Shake & Stir Armed Forces Weekender
On behalf of myself, Team Stir, Rotary, and all of our wonderful volunteers, welcome to the very first Shake & Stir Armed Forces Weekender here at Fisherman’s Walk, Southbourne.
Following last year’s event, we listened carefully to feedback from our community. Many people told us they wanted to see the event refreshed, made more accessible, and more connected to the wider community. To this end, we are proud to introduce the Armed Forces element to Shake & Stir and to relaunch the event as a free-toenter community celebration.
Rather than ticketing the event, we will instead be asking for donations throughout the weekend to help us cover the considerable costs of delivering a safe and enjoyable festival for everyone.
We very much hope you will enjoy — and if you are a veteran, perhaps even take part in — our Armed Forces Day Parade on the morning of Saturday 27th June. The parade will march proudly through the streets of Southbourne before arriving at Fisherman’s Walk. We encourage everyone to line the route, wave your flags, and help us “Salute Our Forces” as they pass by.
We are honoured to be joined by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, who will take the salute during the parade, before both the Deputy Lord Lieutenant and BCP Council Leader Millie Earl address the parade and crowd at the bandstand. The parade marks the beginning of a fabulous weekend of vintage entertainment celebrating music from the 1940s through to the 1960s. We are delighted to welcome the Christchurch British Legion Band and the wonderful Bovington Military Wives Choir, alongside many of your favourite local vintage artists, DJs, performers, and bands.
There truly is something for everyone this weekend, including:
• A Vintage Village
• Artisan traders
• Fantastic food and drink
• Our Community Area, proudly sponsored by Southbourne Beach Care Home, featuring games, family fun, face painting, and activities
• Fairground rides
• Wrestling showcases and fun matches from our exciting new sponsor, BCD Wrestling
• Our new Military Village and History Hub exhibitions
As always, we would like to say a huge thank you to Team Stir, Rotary, our sponsors, performers, traders, suppliers and the many local volunteers who give their time before, during, and after the festival to help make these events possible.
Most importantly, we hope you have a wonderful time, support our fantastic local businesses, and enjoy everything Southbourne has to offer — including its shops, cafés, restaurants, and bars.
Thank you for being part of this very special new chapter for Shake & Stir. Mandy Polkey & Team Stir Stir Events CIC www.eventsbystir.com
SATURDAY
27th June 2026 11am - 7pm
BAND STAND
TIME ON STAGE
10:30 Official Opening Parade through Southbourne Grove to Fisherman’s Walk. – led by the Band of the Royal British Legion.
11:00 Welcome Address – Deputy Lord Lieutenant
11:00 Your host for the weekend, DJ Dave Norrell! Mr D!
11:30 Retro Rita
12:30 Band of the Royal British Legion – Christchurch
13:30 RockStep – Retro Dance Company
14:15 The Land Girls
15:30 The Aphrodite Singers
16:15 DJ Mr D!
16:45 Andy Kennett as Elvis!
18:00 Pagan
CRAZY RHYTHM
JUKEBOX DJ
TIME ON STAGE GI45 DJ
11:00 – 19:00 DJ Andy Shailer
TIME ON STAGE
11:00 – 19:00 DJ Colin Eaton 12:00 – 13:00 Lisa Locarno 14:00 – 15:00 The Flying Dutchman
TIME ON STAGE SUNDAY
EVENTS
28th June 2026 11am - 5pm
BAND STAND
11:00 Your host DJ Dave Norrell, Mr D!
11.00 Band of the Royal British Legion
11:30 RockStep – Retro Dance Company
12:30 Rip it up
13:30 Dave Norrell, Mr D!
14:00 Bovington Military Wives Choir
15:00 Susie Kimber
15:30 Raffle Draw & Competitions
15:45 Harry and the Hounds
16:45 – 17:00 Closing Remarks & Thank You – with local dignitaries and Armed Forces representatives
CRAZY RHYTHM JUKEBOX DJ
GI45 DJ
TIME ON STAGE
TIME ON STAGE 11:00 – 17:00 DJ Colin Eaton 12:00 – 13:00 Lisa Locarno 14:00 – 15:00 The Flying Dutchman
11:00 – 17:00 DJ Andy Shailer
VINTAGE
No Shake & Stir would be complete without our fabulous Vintage Village — and this year it promises to be bigger, brighter, and more exciting than ever!
Take time to wander through a wonderful collection of handpicked vintage traders, makers, artists, and pin-up favourites, all bringing colour, glamour, nostalgia, and fantastic one-off finds to Fisherman’s Walk.
Whether you’re searching for the perfect vintage outfit, beautiful jewellery, quirky gifts, retro homewares, pin-up photography, accessories, or something completely unique, there will be plenty to browse and enjoy throughout the weekend.
We are delighted to welcome traders including: Vintage Pin Up Studio, Mystic Moon Sisters, Hetty and Dotty, Vintagemillymay49, Dispatches Magazine, Trudies Boutique, Meredith Jewellery, Trunk Junkies, Maitlands Gifts, Minimum Mouse, Hair by Marjorie, Guns N Posies, Dinky Pinkie Designs, Betty Licious, Kiss UK and many more. From fabulous fashion and sparkling jewellery to pin-up photoshoots and vintage treasures, there really is something for everyone. So take your time, soak up the atmosphere, chat with our lovely traders, and perhaps discover that special something you didn’t even know you were looking for!
Photo © Oak Photography
PERFORMERS
Andy Kennett as Elvis
Bovington Military Wives Choir
Colin Eaton - GI45
Crazy Rhythm Juke Box
RockStep –Retro Dance Company
Dave Norrell - Mr D
Harry and the Hounds
Pagan
Retro Rita
Rip it up
Royal British Legion Band Christchurch
Shake & Stir Armed Forces Weekender
Susie Kimber
The Aphrodites
The Land Girls
HEADLINE SPONSOR
SPONSORS
COMMUNITY AREA SPONSOR
PRODUCTION SPONSOR
WRESTLING SPONSOR
VETERANS BREAKFAST SPONSOR
CUP SPONSORS
WORKING WITH
ARTIST SPONSOR
FISHERMAN'S WALK
MILITARY VILLAGE
New for this year’s Shake & Stir Armed Forces Weekender, we are proud to introduce our dedicated Military Village — a space designed to bring together military organisations, veterans’ associations, cadet groups, charities, and support services from across the region. Throughout the weekend, visitors will have the opportunity to meet and talk with representatives from organisations including the RAF Air Cadets, Army Cadets, Sea Cadets, Royal Marines Association, Royal Naval Association, SSAFA, Help for Heroes, Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Clubs, The Nimsdai Foundation, Helping Homeless
Veterans, WithYou, and many more.
The Military Village is not only a celebration of service and community spirit, but also an opportunity to learn more about the support networks available to serving personnel, veterans, and their families. We are also delighted to welcome the Christchurch British Legion Band and the wonderful Bovington Military Wives Choir as part of this year’s programme.
Please take time during your visit to explore the Military Village, speak to the organisations attending, and discover the incredible work they do within our Armed Forces community.
PARADE MAP
THE INDIAN ARMY & BOURNEMOUTH’S HIDDEN WW1 STORY
Few people realise that Bournemouth played an important role in caring for wounded soldiers of the British Indian Army during the First World War.
On 20th November 1914, the Mont Dore Hotel — now Bournemouth Civic Centre — became the No. 8A Indian General Hospital under War Office supervision. Around 100 wounded Indian soldiers arriving from the Western Front were among the first to be treated there, with many more following over the next year.
Pre-Partition India was the largest contributor from the British Empire to the war effort, yet the bravery and sacrifice of Indian troops has often been overlooked in mainstream history. Nine Indian soldiers received the Victoria Cross for extraordinary bravery on the Western Front. A commemorative plaque was unveiled at Bournemouth Civic Centre in November 2024 to honour these soldiers and recognise the unique historical connection between Bournemouth and the Indian community.
Ramesh Lal, Chairman of the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch (BPC) Indian Community Association said:
“For the BPC Indian Community this commemorative plaque is a way to honour our ancestors, strengthen our ties with the community, and ensure that the legacy of the Indian soldiers is never forgotten.”
This exhibition helps tell the story of those men, their courage, and the care they received here on the South Coast — ensuring their legacy is remembered for future generations.
HISTORY HUB EXHIBITION
Step inside our History Hub and discover powerful stories of courage, sacrifice, and community connection. This fascinating exhibition space will feature displays from the Bournemouth, Poole & Christchurch Indian Community Association, highlighting the often-overlooked contribution of Indian soldiers during the First World War and Bournemouth’s important role in their care and recovery.
Visitors will also be able to explore local military history through exhibitions remembering servicemen and women from the Southbourne area who served and lost their lives in conflict. Included within the display is the story of the rediscovery of the All Saints Church WW1 memorial names and
the work undertaken to reconnect local families with the stories of those remembered.
The History Hub offers a moving opportunity to reflect, learn, and honour the people and communities whose service and sacrifice helped shape our history.
SUSTAINABILITY, PARKING AND UPCOMING EVENTS
At Stir Events we are working towards making our events as green, sustainable, and eco-friendly as possible.
Parking: We would like to encourage you to travel here in a sustainable fashion – cycle, public transport, walk etc. There are local car parks and free street parking, but we encourage you to look after our local residents and not block them in.
