🗓️ Wednesday 2nd August
⚠️ Postponed
This event has been postponed due to bad weather until further notice.
Celebrate one hundred years since the Swanage Bandstand was erected at a special centenary concert this summer.
Enjoy a great afternoon and evening with a range of local choirs, singers, and musical groups including Swanage Town Band performing.
Bring a picnic to this free family-friendly event. All donations go towards the continued upkeep of the bandstand.
Brief History of the Bandstand
Work first began on the historic structure in 1923, with young soldiers returning from WWI digging out the bandstand’s amphitheatre as a way of boosting their mental health.
The bandstand was officially opened exactly 100 years ago to the day of this concert: Wednesday 2nd August 1923.
After suffering significant storm damage and facing permanent dismantling, a group of local people formed the Friends of Swanage Bandstand and campaigned to save this important piece of the town’s history.
Swanage’s bandstand is believed to be one of just four surviving bandstands of its kind in the UK.
After raising some ÂŁ150k, the bandstand was fully restored and reopened in 2019, allowing it to once again be used as an outdoor music and community venue.
Timings
- 2pm – Grand Opening by Swanage Town Crier, Andrew Felming & the Mayor Tina Foster
- 2.15pm – Karen Grant & the Singing for Pleasure Choir
- 2.30pm – Harmony Rocks Choir
- 3.15pm – Karen Grant
- 3.30pm – All Sort’d Choir
- 4pm – The Stone Keys
- 5pm – Kelp
- 6pm – Aaron Hughes
- 6.30pm – Karent Grant
- 7pm – Swanage Town Band
- 8pm – Southern Union Chorus
- 8.45pm – Finish
(Note that timings are approximate and the concert is weather-dependent.)
Keep up to date with what’s happening at the bandstand by following Swanage Town Band on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SwanageTownBand