Hi all, my name is Garrett Bucklin and I am an MBA student at Bournemouth University. One of the best things about Bournemouth is the location; we are close to the beach, have tons of things that we are able to do, and there are constantly events that are held here. Aside from all the themed outings, such as the Summer Ball or Sports Ball, there are also larger festivals that are not centered on a night out. The Balls however are still a good time, as they play great music and it is a unique way to spend the weekend with your friends.

The first festival that I attended here was Bournemouth 7’s. This is a great mixture of a music festival and sports. It is centered on rugby, but there are a million other things to do too. The most popular option is to create a team for one of the many selections of sports that the festival has to offer and have some fun. I attended with a volleyball team, so this made our ticket significantly cheaper because we were participating in the festival. Throughout the day we enjoyed the food and drink trucks on offer, played some volleyball, and watched some of the other sports. It is an absolute riot and people really get into the festivities.

As the day turns to night there is more of a focus on the music. There are numerous bands that come to play, and each side of the festival grounds has different acts playing. This means that you have the great opportunity to choose where you want to be and stay there, or you can switch at any time. I had a really good time at Bournemouth 7’s; it was well planned out and I met some great people. One of the things I didn’t expect was that they also offered taxis and buses for the festival goers to get home. It seemed as though they had thought of everything, and it was a full two-day event.

There are loads of other festivals that are around, each different from the next, so finding where you would fit best goes a long way. There are often smaller festivals that are held on the beach, little places to eat and listen to music. Summer is one of the best times in Bournemouth. There are more people that come down to visit so there are more things to do than usual. As the summer progresses I will continue to keep my eye out for things that interest me. August is a busy time here, with many festivals and outings taking place, so I am greatly looking forward to finding the next one to attend.

Even if there are some festivals that are further away, getting there is no trouble. We are only a couple of hours away from London by train, so staying up there for a weekend is certainly an attainable goal.