Bournevaria Oktoberfest

Billed as the largest indoor Oktoberfest on the South Coast, Bournevaria turns the Windsor Hall at the Bournemouth International Centre into a Bavarian beer hall for one weekend, complete with long communal benches, steins of German beer, hearty food and live entertainment driving the singing and toasting through every session. Dirndls and lederhosen are warmly encouraged.

It takes place across the weekend of Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2026 in the Windsor Hall at the BIC. Rather than a single continuous event, the weekend splits into separate ticketed sessions, so choose your day and slot at booking, and check the official listing for exact session times.

Yes, sessions require a ticket rather than allowing walk-up entry, and popular slots can sell out before the day. The official listing is where you book, and it lists session times, prices and table options. Because standing tickets and reserved bench tables are often priced differently, check exactly what your booking covers.

Sessions typically operate as adults-only beer-hall events, so expect an 18+ policy and bring photo ID along. Since the exact age rules for each session are stated on the official listing, check there before booking, particularly for daytime slots.

German lager served by the stein anchors the bar, while the food stays firmly Bavarian, bratwurst, pretzels and schnitzel-style dishes, to keep the evening going. Organisers decide menus and drink options afresh each year, so treat the official listing as the definitive word on what's on offer.

They certainly do, lederhosen and dirndls fill the room, and much of the fun comes from most people fully committing. Since it's encouraged rather than compulsory, arriving in your own clothes is fine if costume isn't for you; you'll be in the minority, but nobody minds.

The setup feels tailor-made for group occasions: long shared tables, stage-led singing, stein-holding contests and a room full of costumed guests. Get your group booked onto one session early on, and think about reserved tables to guarantee everyone sits together.

As the largest space at the Bournemouth International Centre on Exeter Road, the Windsor Hall sits right by the seafront in the heart of town. The walk down from the railway station takes 10 to 15 minutes, bus stops are just minutes from the town centre, and drivers can use the BIC's own multi-storey or nearby council car parks, though public transport or a taxi makes the easier journey home on event nights.

Autumn 2026 brings two Oktoberfests to Bournemouth: Bournevaria at the BIC's Windsor Hall on 26 and 27 September, and Bournemouth Oktoberfest in the town centre from 16 to 18 October. Both share a similar format, steins, Bavarian food, live entertainment, ticketed sessions, so if one weekend clashes, the other should work. Many fans attend both.