Ratha-yatra Chariot Festival

The Ratha-yatra Chariot Festival comes to the Bournemouth seafront on Saturday 18 July, near the Bournemouth Observation Wheel. It's a free family event, so you can just turn up with whoever you fancy. The main thing is a colourful procession along the seafront, and there's a vegetarian feast to go with it.

If you've never come across it, Ratha-yatra is an ancient festival that started thousands of years ago in Jagannatha Puri on the east coast of India. It honours Lord Jagannatha, his brother Balarama, and his sister Subhadra. Over time it's grown into a global tradition, celebrated in major cities all over the world and widely observed across the UK, so this is one of those things that happens in Bournemouth but has roots halfway across the world.

On the day, the procession takes centre stage, with the chariots moving along the seafront and the vegetarian feast served up alongside. It's set up as a family affair, so it's as much for kids as for adults. The whole thing is free to attend, and since it's right by the Observation Wheel, it's easy to find if you're already heading down to the beach.

So, if you're around on Saturday 18 July, the Ratha-yatra Chariot Festival is on the Bournemouth seafront, near the Observation Wheel, and it's free.