This year, residents and visitors can expect a packed programme of events at Bournemouth’s leading venues, Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and Bournemouth Pavilion.

Following a successful cultural programme in 2024, BH Live, the registered charity that has operated these venues for 15 years in partnership with BCP Council, is continuing to build an extensive line-up of events for the year ahead.

Headliners include Ricky Gervais, Gary Barlow, Wet Wet Wet, Alison Moyet, Craig David, Paddy McGuinness, Sean Paul, Scissor Sisters, Sophie Ellis-Bextor. There are weeklong musicals to look forward as well including Rocky Horror Picture Show, Chicago, Fawlty Towers, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Exhibitions and events open to the public include the UK Open Dance Festival, The Big Bomo Wedding Show, Bournemouth Comic Con, the UK Careers Fair, Bournemouth Brick Festival, the South Coast Darts Showdown, and much more.

Tea dances, free-to-attend open days, and community performances are running at Bournemouth Pavilion throughout the year to encourage visitors to learn more about the venue and what’s on. Compton Organ concerts are also still held throughout the year in partnership with the Pavilion Organ Fund to support the organ’s maintenance and restoration.

This year’s panto at Bournemouth Pavilion has been announced too. Cinderella returns from Saturday 6 December 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026, with Bournemouth panto favourite, Noel Brodie, bounding back to the stage for his 11^th year as ‘Buttons’. Hundreds of people have already snapped up their tickets to secure their favourite seats, with tickets on sale at a discounted Early Bird offer until 31 January 2025.

One of the South Coast’s largest seasonal indoor ice rinks, Cool Coast Ice Rink, is open at Bournemouth International Centre until Sunday 23 February 2025, offering a variety of sessions for skaters of all ages and abilities looking for fun ways to stay active. Sessions can be booked online at coolcoasticerink.co.uk.

On behalf of BH Live, Steve Turner, BH Live’s Associate Director of Venues said;

“Following last year’s successful programme of events – which included Bring Me The Horizon, Sarah Millican, Jason Derulo, as well as West End touring shows such as Ghost the Musical and Sister Act – the 2025 lineup is looking really strong. There’s even more planned in the pipeline – we can’t wait to announce what else is to come.”

He adds,

“As well as helping to make Bournemouth a vibrant place to live, learn, visit and work, the impact of these events is felt far beyond the venues’ walls. They are vital to the town’s economy, generating millions of pounds in economic benefit and supporting thousands of jobs in other sectors including accommodation providers and retail.”

See what’s on, subscribe for news about on-sales, and get preshow ticket and event updates at bic.co.uk and bournemouthpavilion.co.uk.