Sandbanks' Biggest Weekend Is Almost Here

Polo on the beach, live music until midnight, and thousands heading to Sandbanks for one unforgettable summer weekend. SandPolo and SandFest returns next month!

Have you got your tickets yet?

Sandbanks doesn't need much of an introduction! One of the most sought-after stretches of coastline in the country, it's the kind of place that earns its reputation every summer without trying. For three days in July, the beach becomes something else entirely - a polo pitch, a dancefloor, and one of the best outdoor music venues in the south of England.

SandPolo and SandFest between them will take over Sandbanks Beach across the weekend of 10-12 July 2026. Two events, different crowds, same iconic backdrop.

SandPolo runs Friday and Saturday and has been doing exactly this since 2008 - professional polo played on sand, with the sea thirty feet from the pitch and Old Harry Rocks sitting on the horizon. The format is fast, the crowds are close, and even a first-timer will be enjoying the play within minutes.

The two days have distinct identities. Friday is SandPolo and Boogie Nights - polo through the afternoon, then an evening headlined by The Brand New Heavies, a DJ set from Craig Charles, Angie Brown, and Brandon Block. Soul, Motown, and disco until midnight on the sand.

Saturday is Ladies Day - think Ascot-on-sea, with champagne, dressed-up crowds, and the polo as the centrepiece of the afternoon. One of the UK's best-loved entertainers is set to bring some 90s nostalgia and summer party vibes to SandPolo Ladies Day this year - Peter Andre! Also The Vamps, and Discoliscious, 90’s, 00’s and club classics until midnight. Under-18s are welcome for the daytime polo but need to be off-site by 7pm.

There are four ticket tiers for SandPolo - General Admission at £60, VIP, VIP Tables, and full Hospitality, which includes fine dining in the marquee and pitch-side seating. It sells out every year, and advance booking is the only option; there are no gate sales.

Then on Sunday 12 July, SandFest takes the same beach and turns it into a boutique music festival running from midday to 10pm, with a single stage, street food traders, and bars. Last entry is 4pm, so arriving early matters. The 2026 lineup includes Mark Kinchen, Notion, and DJ EZ. General Admission is £60.

Getting there is worth thinking about. The Sandbanks peninsula gets genuinely congested on a summer weekend, and parking near the site is limited. The Breezer 50 bus runs direct from Bournemouth station and town square; the Breezer 60 comes from Poole bus station. Taxis from either town are the most straightforward option if public transport doesn't suit.

Three days, one beach, and a lineup that covers polo, disco, soul, and DJs - there aren't many weekends in the Dorset calendar that pack in quite as much.
Tickets for both events are available via Fixr.
sandpolo.com | sandfest.co.uk