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The free-to-attend Arts by the Sea festival is set to conclude its spectacular celebration of art, culture and community with a burn of the festival’s one-of-a-kind installation, The Honey Pot. The unique art piece will be at Bournemouth Beach for the full festival weekend (Friday 27 – Sunday 29 September), with the closing event set to feature a breathtaking bonfire designed to mark the festival’s finale at 8:00pm.

Leading up to the finale, The Torchlight Trail will guide festival-goers along the prom to the bottom of the East Cliff Zig Zag, with community leaders lighting the way in a show of unity and celebration. The trail will culminate at The Honey Pot, a visually striking honeycomb-shaped structure created by Pyrite Creative in collaboration with Arts by the Sea and Shambala, where a breathtaking burn will create a dramatic and memorable conclusion to the festival.

Art-lovers will be able to view and gain entrance to The Honey Pot between Thursday 26 and Sunday 29 September, before the burn takes place on Bournemouth Beach at 8:00 pm on Sunday 29. Audiences will be able to watch The Torchlight Trail as it passes along the prom on Sunday evening from 7:30 pm, ahead of the burning of The Honey Pot. This event is free and open to the public.

Tor Byrnes, Creative Director at Arts by the Sea, said: “The festival finale burn, is more than just a visual spectacle; it symbolises the rich tradition of fireside storytelling in the South West of England, where communities gather to share stories and mark the change of seasons. The Honey Pot will celebrate the transition from summer to autumn, inviting attendees to reflect on the natural and cultural shifts that this time of year brings.

“All materials used for the fire will be recycled, underscoring our commitment to environmental consciousness and sustainability. Don’t miss this exceptional event as we bid farewell to summer and embrace the autumn season with a stunning visual display of fire, light and community spirit. This piece is inspired by burns across the UK festival scene and I’m so proud to bring such a unifying piece of work to our seafront.”

As part of this year’s festival theme, TASTE, The Honey Pot invites the community to come together in a celebration of shared experiences, cultural diversity and artistic expression. The fire will be a symbolic act of burning away the old to make way for the new, encouraging attendees to savour the sensory and cultural richness of the festival. The event promises to be an immersive experience that embodies the spirit of Arts by the Sea, celebrating creativity, community and the collective joy of togetherness.


The opportunity to host a burn on the beach has been made possible through a rigorous safety protocol developed in partnership with local authorities and fire safety experts. All necessary precautions have been taken to ensure that the event is both safe and enjoyable for everyone, with a detailed safety plan in place to manage and mitigate risks effectively.

For more information about the Arts by the Sea festival and The Honey Pot, please visit www.artsbythesea.co.uk.