Bournevaria Oktoberfest

Bournevaria Oktoberfest is back at the Bournemouth International Centre on 26 and 27 September, taking over the BIC for two days of beer and Bavarian music. It's the South Coast's largest indoor Oktoberfest, and this time it's set up in the BIC's Windsor Hall, which puts it right in the heart of town.

The whole thing is built around a Bavarian-themed beer tent inside the hall, so you're under cover rather than out in the elements. There's live oompah music throughout, provided by the Bavarian Strollers, and the staff are dressed in traditional Bavarian costume, which does a fair bit of the heavy lifting in setting the scene. It's a big, communal setup rather than a quiet drink, and the two-day run gives you a choice of when to head in.

For a bit of context on the venue, the BIC is one of the town's biggest spaces, with a total capacity of 6,000 across its halls. The Oktoberfest takes place in the Windsor Hall, and the event runs on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September. If you're planning your weekend, that's the two dates to keep in mind.

There's also a bit of a seasonal shift that happens here. After Oktoberfest finishes, the Purbeck Hall — another of the BIC's main spaces — usually transforms into the Cool Coast ice rink, which is described as the South Coast's largest indoor rink. So, if you're heading in for the beer tent, you're not far from where the ice comes in shortly after. The Oktoberfest itself runs on 26 and 27 September at the Bournemouth International Centre.