The third Bournemouth Wheels Festival takes place this weekend and if you're wondering what's happening and where, here's our handy guide featuring everything you need to know. 

When does it take place?

The Bournemouth Wheels Festival takes place across three days from Friday, June 3, to Sunday, June 5.

What time does the festival site open?

The festival site officially opens from:

Friday – 10am–7.30pm

Saturday – 10am–7.30pm

Sunday – 10am–5.30pm

Where can I buy a programme?

The official festival programme is on sale around the town ahead of the event, including at the Daily Echo offices in Richmond Hill, and will be on sale around the site around the site itself.

What’s happening where?

The Wheels Festival is split into six different zones. Four of these are on the seafront.

They are:

Boscombe West Beach & Undercliff Drive (East)

Beachcross Racing & Military Arenas, plus Classic Cars

New for this year, the Festival is playing host to the third and fourth rounds of the 2016 BXUK British BeachCross Championship.

To the uninitiated, that means bulldozers and diggers transforming the beach into a course featuring jumps, twists and turns. 

Meanwhile, at the military arena, the Army and RAF will be showing off armoured vehicles including the Jackal, quad bikes and a Challenger 2.

The seafront will host local classic car clubs and a Classic Car Paddock.

Monster Truck Arena, Bournemouth Beach (East Cliff and beyond)

One of the most popular attractions last year, the Monster Trucks will have an arena double the size this year. 

For the first time  - thanks to a bigger beach after recent replenishment works - they will be able to race side by side.

The Kangaroo Kid, Matt Coulter, will also be appearing at alternate shows.

Bournemouth East Beach

Entertainment Area 

Jeep, one of the festival sponsors, are back with their demonstration beach arena.

Team Extreme's BMX riders will be performing, and new for this year is the Xtreme motorbike stunt team.

There will be traders along the prom, a funfair and the chance to have a monster truck ride around the beach for £10 per person.

Pier Approach, Lower Gardens and Town Centre

The Big Wheel will be in situ until the festival closes on Sunday night. In the Lower Gardens there will be family entertainment, while the former IMAX will host supercars from past and present. 

There will be the latest models from leading car makers at Pier Approach, with pre-war and vintage cars on display in the town centre.

And on Friday night there wull be cycle stunts and have-a-go sessions in the Square.

East Overcliff

Demonstration straight

This will be the mecca for petrol heads as a host of road and racing cars show off what they can do.

On show will be historic F1 cars, Le Mans cars, touring, rally and supercars.

The overcliff will also be home to this year’s big stunt, as precision driving expert Paul Swift and his team recreate a chase scene from the Italian Job on both Friday and Saturday.

Pop up arena

These dispalys will take place through the day, temporarily closing the demo straight. This year's displays include Mower Madness, karting with One Motorsport, and, new for this year, the Two Brothers Stunt Team who will appear on Saturday and Sunday.

Southbourne

For the second year running, Southbourne is hosting a Wheels fringe event. Featuring supercars in Southbourne Grove, mountain bike riders and live music as well as the Sporting Bears Motor Club. The fringe event is from 4pm -10pm on Saturday.

How much does it cost?

The event is free, but some extras do cost, such as £2 for sitting in the grandstands.

Where can I park?

There are a number of car parks to choose from in the town centre, with a full list on the Bournemouth Council website

How can I take part?

Monster Truck Rides, Bournemouth East Beach

With space for eight passengers, climb aboard a full size American monster truck for a thrilling ride that’s not for the faint hearted. Find the rides to the east of Bournemouth Pier and experience sharp corners, mound climbs and car crushing for a monster day out! £10 per person per ride

Festival Makers

If you need help around the site over the weekend, the volunteer Festival Makers are there to help.

They are local people who have become ambassadors for the town and event.

They’re easy to find, all sporting purple t-shirts.

Road closures

A number of road closures and restrictions will be in place over the event, you can read about them here.

Park and Ride

There will also be a park and ride service in operation at Kings Park in Boscombe (BH7 7AF). It will run between 9am and 7.30pm on Friday and Saturday and 9am to 5.30pm on Sunday. It will cost £10 per vehicle.

A festival shuttle will be running this year which will cost £2 and run approximately every 10 minutes from 10am to 6pm, departing from Hot Rocks at Pier Approach and stopping at Manor Road on the way to Boscombe Pier.

Motorcycle car parks

  • Alum Chine - 3 spaces
  • Bath Road North - 8 spaces
  • Bath Road South - 10 spaces
  • Beacon Road - 2 spaces
  • Central - 4 spaces
  • Cranmer Road - 2 spaces
  • Durley Chine - 4 spaces
  • Eden Glen- 6 spaces
  • Glen Fern - 8 spaces
  • Hawkwood Road Main - 4 spaces
  • Leslie Road - 2 spaces
  • Overstrand - 3 spaces
  • Warren Edge - 2 spaces
  • Winter Gardens - 5 spaces
  • Richmond Gardens Multi Storey Car Park - 12 spaces

Disabled parking

There is parking for blue badge holders at the Winter Gardens and on Boscombe Overstrand at Sea Road.

Accommodation

If you're travelling to Bournemouth for the Wheels Festival, you can find places to stay at bournemouth.co.uk

Shopping

The trade village located around the festival site, gives Festival visitors the chance to shop for everything from memorabilia to books, clothing, toys and autojumble. The Town Centre main shopping area is close to the festival site for major high street chains, boutiques and gift shops.

What will the weather be like?

The Met Office says Friday will be cloudy with occasional sun, with highs of 17C. Saturday will be cloudy all day with a little rain in the evening, while Sunday will be the warmest day of the festival, cloudy with occasional sun.