This will be the last year that cash-strapped BCP Council will run Bournemouth Air Festival with operators invited for the 2025 event.

Taking place from Thursday 29 August to Saturday 31 August, the council is seeking sponsors, traders and exhibitors to register interest in participating in this year’s event with the deadline being 2pm on Friday 1 March.

There will be a programme of world-class aerobatic displays with plenty of entertainment for all ages.

Fairground rides, Pier to Pier trading, fireworks, vintage displays, demonstrations from the Army and Navy, exciting night air displays and plenty more is all to be expected at this year’s festival.

The event is also hoping to inspire budding engineers with an enhanced STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Village on the beach.

Across four days, more than 600,000 people attended the last Bournemouth Air Festival. Over 11,000 copies of the official programme were sold; Bournemouth Air Festival social media accounts, which boast a combined following of more than 110,000 people, achieved over 1.8 million engagements; and the dedicated webpage was visited by over 1.4 million users.

Participating brands and sponsors, which have previously included Porsche, Sunseeker, Rowse and Marriott, each benefited from the equivalent of £3.5 million in advertising value, while the festival itself was detailed in over 1,400 items of coverage from local, national and international media.

Amanda Barrie, director of Commercial Operations at BCP Council, said: “With its iconic planes, aerobatics, plentiful entertainment and welcoming family-friendly atmosphere, Bournemouth Air Festival is a fantastic finale to the summer, drawing in crowds far and wide.

“This year we’re planning to make the festival even more memorable; listen out for further announcements regarding the event programme in the coming months.”

Cllr Millie Earl, portfolio holder for Tourism at BCP Council, said: “Bournemouth Air Festival marks a huge opportunity for sponsors, traders and exhibitors to get in front of consumers. The festival has the potential to bring a wealth of opportunities, whether your business is local, national or international.

“Whether you choose to sponsor display acts or the STEM Village, take a prime trading location on the cliff or beach, or have your brand featured in the widely sold official festival programme, the event is a chance to make meaningful connections and develop new relationships.”

Since last summer, BCP Council has prioritised working with businesses and external organisations to operate a collaboratively funded, sustainable festival in 2024.

The council is now also inviting expressions of interest from operators to manage and deliver Bournemouth Air Festival in its entirety from 2025 onwards.

Cllr Earl added: “This is a hugely exciting opportunity to run, grow and shape an impactful event that has made a significant contribution to the local tourism economy over its remarkable 16-year history.

“Consistently attracting over half a million visitors, Bournemouth Air Festival boasts an eclectic atmosphere, with day and evening air displays and entertainment attracting a broad demographic. If you think your business could help to grow and develop the festival, and the festival could help you to grow and develop your business, we’d love to hear from you.”

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to the business community, council officers and BCP Cabinet members who, amid passionate public appeal, have worked together on these plans to organise a sustainably funded festival this year, and in years moving forward.

“Our area is built on a visitor economy and these plans are about supporting the businesses that depend on the festival with a sustainable, long-term strategy. We also recognise the cultural value it brings in making the area a great place to live, work and play, and I’m excited to see what the future will bring.”

Sponsors, traders and exhibitors who would like to register interest in being part of the festival in 2024, should email Ali Perrins, event manager, at alison.perrins@bcpcouncil.gov.uk or apply online at: bournemouthair.co.uk/commercial/

View the sponsorship prospectus on the Air Festival website.

Parties interested in managing and delivering the Bournemouth Air Festival from 2025 onwards must express an interest through the Council’s eTendering website