Eleven superb Southport events and festivals you'll love in 2025

Southport’s sunny coastline is enough reason to visit the much-loved destination. But with 2025 promising an amazing array of family days out and diverse attractions there’s even more incentive to see what Southport has to offer!

With family favourite attractions galore – the hilarious Southport Comedy Festival, the town’s first ever Southport Armed Forces Festival, the iconic Southport Flower Show, British Musical Fireworks Championship and the thrilling Southport Air Show – returning and brand-new event options for all the family to enjoy, Southport has something for everyone.

Here Visit Southport gives you a rundown of just some of the events and options to put in your diary and make it a year to remember…

1 – Southport Jazz Festival (January 31 – February 2)

The Grand, Lord Street, Southport

Southport Jazz Festival. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport

Enjoy 10 superb jazz shows for people of all tastes in the stylish Grand on Lord Street.

See performances by Liana Carroll and Friends; Jeremy Sassoon’s Ray Charles Project; Swingtime Big Band ft Anthony Strong and more.

Tickets are available for each show, each day or for the whole festival.

The Grand is offering a special Jazz Festival Menu.

Book tickets: SJF Home | Southport Jazz Festival

2 – Southport Food and Drink Festival (May 30 – June 1)

Victoria Park, Southport, PR8 2BZ

People at Southport Food and Drink Festival. Credit Visit Southport

Foodies rejoice as the Southport Food and Drink Festival returns with a variety of vendors to titillate your senses. Visitors can take their tastebuds on a world tour with foods from Yorkshire all the way to the Caribbean with diverse dishes such as homemade pies, Pad Thai, pizza, jerk chicken. Sweet treats on offer include crepes, brownies, and ice cream from a local dairy.

As well as the fantastic food, families can enjoy a whole weekend of entertainment with local bands and musicians performing.

Cost: Free entry.

3 – Southport Armed Forces Festival (June 28-29)

Southport town centre

Southport Armed Forces Day. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport

The Southport Armed Forces Day is set to evolve into an exciting new event in 2025, now known as the Southport Armed Forces Festival!

Mark your calendars for the weekend of 28th-29th June, 2025, as we celebrate our armed forces and the vibrant town of Southport with an unforgettable weekend of festivities.

The Southport Armed Forces Festival will consist of three key elements designed to honour our military while showcasing the spirit of our town:

Carnival Celebration: Organisers invite all schools, community organisations, groups, and local businesses to participate in the carnival parade, making this a truly inclusive event

Battle of the Band’s Music Concert: The Battle of the Bands concert will take place in Southport Pleasureland’s outdoor arena.

Traditional Armed Forces Day: This part of the festival will take place on Sunday, 29th June, 2025, and will start with the traditional Drumhead multi-faith military church service.

4 – Lap up the Dogs Direct UK Summer Festival (June 28-29)

Victoria Park, Southport, PR8 2BZ

Southport will also host the ulti-mutt weekend for dog lovers! The Dogs Direct UK Summer Festival is back with more paw-some fun and entertainment with special guests and demos from

ITV’s Dr Scott Miller, Channel 4’s dog expert, Chloe Fuller, and more. This year’s event will raise the woof with exciting activities for dog lovers and your furry friends.

Cost: Tickets from £9.50 (Adults) and £5 (Kids), under 5s go free.

5 – Conquer the Coast Fitness Event (July 19)

Victoria Park, The Esplanade, Southport, PR8 1RX

Introducing the North West’s newest and toughest fitness competition, coming to Southport this summer.

With a backdrop of Southport’s stunning coastline, experience the thrill of this full-day event which will challenge teams of four (2 men, 2 women) with a series of high-intensity workouts designed to test every aspect of fitness – strength, endurance, agility, and teamwork.

Beyond the competition, the event will be packed with top-tier vendors supplying everything you need for an epic day – gear, food, supplements, and more.

6 – Southport Flower Show (August 14-17)

Victoria Park, Southport, PR8 2BZ

The Now And Then show garden created by Paul and Jane Joughin of Absolutely Splashing won the inaugural Tim Timmerman Trophy at Southport Flower Show. The trophy was presented by Mr Timmerman’s wife Shirley Timmerman. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport

Another blooming great event to diary here. Every year, the Southport Flower Show promises four days of beautiful show gardens and stunning floral displays, as well as live cookery demos from TV chefs Rosemary Shrager and Phil Vickery that will inspire you in the kitchen. The live entertainment doesn’t stop there as there will be more celebrity appearances as well as a pop-up home and garden shopping village.

Cost: Tickets from £20, under 16s go free.

7 – Southport Air Show (August 30-31)

Southport Seafront, Southport, PR8 1RY

Southport Air Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport

Get ready to be on Cloud Nine and buckle in for the flight of your life as the Southport Air Show promises a weekend full of thrills and entertainment. From flight stimulators to military vehicles. Adults and children alike will be in awe of the impressive aerial displays taking over the skies of the Southport coastline.

Cost: General admission £12.90, under 16s go free.

8 – WLYC 24 Hour Yacht Race (September 13-14)

Marine Lake, The Promenade, Southport PR9 0EA

The 24 Hour Yacht Race in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport

Buoy this sound great! Clear your calendars as the sailing community invites you to the annual West Lancashire Yacht Club 24 Hour Yacht Race. The UK’s largest dinghy event is back in the sailing calendar and will see over 500 competitors and hundreds of club volunteers and supporters flock to Marine Lake for the race.

Cost: Spectators go free. First entries for competitors are now available at an early bird rate of £330 (per club/organisation).

9 – British Musical Fireworks Championship (September 27-28)

Victoria Park, Southport, PR8 2BZ

The British Musical Fireworks Championship in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport

Experience a firecracker of a night at the British Musical Fireworks Championship as fireworks will be synchronised to music in this pyro musical competition that will make you burst with excitement. Sparks will be flying with over 10 tonnes of fireworks and more than two tonnes of explosive material used throughout the competition.

Cost: Tickets from £12, under 5s go free.

10 – Southport Comedy Festival (October 3-19)

Victoria Park, Southport, PR8 2BZ

Jason Manford at Southport Comedy Festival

Laughter is the best medicine so enjoy a great night of entertainment as the Southport Comedy Festival returns once again. We can already hear the crowd roaring with laughter as this year’s line-up has big names such as Omid Djalili and Ardal O’Hanlon, as well as Chris McCausland, fresh from his Strictly Come Dancing win.

Cost: Tickets from £26, 16+ PG.