Events & Entertainment | Posted on January 16th, 2026 | return to news

Highcliffe music festival to go ahead after local objections

A popular music festival in Highcliffe will go ahead this year, after scaling back its plans for expansion due to objections by residents.

A popular retro music festival in Highcliffe has been granted a licence by BCP Council, giving it the go-ahead for 2026, after objections by residents and the local parish council put its future in doubt.

The Cliff Top Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Highcliffe. Last year, the organisers of the festival, Stir Events CIC, applied to extend its licence so it could go from a one-day to a three-day event.

In December, Stir Events revealed that BCP Council had received 11 objections to its expansion plans, including from Highcliffe & Walkford Parish Council, which claimed that the festival could cause “weeks of disruption” and described the proposed development as “hugely disruptive”.

Stir Events amended its proposal, reducing its expansion plans, including limiting the festival to a two-day event with earlier finishing times, and these new plans were presented to BCP Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee on 7 January.

The committee noted that Police and Environmental Health raised no objections, and that several initial objections from residents were subsequently withdrawn following mediation. After reviewing all materials, the committee formally granted the variation licence for the Cliff Top Music Festival to operate as a two-day event once per year starting in 2026.

Mandy Polkey, managing director of Stir Events CIC, said: “We are thrilled that the Sub-Committee has granted our licence variation for a two-day festival. We presented a detailed and transparent plan, listened carefully to concerns, and made responsible changes to ensure the event continues to be safe, well managed and respectful of local residents.

“The Cliff Top Music Festival brings significant cultural, social and economic benefits to Highcliffe, and this decision ensures we can continue delivering a high-quality community event that local people are proud of.

“I would like to thank everyone who took the time to support the application and the committee for their thorough and balanced consideration.”

The Cliff Top Music Festival will take place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September 2026, from 11am to 7pm on Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sunday. The event will be headlined by The Commitments with Robert Arkins on Saturday, and The Fleetwood Mac Experience on Sunday.