New food festival coming to Southbourne in 2026

Put Saturday 16 May 2026 in your diary, because a brand-new event is happening that day on Fisherman’s Walk, Southbourne.

The inaugural Food & Fun Festival will be a community celebration of local food, drink, sustainability, and seaside fun. It aims to shine a spotlight on the best food and drink producers from Dorset and Hampshire.

The festival is being organised by Sir Events CIC, the team behind some of Dorset’s most popular community events, including Shake & Stir, Poole Goes Vintage, and the Cliff Top Music Festival.

Visitors can look forward to a day of shopping, food tasting, learning and entertainment. Planned attractions include: live music and street entertainment throughout the day; cooking and food growing workshops; a cake competition; food-themed fancy dress; and even food bingo. The festival will also adopt eco-friendly initiatives such as plastic-free trading and on-site recycling.

Mandy Polkey, managing director of Stir Events CIC, said: “We’re so excited to bring a brand-new event to Fisherman’s Walk that celebrates the local food scene and the brilliant community behind it. The Southbourne Food & Fun Festival will be full of flavour, creativity, and positivity — a real showcase of Dorset and Hampshire talent.”

The festival will be free to enter. Applications are now open for traders as well as community groups. Interested businesses and organisations can email southbournefoodandfun@gmail.com for full details and an application form.