Brand new diaries and mobile phones at the ready, here's our guide to some of 2017's biggest events. 

January

Blow away the cobwebs with Poole's popular New Year Bath Tub Race. Head to the quayside on New Year's Day from 10.30am to cheer on the crazy crews as they take to their specially constructed bathtub vessels for the charity race organised by The Blue Boar.

See in the New Year in style with the BSO's traditional celebration of Johann Strauss, the King of Waltz at Lighthouse on New Year's Day. 

The first ever Glow Run 5K Bournemouth comes to town on Saturday, January 28.

Read more: There's a new glow run coming to Bournemouth next year

February

Busted bring their Night Driver UK Tour to the 02 Academy Bournemouth on Saturday, February 4. 

Sue Perkins Live in Spectacles comes to the Lighthouse on Friday February 24. It will be a rare chance to spend an evening with the comedian and will include her user’s guide to Mary Berry plus the very best bits from her best-selling memoir. 

March

Ricky Gervais brings his first stand-up tour in seven years to the BIC on Wednesday, March 22. 

The Craig David renaissance shows no signs of slowing as the Southampton hitmaker brings his Following My Intuition Tour to the BIC on Sunday, March 19. 

X Factor winner Sam Bailey brings her Sing My Heart Out Tour to the Lighthouse on Thursday, March 9. 

May

Poole will host next year's European Maritime Day and will celebrate with its own family friendly festival which runs between May 19 and 21.

Read more: Maritime Festival 2017 set to be “Poole’s event of the year”

Bournemouth 7s celebrates its 10th anniversary between May 26 and 28. Tickets go on sale on February 1. 

June

Poole's Festival of Running promises to be an even bigger affair in 2017, with the event taking place on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4. 

World renowned performer Bryn Terfel, and legendary R&B singer Billy Ocean, are just some of stars set to perform at the Upton House Music Festival, which runs from Thursday, June 8 to Saturday, June 10.

Race For Life returns to Bournemouth on Sunday, June 11. As usual there will be two races; a 5k and a 10k. 

July

Chukkas away! The 10th annual Sandbanks beach polo championships take place on Friday, July 7 and Saturday, July 8. 

Swanage's popular annual carnival returns between Saturday, July 29 and Saturday, August 5. Last year 40,000 people lined the seafront and surrounding roads for the carnival parade alone.

Click to see all the pictures from Swanage's 2016 carnival 

Thousands of people will be flocking to Brockenhurst once again for the New Forest Show when it returns between July 25 and 27. 

Click here to see all the pictures from the 2016 New Forest Show 

Hundreds of swimmers will be taking to the water to raise money for the British Heart Foundation in the Pier to Pier Swim on Sunday, July 16. 

Click here to see all the pictures from the 2016 Pier to Pier 

Californian punk rockers Blink 182 bring their UK tour to the BIC on Monday, July 17. 

Camp Bestival returns to Lulworth Castle between Thursday, July 27 and Sunday, July 30. The theme for 2017 is Popstars and Rockstars. 

August

Olly Murs performs an outdoor concert at Kings Park on Saturday, August 5, as part of a series of open-air performances being held throughout the summer across the country.

The tenth (yes really) Bournemouth Air Festival takes place Thursday, August 31 to Sunday, September 3. The festival could see extended displays as part of a ‘celebratory’ programme of events.

Read more: Tenth Bournemouth Air Festival will be something 'very different', says director

The 49th annual Great Dorset Steam Fair is set to draw thousands of visitors to Tarrant Hinton between Thursday, August 24 and Monday, August 28. 

Following on from the success of last year's event, the BSO's Proms on the Park is set to light up your summer once again with three events taking place across three nights between August 11 and 13. 

September

Bestival could be coming to Dorset for the first time ever between September 7 and 10. Organisers have applied to hold the popular event at Lulworth Castle - the same location as its family-orientated sister show Camp Bestival, which is held in July.

October

The fifth annual Bournemouth Marathon Festival takes place on Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8. The marathon, half-marathon, supersonic 10k, supernova 5k, junior 2k and junior 1.5k will return. Plus, there will be two new events; a Junior 5k and a Kids' Kilometre. 

The seventh Arts by the Sea Festival will bring more wonderful and weird exhibitions, installations, workshops and shows to town between Saturday, October 14 and Saturday, October 21. 

Click here to see all the pictures from the 2016 Marathon Festival

December

Comedy star John Bishop will finish his brand new Winging It tour at the BIC on Friday, December 8, 2017.