Are you ready for Dorset’s Biggest Business Festival?

Following the massive success of last year’s event, Dorset Chamber will be running the Dorset Business Festival 2024.

Taking place across two weeks (30 Sept – 10 Oct), the Festival features six high-quality and prestigious events, with a major focus on celebrating Dorset businesses and the role of businesses as a force for good.

After an incredible first year, Dorset Chamber is  delighted to announce the Dorset Business Festival will return in 2024. Last year’s inaugural Festival saw 800 businesses take part in five major events during a very busy week, including the return of the acclaimed Dorset Business Awards. 

The 2024 Dorset Business Festival theme will be “business as a force for good” and will celebrate the importance of business in playing a positive and impactful role in society beyond purely generating profits.

The Festival will begin with the launch of the Dorset Business Awards on 23 April at the Dorset County Museum. This free to attend event will be an opportunity to find out about the categories, the judges and criteria as well as to network and meet our Festival Partners. The awards will open for entries on 1 May and close on 13 June.

The Festival will open with a busy networking breakfast with over 100 people with a speaker at Rick Stein restaurant in Poole on Monday 30  September.

The 2 October will see the Dorset Business Festival Expo take place at the Hilton Bournemouth, a B2B Expo with over 70 exhibitors. Businesses can book a stand and the Expo is free to attend as a visitor. Last year’s Expo saw a footfall of an incredible 350 businesses. Stands for this event will sell out very quickly so early booking is advised.

The Dorset Business Festival Conference takes place on 9 October, embracing the theme “Business as a force for good”. Hosted by Declan Curry, we will hear from a high-profile keynote speaker and hold four panel discussions over the day on key issues underpinning our theme. The conference will also provide a high-level networking opportunity.

The grand finale of the Festival will be the Dorset Business Awards on 10 October where we will celebrate the achievements of our 30 finalists across ten categories and announce our winners. This is the main business event of the year in Dorset and not to be missed.

Follow us on social media and in our newsletters to be part of the 2024 Dorset Business Festival.

Premier Festival Partner

Lester Aldridge

Festival Partners

A two week celebration of business with six great events between April and October:

A drinks and canapés event to launch the categories and announce the judges for the 2024 DBAs.

This event will provide the opportunity for finalists and Festival Partners to meet prior to the awards ceremony with drinks & canapés. The event will include networking and photo opportunities.

A networking breakfast at the picturesque Rick Stein’ in Sandbanks to start the Dorset Business Festival in style. The event will include a delicious sit-down breakfast, a key note speaker and high-level networking.

An exhibition with 70 stands, featuring businesses promoting their goods and services. The Expo events are always very popular and offer an excellent networking opportunity with tickets free for delegates.

Featuring keynote speakers, and hosted by former BBC Breakfast business correspondent, Declan Curry, the Conference will explore the role of ‘Business as a Force for Good’ and feature panels, debates, Q&As and high-level networking.

The return of the popular Dorset Business Awards. This will be a high-quality and prestigious event that celebrates Dorset businesses across ten categories.

Dates for Your Diary.

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Our Festival Partners 

Lester Aldridge, a leading law firm with offices in Bournemouth, Southampton, and London, provides expert legal advice to businesses and individuals regionally, nationally, and internationally. With a strong reputation and over 350 staff, we offer tailored solutions and a genuine partnership approach, ensuring accessibility and ease of interaction. It is one of the largest full-service law firms in the South.

Blue Sky Financial Planning is a leading independent, chartered financial planning company based in Poole, Dorset. Focusing on strategic planning for the long-term, Blue Sky helps individuals, families and businesses feel more empowered and more in control of their financial futures. Blue Sky is proud to be an EOT (Employee Ownership Trust). 

It is a leading financial planning company helping clients live the life they want.

Bournemouth and Poole College is a further education institution that offers a diverse range of vocational and academic courses. It provides training in disciplines including creative arts, business, health, and digital, catering to students from various backgrounds, preparing them for different career paths in a supportive learning environment.

Bournemouth and Poole College is a leading provider of comprehensive, innovative, and diverse education in Dorset.

 

Dorset Council is a local authority which supports sustainable economic growth across the county, enabling high-quality jobs through improvements to productivity, sustainability, and accessibility, creating great places to live, work and visit. 

ElectriX is an EV specialist, powered by LV= General Insurance. We make it easy for businesses to switch to electric vehicles – we offer business contract hire and salary sacrifice, as well as personal leasing. And to make it even simpler, we can package the car, insurance cover and charger. For further info visit www.LVelectrix.co.uk

For over 100 years, YMCA Bournemouth & Poole has been proud to have positively impacted the lives of those in the BCP area. Community Centres, Leisure & Sport Facilities, Housing & Accommodation, Family Work, Holiday Clubs, Affordable Training, Counselling Service and so much more…