The festival launched around the turn of the millennium, but 2006 marked its coming of age.

Hockey's Farm Shop in the New Forest has ranked as one of the world's best food producers at the Great Taste Awards 2026

Drivers in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole face road closures and temporary road works in August due to BCP Council and utility roadworks. Expect delays.

Rail fares for 16 to 18-year-olds halved from September, boosting affordable travel for young people. Scheme welcomed by Tom Hayes, Bournemouth East MP.

More than 50 firefighters tackled a large wildfire in the New Forest.

This beautifully refurbished and extended home next to a New Forest nature reserve is on the market, priced £2.225 million.

The UK's largest snake species has been spotted at an allotment in the New Forest.

The best towns for a weekend getaway in England have been named, and Bridport was one of those on the list

Parking restrictions on Broom Road, Poole, from 1 Sept–6 Nov 2026 due to SSE cable works. No waiting/loading; emergency access maintained. Plan ahead.

11-year-old Alexandra Hill from Bournemouth is currently undertaking a 350 mile bike ride from London to Paris to raise money for The Gurkha Welfare Trust

A BBC Question Time-style panel will form the centrepiece of the fourth Dorset COP, taking place at Kingston Maurward Coastland College on November 14.

Diverse Abilities, Dorset's disability charity, welcomed visitors to The Treehouse in Hurn as part of the National Garden Scheme, raising more than £750.

Magna Carta bar and restaurant plans late-night opening in Poole. Licence application to BCP Council proposes alcohol, live music and Sunday roasts.

Households in the South West are asked by Wessex Water to use water wisely and cut back on non-essential use to avoid restrictions being introduced.

Communities in Wimborne, Swanage, and Poole will come together for three candlelit evenings of remembrance hosted by Lewis-Manning Hospice Care this November.

Families in Wimborne are invited to a wealth of local support, activities and connections at Wimborne Unlocked, a free Community Day hosted by Dorset Council.

BCP Council is going to be considering a proposal to offering meeting rooms and facilities at no cost to parish and town councils.

A historic steamship is set to make a summer holiday return.

LUSO Architecture has officially opened the doors to its new design studio in the heart of Canford Cliffs, marking the relocation of the architectural practice

Music and laughter filled the air as families came together to celebrate culture, tradition and togetherness.

Residents have mixed feelings about a Poole restaurant’s bid to extend its licence.

A 68 year old Christchurch resident is preparing to climb Africa's highest peak to raise funds for Bournemouth Town Pastors and the BCP NHS Hospitals Chaplaincy team.

The warning from toy sellers comes after a mum claims one purchased from Lidl 'exploded' and burned her child.

A petition calling for the tax-free Personal Allowance to be increased from £12,570 to £18,000 is closing in on 50,000 signatures, as support continues to grow among taxpayers frustrated by years of frozen tax thresholds.

Merge in turn, or 'zip merge,' is a common system where drivers use both lanes until a closure point, then alternate merging.

Hundreds of people took to the River Stour in inflatables as Dorset Dinghy Day returned for 2026.

A brave woman has spoken up about her experience of being spiked — which she claims happened at Barbara’s Bier Haus in Bournemouth.

Wooden staves cracked through the salty air as Morris dancers in bright ribbons and bells took over the Purbeck coast.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole welcome millions of visitors every year, but how should you spend a day here?

This accolade brings Five AA Star status back to Bournemouth for the first time since 2000, making THE NICI the town's first Five AA Star hotel in 26 years.

Highlands End Holiday Park near Bridport was named among the UK's outstanding family sites by Campsites.co.uk

A woman who admitted drinking alcohol before getting behind the wheel was found to be below the legal drink-drive limit.

A motorbike has been seized from a rider committing a number of driving offences in north Dorset

BCP Council is conducting an annual electoral register canvass over the next few months.

Two men were made to leave a holiday park in Poole following reports of 'drug use'.

Inside or out, a classical concert is always about more than just the music.

A pensioner who was previously found with 75,000 indecent images of children has been jailed.

This is the story of the long goodbye - the closure of Dorset's railway network

Elitoria International Food Ltd has applied for a premises licence at 1 Royal London House, Bournemouth. Comments to BCP Council accepted until August 21.

Wessex Internet has been recognised as a winner of the Best of British Businesses 2026 by The Independent and Business Reporter

Bournemouth-based luxury ski specialist Ski In Luxury has partnered with AFC Bournemouth, becoming a Premier Regional Partner ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Longfleet Road, Poole, to close from 31 August to 29 November 2026 for SGN gas works. Diversions and parking bans in place; BCP Council traffic order.

Members from Dorset Blind Association took part in a guided kayaking experience off the Jurassic Coast, due to a partnership with Land & Wave.

Four experts at Intergage Marketing Engineers (IME) are together celebrating 60 years of helping technology clients to grow and prosper.

National Motor Museum to celebrate the Sunbeam 1000hp at California’s Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum

Following a period of significant change, gliding activity at Eyres Field is continuing under a new club name: Purbeck Flying

Thousands of people in Dorset could be providing unpaid care for a loved one, friend or neighbour without realising they are entitled to support.

New Forest District Council (NFDC) has agreed to move forward with four projects in Lymington, Totton, and parts of the New Forest.

A historic Bournemouth landmark is set to become more environmentally friendly after plans were submitted for solar panel to be installed

Parents who were able to spend a day with their daughter after she was stillborn are fundraising for a cold cot to allow other bereaved families to do the same.