The Lifeboat Festival will feature an open-house event at the Support Centre site, with behind-the-scenes tours of the facilities and factories, examples of the current fleet on display, launch and recovery demonstrations, interactive workshops in the college, demonstrations in the Sea Survival Centre, and an RNLI Showcase Hub at the rear of the ALC featuring a stage with Q&As, talks and live music, children’s entertainment, trade stands, food and drink.

The Quayside in Poole will host the History of Maritime Search and Rescue Boat show, with an array of historic and international in-service lifeboats moored at the Marina. A road closure will be in place for part of the Quay, and the public will be able to access the marina pontoons to see the lifeboats and talk to crews. The Quay will have static lifeboats on display, a pop-up RNLI shop, Lifeboat Enthusiasts models and heritage stands. There will be live music and street entertainers. Poole Lifeboat Station and the Old Lifeboat Museum will also be open for the weekend.

On Sunday afternoon there will be a Parade of Sail to close the event, and this will feature the current RNLI fleet, historic and international lifeboats, processing down the main channel and returning up the north channel.