What a day. On Saturday 31st October, Southbourne Grove was taken over by little monsters, witches, ghosts and more than a few dogs in fancy dress, as over 1,000 people came out for Southbourne Pumpkin Fest 2026.
From 10am to 4pm the high street was full of Halloween fun, and we couldn't have asked for a better turnout.
The Pumpkin Trail
The star of the show was the Pumpkin Trail. Families collected their tokens on Southbourne Green, then walked the Grove visiting our local traders and checking out their pumpkin displays.
More than 1,000 visitors cast their vote for their favourite, and the creativity from our businesses was brilliant. Choosing a winner was no easy task!
And the winner is… Mr Barber! Huge congratulations, and well done to every trader who got involved.
A Day Packed with Fun
On Southbourne Green, the Penalty Ghost Shootout drew a crowd, alongside face painting, music and games.
Along the Grove, visitors explored our independent shops, cafés and traders, with pumpkins popping up at every turn.
On Wentworth Avenue, the kids' area was buzzing with spooky crafts, fun fair rides, apple bobbing, pumpkin bowling, the ghost piñata, storytelling and Little Monster DJ School with Jungle Cub.
And of course, there were plenty of Halloween treats, spooky shakes and lucky dips to keep everyone going.
Thank You
Events like this only happen because of the people behind them. A huge thank you to:
Bournemouth Coastal BID for presenting the festival
Immense Events
Jungle Cub
Aspire Life
Rotary Boscombe & Southbourne
Makla
And most of all, thank you to our local traders for decorating, taking part and welcoming everyone, and to every family who came along, dressed up and voted.
See You Next Year
Pumpkin Fest keeps growing, and we're already looking forward to the next one. Got photos from the day? Tag us on Instagram @visitsouthbourne so we can share them.
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