Date: Saturday 16th May 2026
Times: 10am – 4pm
Location: Westbourne
Key Takeaways
Over 8,000 attendees visited Westbourne, making this the biggest Motor Show yet.
The event continues to grow year-on-year and is now the largest road closure car event in the area.
More than 150 vehicles were showcased across the village.
Marketing activity reached over 350,000 people, with an estimated 80,000–180,000 social impressions during the event weekend.
Over 120 social pages mentioned the event, generating around 3,000 online engagements.
More than 20 local businesses took part in the Pit Stop Promotions, with strong footfall seen across retailers, cafés and restaurants.
Live music, family activities and celebrity guests helped create a vibrant atmosphere throughout the day and evening.
The event was delivered safely and successfully with support from partners, security teams, St John Ambulance and operational staff.
Feedback from businesses, residents and visitors has been overwhelmingly positive, further strengthening Westbourne’s reputation as a thriving destination.
Westbourne Motor Show Drives Record Crowds and Community Spirit in its Biggest Year Yet
Westbourne came alive on 16th May as more than 8,000 visitors packed the village for the hugely successful Westbourne Motor Show, now officially the largest road closure car event in the local area.
Now in its third year, the event has continued to grow year-on-year, evolving into one of Bournemouth’s most anticipated community events and a standout destination experience for the South Coast.
With over 150 incredible vehicles lining the streets, live entertainment throughout the day and evening, interactive family attractions, and businesses thriving with footfall, the event delivered a landmark day for Westbourne and Bournemouth as a whole.
The event also marked the first full road closure successfully delivered across the entirety of Westbourne, made possible through close collaboration between Bournemouth Coastal BID, More Bus, BCP Highways, The Britsh Motor Show, The Westbourne Business Association, and key event partners.
From supercars and classics to custom builds and performance vehicles, the show created a vibrant atmosphere that attracted visitors from across the region and beyond.
Marketing Campaign Driving Regional Reach
This year’s event was supported by one of the largest collaborative marketing efforts delivered for a Westbourne event to date.The Westbourne Motor Show was heavily promoted across local “What’s On” platforms, community pages, media channels and social groups throughout Dorset and surrounding areas, with a combined potential reach of more than 350,000 people.
Across the four-day event weekend, the event achieved an estimated social reach of between 80,000 and 180,000 impressions, generating particularly strong engagement across Bournemouth and the wider Dorset community.
More than 120 social media pages specifically mentioned the event, while hundreds of posts were shared organically by local businesses, exhibitors and attendees throughout the day. Combined activity is estimated to have generated around 3,000 engagements online, alongside significant attendee-generated content and local amplification.
The BID team also delivered extensive promotion through newsletters, paid advertising campaigns, video content, social media activity, local outreach, and the production and distribution of more than 10,000 leaflets across the local area and during the event itself.
The result was not only record attendance, but wider regional visibility for Westbourne as a destination, helping attract new visitors while reinforcing the village’s growing reputation for major community events.
We continue to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from visitors and attendees, particularly around the atmosphere, business offering, and overall perception of Westbourne as a vibrant destination.
Entertainment for Everyone
The event was designed to be far more than a traditional car show.
Families enjoyed a range of interactive attractions including kids’ zones, Land Rover mini cars, and the hugely popular double decker bus experience, ensuring there was something for every generation to enjoy.
Across the village, live entertainment created an electric atmosphere from day into night. Visitors experienced everything from Latin music and folk performances to DJs and a live brass band, helping Westbourne feel vibrant long after the cars had departed.
Businesses Bringing the Inside Out
More than 20 local businesses participated in the BID’s “Pit Stop Promotions”, bringing activity directly onto the streets and showcasing the very best of Westbourne’s hospitality and retail offering.
The BID team worked directly with businesses in the lead-up to the event through 1:1 engagement and promotional support designed to drive footfall directly into shops, cafés, restaurants, and venues throughout the day.
The impact on the day was clear to see, with queues forming outside retailers and hospitality venues across the village.
Delivering a Successful Event for Westbourne
The Westbourne Motor Show was carefully planned not only as an exciting visitor event, but as a strategic initiative to support the wider objectives of Bournemouth Coastal BID.
Distinctive Destination
The event positioned Westbourne as a standout destination on the South Coast, with coverage achieved across both local and national media channels. The scale of the event and full village road closure created a truly unique experience that reinforced Westbourne’s reputation as a thriving and ambitious location.
Better Business
Driving footfall directly into businesses remained a key priority throughout planning and delivery. Through coordinated promotions, targeted marketing campaigns, and on-the-ground engagement, the event successfully encouraged visitors to explore, shop, eat, and stay longer within the village.
Resident Engagement
Supporting the local community was central to the event planning process. More than 500 letters were distributed to residents ahead of the event to communicate road closure information and ensure the community remained fully informed throughout preparations.
Enhanced Environment
Dedicated litter picking teams operated throughout the day and after the event to ensure Westbourne remained clean, welcoming, and well maintained during periods of high visitor footfall.
A Safe and Secure Event
Safety remained a top priority throughout the event, with SIA security teams and St John Ambulance present across the village to support visitors, businesses, and event operations.
A Huge Thank You
Bournemouth Coastal BID would like to thank every business, partner, resident, volunteer, performer, exhibitor, and visitor who helped make the third Westbourne Motor Show such an incredible success. We’d like to especially thank the British Motor show for seeing our vision 3 years ago when the BID approached them and helping us to deliver a long standing dream and the The Westbourne Business Association for all their support working with businesses and organisers to pull off the event.
The event demonstrated the power of collaboration, community spirit, and destination-led experiences in supporting local business growth and creating memorable moments for Bournemouth’s coast.
With record attendance, significant regional exposure, and overwhelmingly positive feedback, the Westbourne Motor Show has firmly established itself as one of the region’s standout annual events, and one that continues to grow bigger and better each year.