What’s On This Weekend: October 2–4

Posted by Natalie Linford at Thursday, 24 September 2026 08:00

Friday 2nd October: Space Adventures and Live Music

⏰ Selected Sessions | 📍 Bournemouth Town Centre | 💰 Ticketed A pop-up planetarium lands in Bournemouth for October! Step inside the huge immersive dome and experience a 360-degree journey through space, with a programme of astronomy and science films suitable for different ages. It launches this Friday and will be sticking around until 25th October, so there are plenty of chances to visit.

⏰ Evening | 📍 O2 Academy Bournemouth, Boscombe | 💰 Ticketed Fancy something a little louder on Friday night? Mongolian rock band The HU bring their Warrior Chant Tour to Bournemouth, combining traditional Mongolian musical influences and throat singing with a much heavier modern sound.

⏰ 7:30 PM | 📍 Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre | 💰 Ticketed Singer-songwriter Joe Jackson is also in Bournemouth on Friday as part of his Hope and Fury Tour. The show comes to the Pavilion Theatre for one night only, giving music lovers another big option for the first Friday evening of October.

⏰ Throughout the Day | 📍 Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth | 💰 Ticketed Calling all book lovers and budding writers! The Romance Writing Festival returns to Bournemouth for its second year, bringing together authors, publishing professionals and writers for a day of talks, workshops, masterclasses and networking.

⏰ 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM | 📍 Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour | 💰 Ticketed Autumn is the perfect time to discover the fascinating world of fungi! Join experts from the Dorset Fungus Group for a guided walk around Brownsea Island, spotting and identifying different species while learning about the important role they play in the ecosystem. This is an identification walk rather than a foraging event.

⏰ 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM | 📍 Poole Quay & Poole Harbour | 💰 £75 per person Step aboard for a Saturday night with a difference! Coastal Cruises is hosting a Murder Mystery Cruise around Poole Harbour, combining an evening on the water with a mystery to unravel as the story unfolds. Keep your eyes open for clues because someone onboard might know more than they are letting on.

⏰ All Day | 📍 Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park, Poole | 💰 Grandparents Half Price Sunday is Grandparents Day, and Farmer Palmer’s is celebrating all weekend! Grandparents can enjoy half-price entry on Saturday and Sunday, with the whole family able to enjoy the farm park’s animals, play areas and regular daily activities together.

⏰ Daytime | 📍 Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Bournemouth | 💰 Standard Museum Admission If you have been meaning to visit the Flower Fairies exhibition, this is your last chance! Sunday marks the final day of Enchantment by the Sea at the Russell-Cotes, bringing the magical illustrations and world of Cicely Mary Barker to a close after its run through the spring and summer.

⏰ 7:30 PM | 📍 The Regent, Christchurch | 💰 Ticketed Finish the weekend with a classic! Bournemouth Concert Brass brings Last Night of the Proms to The Regent in Christchurch on Sunday evening, giving you a chance to round off the first weekend of October with a night of live brass music.

Life in Full Colour: The colourful work of artist Jason Wilsher-Mills continues to be exhibited in Bournemouth throughout the autumn, with the exhibition running until January 2027.
Grandparents Day at Farmer Palmer’s: The special half-price offer for grandparents runs across both Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October.
Planetarium Go UK: If you can’t make Friday’s launch, the pop-up planetarium remains in Bournemouth until 25th October.
Historical Guided Walk at Brownsea Castle: The guided walk and cream tea experience continues on selected dates into October for anyone looking for another autumn day out around Poole Harbour.