-minute walk to the seafront.