What's On and Events in Bridport & West Bay

Visiting Bridport and West Bay and wondering if there are any events and festivals to enjoy? Well, you couldn't have picked a better location to visit.

Bridport and West Bay provide a year round events program celebrating everything from history and heritage, arts, food and even hats!

Shows, gigs and performances

Bridport’s network of theatres provide a wonderful opportunity to enjoy live performing arts. From community led projects to productions and gigs performed by some of the UK's most popular acts.

The town has its own arts centre, plus independent cinema and music venue.

Unique events

Bridport plays host to one of the more unique events to be held in Dorset. The Bridport Hat Festival celebrates all things headwear; well, because why not?

Every September you'll see the folk of Bridport donning their finest headdress and joining in the festival fun. There are prizes for the best hats, so make sure you pack yours!

Carnival Fun

August sees the very popular Bridport Carnival and Torchlight Procession take place each year. The carnival is certainly one of the key events of the year enjoyed by thousands of revellers with organisations from all over the South West taking part.

The following evening sees the torch light procession take place and it is certainly a spectacle that just has to be seen to be believed. A parade of lit torches meander through the streets of Bridport on route to West Bay where they are used to light the beach bonfire that kicks off a night of celebrations.

Foodie fun

Food lovers should certainly make their way to Bridport and West Bay. The local area is renowned for providing the very finest in local produce and the Bridport Food Festival is certainly a celebration of this.

The festival is a weekend of local food and drink to enjoy, with demonstrations, competitions and plenty of wonderful entertainment.

Events coming soon

Beatrix Potterâ„¢ Trail May 17

Beatrix Potterâ„¢ Trail

Step Into a World of Mischief & Magic with Our Beatrix Potterâ„¢ Trail! Join us from Saturday 21st March and throughout the whole summer for a delightful adventure around our garden centre with our...

Symondsbury Estate Plant Fair May 20

Symondsbury Estate Plant Fair

Join us this May for the Symondsbury Plant Fair at Symondsbury Estate - set against the stunning backdrop of Colmers Hill as the Estate's famous wildflowers begin to bloom. This much-loved event...

West Bay Guided Walks May 21

West Bay Guided Walks

Explore the beauty, history and wildlife of West Bay with our friendly and knowledgeable volunteer guides. Our walks are a wonderful way to discover the stories, scenery and surprises that make this...

Dorset Art Weeks May 23

Dorset Art Weeks

23 MAY - 7 JUNE 2026 Dorset Art Weeks (DAW) returns 23 MAY - 7 JUNE 2026. The largest visual arts event of its kind in the county offers 16 days to explore an extraordinary variety of art, from...