AFRO*DISIAC LIVE RADIO PRESENTS

Bournemouth Reggae Weekender: Three Days of Roots, Rhythm and Belonging

Friday 23rd – Sunday 25th July 2027

Kings Park, Boscombe, comes alive every summer with the sound, food and culture of the African-Caribbean community. Here’s why the South Coast’s reggae celebration belongs in your 2027 diary.

Some festivals sell you a line-up. The Bournemouth Reggae Weekender gives you a feeling. It’s the bass rolling across Kings Park on a summer evening, jerk smoke drifting over the crowd, and families, friends and first-timers dancing side by side. For three days, Boscombe becomes the warmest corner of the South Coast.

The Weekender is a not-for-profit festival run by Afro*disiac Live Radio CIC, Bournemouth’s community music station. Its purpose has always been bigger than the music: to celebrate African-Caribbean culture and heritage in Bournemouth, and to share it with everyone.

The music runs the full spectrum of reggae, from deep roots and sweet lovers rock to dancehall, ska and sound system culture. Over the years the Weekender has welcomed some of the genre’s greats, including Aswad, Marcia Griffiths, Tanya Stephens, Maxi Priest, Hollie Cook, Kiko Bun, The Dualers and Don Campbell, with the legendary David Rodigan behind the decks. It also gives emerging local artists a stage of their own. For 2027, expect a mixed and diverse line-up that celebrates every side of reggae culture.

Beyond the stage, the Weekender is a celebration of culture in every form. There are poetry, storytelling and dance workshops. Artisan traders bring traditional wooden art, African clothing and kente designs. African-Caribbean food traders serve the flavours of home. Children are welcome, so it’s a day out the whole family can share.

“The Weekender is our community’s front room, and everyone’s invited,” says Raymond Nyenje, founder of Afro*disiac Live Radio. “People don’t just come for an artist. They come for the atmosphere, the food, the culture and each other. That’s what keeps them coming back every year.”

Every ticket supports a community-led, not-for-profit organisation. Afro*disiac also runs free radio and DJ workshops for young people in Bournemouth, so the Weekender helps keep that work going all year round.

Plan your summer
Afro*disiac Live Radio Presents Bournemouth Reggae Weekender 2027
Friday 23rd – Sunday 25th July 2027
Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth
Tickets On general release now at www.bournemouthreggaeweekender.co.uk/tickets