Family summer holiday ideas across BCP

BCP Council is showcasing some of the activities and events available to residents for the summer holidays across Bournemouth, Christchuch and Poole, from a day at a museum, to summer sounds on The Quay.

The programme includes festivals, live music, museums, leisure sessions, seafront entertainment and outdoor activities, with highlights including Poole Harbour Festival from 31 July to 2 August, Stompin’ on the Quomps on 1 August and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Proms on 7 and 8 August.

Poole Museum will offer a pirate trail, workshops, gallery tours, RNLI talks and its Life in Full Colour exhibition, while the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum will host fairy-themed trails, games, crafts and a Fairy Garden Party.

Upton Country Park will run a free Summer Fantasy Trail, alongside its splash fountain and other family activities, while leisure centres across the area will offer swimming, water safety sessions, holiday clubs and the Big Summer Bounce at Kings Park.

Councillor Richard Herrett said the council was encouraging people to “get involved, try something new and make the most of the summer holidays”.

Free LV= KidZone wristbands will also be available along the coastline to help reunite children with their families if they become separated on the beach.

Here are the full details in a release from BCP Council:

Highlights include Poole Harbour Festival‘s 10th anniversary (31 July to 2 August), Stompin’ on the Quomps (1 August), the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Proms (7 and 8 August) and Summer Sounds at Poole Quay, running every weekend from 25 July to 30 August.

Families can enjoy Great British Summer Savings Scheme offers for discounted days out at Highcliffe Castle and the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, as well as the Morebus Weekend child dayrider trips for just £2 for under 19’s. Check for more Summer Saving Scheme discounts and travel offers on the UK Gov website directly.

Poole Museum is offering a summer packed with family-friendly activities, including a pirate adventure trail, weekly hands-on workshops, evening openings during the Poole Quay fireworks, guided gallery tours, RNLI talks, the Festival of Archaeology, and the new Life in Full Colour: The Art of Jason Wilsher-Mills exhibition. With free entry to the museum, there are plenty of opportunities for all ages to explore, learn and get creative throughout the holidays.

At the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, families can enjoy a summer of fairy-themed fun from 23 July to 31 August, including free trails, exhibition activities, garden games, craft workshops and a Fairy Garden Party on 30 July, inspired by the Flower Fairies™: Enchantment by the Sea exhibition. Admission charges apply to the historic house and galleries. Admission prices throughout the summer holiday are reduced due to the Great British Summer Savings initiative.

Upton Country Park invites visitors to experience the magic of the park in their free Summer Fantasy Trail running throughout the school holidays, pick up a trail sheet from the Welcome Centre and explore. The splash fountain will be running regularly for visitors to cool off in, and we also have bouncy fun, face painting

Launching later this summer, the new BCP LIFE card will give residents access to a range of everyday benefits, including free monthly swims, parking discounts and savings at selected council-run venues, helping local people get even more from living in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

BCP Leisure’s Swim Sure campaign is helping children and families stay safe around water this summer, with water safety activities, self-rescue sessions and a special Swim Academy offer. On World Drowning Prevention Day (25 July), Poole Dolphin, Rossmore and Two Riversmeet leisure centres will host £2 swims and water safety sessions promoting the lifesaving Find Your Float message. Families can also enjoy swimming sessions, holiday activities and the Big Summer Bounce event at Kings Park Leisure and Learning Centre on 29 August. Kids Holiday Club for 8-11 years will run every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in August at Two Riversmeet Leisure Centre. A special Junior and Adult Swim Academy offer gives people the chance to learn vital swimming skills for just £28 per month for three months – the offer is available until the end of July. Find out more information about these offers here.

Free LV= KidZone wristbands are available from LV= KidZone and BCP seafront staff, all seafront offices and RNLI lifeguard towers across the coastline, helping families stay safe and making it easier to reunite loved ones if they become separated.

BH Live Active is offering a packed programme of summer activities, including pool inflatables, Wet & Wacky swim sessions, soft play, swimming crash courses, multi-sport holiday camps and family fitness activities across its facilities. Families can also enjoy a range of live entertainment at Lighthouse in Poole, Bournemouth Pavilion and Bournemouth International Centre this summer, including MAMMA MIA!, Bluey’s Big Play and Waitress, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Minions and Monsters.

Summer fireworks are back in Bournemouth and Poole, bringing free family-friendly entertainment to the seafront throughout the holidays. The much-loved displays are a summer highlight and a great way for residents and visitors to enjoy warm evenings by the coast.