Local Events and Carnival Fancy Dress

It’s time to GO WILD! Camp Bestival is returning for the 8th year running and with head liners like Professor Green and Clean Bandit, you know it will be one to look forward to this July! What Is Camp Bestival? Camp Bestival is the sister festival to Bestival held annually on the Isle of Wight. From the first event in 2008 it has won multiple awards including Best New Festival in its first year and Best Family Festival four times since! What more excuse could you need to treat the whole family? Set in the idyllic grounds of Lulworth Castle on Dorset’s famous Jurassic coast, you couldn't pick a better spot for a relaxed family festival experience. As always, there will be plenty to see and do for all ages including an enormous kid’s area where they can enjoy arts and crafts, circus workshops and go-carts! Continue reading →

Totton goes around the world! This year’s Totton and Eling carnival is going to be a very colourful display with participants representing countries and cultures from all across the globe! Each year Totton Carnival Committee along with local volunteers put on a spectacular show for their community and this year will certainly be no different. On Saturday 20th June the people of Totton and Eling will be treated to a fantastic array of parade floats all dressed up in an “Around the World” theme. Expect some very extravagant costumes for this one! What To Expect at Totton? The parade will kick off at 4pm from Calmore industrial estate, heading down Salisbury Road and then into the Eling recreation grounds. As always the SO16 Troopers and Nerdageddon team will be joining the fun, we can’t wait to see if they will tie in the parade theme! Waiting at the end of the parade will be a variety of stalls selling food and other interesting nick nacks. Better still there will be a fun fair full of exciting rides that all the family can enjoy, it will be open from 2pm on the day so you can even go for a quick spin before the parade starts! Continue reading →

Arrrr! It’s that time of year again land lubbers! The Pirates of Poole are taking over the Quay for Harry Paye Day! The Pirates of Poole are a local community group striving to keep the maritime history of Poole alive and they also hold events to raise money for local charities and causes. In 2006 they began an event to celebrate Poole’s most famous and notorious pirate of all and thus Harry Paye Day was born! The day was such a success that it became an annual celebration. Who Was Harry Paye? Harry Paye certainly made a name for himself in the 15th Century, so much so that you still hear the tales to this day. Both Paye and his ship, the Mary , appear in the Kings records as being a transport to Spain, but the Spaniards marked him as a thief. He is said to have stolen the gold cross from the Church of Finisterre... We wouldn’t put it past him! Paye became notorious for burning the Spanish city of Gijion, home of his lover Countess Isabel. All of his terrible escapades drove the Spanish to seek revenge on the dreaded Arripaye! In 1405 passing Spanish and French Galleys discovered that Poole was the home of their nemesis and unleashed a deadly fighting force upon the town. When Harry Paye got wind of destruction to his home and that his brother fell in the horrific battle, he took action! He gathered a fleet of ships and captured French and Spanish cargo vessels, seizing copious amounts of booty, including rather of lot of high quality wine. Paye took the cargo back to Poole and shared it with the town’s people in hope that it would ease the suffering that he bought to them. According to the stories they feasted and drank for days after. Continue reading →

It’s time for the biggest end of year blowout on the South coast! We bring you SUBU Summer Ball 2015 and it is set to be HUGE! You've gathered your friends; you've got your tickets now all you need to do is get your costumes! Summer Ball! Having fun in fancy dress is what Summer Ball is all about so make sure you get yourself ready as soon as possible. There is no set theme for Summer Ball fancy dress so you can literally be whoever and whatever you choose! The possibilities are endless and there is no limit on how creative you can be. As you can imagine, we've seen some really great Summer Ball costumes over the years and are proud to say that we've contributed to a lot of what you see while you’re partying it up! We thought it was only fair to give you some ideas and pointers to help you choose your fancy dress for this year’s SUBU bash. Continue reading →

Weymouth BID has joined forces with the Weymouth Garrison and Nothe Fort to give us a weekend of pirate fun for all the family! Now in its 3rd year the Weymouth Pirate Festival is set to be the biggest and best yet, so make sure you’re there! The event is organised by the Dorset Buccaneers and raises much needed funds to restore Weymouth’s Town Hall, which has seen plenty of Pirate skirmishes in its time. From the 3rd to the 6th April there will be a whole host of family friendly pirate activities to get stuck into and if that wasn’t enough to excite you, it’s free! The local businesses and most of the town’s people will be dressed to the nines in pirate fancy dress too, so don’t be shy and get involved! Pirate Antics Live music entertainment over the weekend will be provided by the world renowned Celtic pirate band The Dolmen who will play their first show on the Friday night at The Golden Lion and then host The Pirate’s Keep evening at The Wyke Smugglers on the Saturday. Sunday will see The Boot play host to The Captain’s Beard who will also be around and about the town over the weekend providing shanties as they go. Continue reading →

  There is nothing more magical than Christmas time. Just the thought of it can warm you right to the core. Here in Bournemouth there is plenty to keep you in the festive spirit the whole way through the season, so dig out your Christmas hats and come on down to town. Shopping In the heart of Bournemouth you will find the German inspired Christmas market. Here you will be greeted with huts selling all manners of delights; from warm chestnuts to cosy clothing. This year features some stunning jewellery, gorgeous leatherwork and beautifully handcrafted sculptures and ornaments, perfect for those extra special Christmas gifts. If you get peckish with all that shopping then you’re in for a treat! Delicious aromas fill the air with traditional German bratwurst, a scrumptious hog roast and a huge array of confectionary available fresh from the stalls. Drinking If you’re in need of a break, or if the ladies need a place to park their husbands while they shop, then we have our very own Christmas staple, The Moose Bar! A traditional Alpine style bar with a beer garden serving up German lagers and warm mulled wines all under the watchful eye of an enormous joke telling moose! Enjoy a tipple out of the well know festive boot mugs or delve into all the Christmas spirits! This year, be in with the chance of winning a cash prize by taking a photo of yourself at the Moose Bar in your Christmas outfit and uploading it to S&D Leisure’s Facebook page! Don't forget to pop into Hollywood to find yourself the perfect costumes and accessories to help you win! Continue reading →

It Is Time...Done your capes, put your underwear on the outside of your trousers and show off your super hero style for this year’s Children In Need extravaganza! BBC’s Children In Need is an annual charity event designed to help children nationwide. Money donated by volunteers and fundraisers goes towards funding activities, events and schemes for disabled children and disadvantaged young people. Most people know BBC Children In Need by the telethon shown on BBC One each November. This year it will be broadcasted live from Albert Square, famously the set of hit British soap Eastenders. Sir Terry Wogan will be hosting as he has been since the first televised appeal in 1980 and will of course be joined by everyone’s favourite bear, Pudsey! Pudsey has been the poster child for Children In Need since 1985 when first created by BBC graphic designer Joanna Ball. Before being re-designed a year later Pudsey was depicted with a sad expression and was also orange, rather than the sunshine yellow we know and love today. Continue reading →

Camp Bestival 2014 Hello happy campers! In need of some family friendly fun this summer? Do you love the circus? Then look no further than Camp Bestival! From Thursday 31st to Sunday July-3rd August Lulworth Castle will be surrounded with thousands of happy faces of all ages and this year a lot of them will be clowns! Roll up! Roll...

Bourne Free If you come down to Bournemouth on Saturday 12th July, prepare to be dazzled! The streets will be flowing with colour, music and laughter and all the joy that Bourne Free brings to our town! For those of you that are yet to experience the marvel, Bourne Free is Bournemouth’s very own version of gay pride. People young...

Blissfields Festival and 4th July 2014 Take a walk on the wild side this weekend with the brilliant Blissfields festival 2014. This amazing festival is happening on July 4th and the 5th. So if you celebrate the 4th July for independence day, this is a great way to celebrate whilst having fun! This awesome festival is located at Vicarage Farm...

Thursday 8th May is a date for everyone’s diary because The Real Brothers are back! For those of you aren't quite sure on who these delights are they host the biggest and best parties around! Celebrate and help fund-raise with this brilliant Real Brothers RALSA Fund raiser! Here at Hollywood we love hearing these guys are back in Bournemouth, filling Cameo with students, fun and the best music around. Continue reading →

A few days from now in a shop not so far, far away, several new versions of our favourite star wars character costumes are waiting to be worn. Here at Hollywood we’re ready and waiting to fulfil all of you Star Wars shaped needs. We have it all from the deluxe, movie quality hire costumes to the brand new second...

We have an exciting new sale rail at our Castle Lane Store! This fantastic 'Vintage Hire Costumes Sale Rail' is located on our bottom floor at our Castle Lane Branch, on Castle Lane West. This genius new rail is not only a BARGAIN but a brilliant way to get your hands on an authentic/ vintage fancy dress costume! These fabulous and...

Do you have your Geek Costume for the Student Traffic Geek Chick night at the old fire station (Bournemouth) on 10th April (Tomorrow) yet?! Completely Nerd out in style with our fantastic Geek and School day accessories and costumes! This fantastic night is for students and one of the most memorable nights of the year! https://www.facebook.com/events/1476715729208513/ So grab a friend...

Fancy dress doesn't have to have a point, that's why its fancy dress! Hold your breath, make a wish, count to  three.. Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination, with Hollywood's candy creator costumes for both men and women. Not yet got the hairstyle to match your new costume? Not to worry, we've got just...

Nothing says I love you mum better than a big ol' balloon! Spoil your mum this Mother's day with a brilliant, big balloon! With plenty to choose from in store to suit her style- we are a balloon bazaar! Try out one of our famous 'Teddy in a balloon' for £9.99! Don't have a teddy? No problem we have a great selection to...

This bank holiday 25th August, Arubas ever popular Jazz Juice celebrates its 21st birthday, and it’s going to be BIG! This Summer sizzler of an evening promises drink deals, great funky music from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and the best part is that the first 200 people to arrive in fancy dress get in for FREE! So make your...

Are you ready for Boomtown? Hollywood certainly is, with 7 Boomtown fancy dress themes based around a magical pop up town, Boomtown celebrates fancy dress, alternative music and enchantment! Whether you’re going as a pirate, a pensioner a pimp or hoe, a Latina lovely, a Great Gatsby style glamour puss, a hippy, a  tribal warrior or are sampling the orient...

Big news party fans, October 26th Russell Brand is coming to Bournemouth's very own BIC for his much anticipated 'Messiah Complex Tour'. However what makes this so exciting is that he's inviting everyone to come wearing fancy dress and whoever does, will be brought on stage with him! Basing this request on Bournemouths notoriety for fancy dress, we're predicting that...

Loyal Subjects, From 11th to the 14th July 2013, Britain will be celebrating the Queens Royal Coronation Festival, a recognition of 60 years as reigning monarch, and we couldn't be prouder! Perfect for the occasion now at Hollywood you can grab Union Jack waving flags, Union Jack Hats and for the evening gala or even a street party of your own...