Bournemouth live Started its life as the Bournemouth Music maker’s festival which was established in 1986 by Bournemouth Tourism.

In 2003 the music makers festival was renamed Bournemouth Live, to include all genre of music and to promote keeping music live.

In 2006 Big Bear events stepped in to take over the organisation of the festival from Bournemouth Borough Council, David Williams’s director of big bear Events comments “We have a vision to create within five years, an “Edinburgh type festival” for Bournemouth. This would include free and paid concerts across the town attracting national ad international artists and visitors from around the world.

The Festival traditionally lasts for 1 week, usually the last week of June and includes performances some of the most prestige’s venues throughout the town including Bournemouth town centre, Bournemouth Pier Approach, Pinewalk Bandstand, the gardens and a host of Local venues.

Highlights of the festival last year included the legendary Bob Dylan at the BIC, and appearing on the Mr Kyps town centre stage US soul man Geno Washington and performances from over 100 local and national bands.