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
West Bay in the War
Our new pop up exhibition 'West Bay at War' will open on Sunday 11th November and run until just after the 80th Anniversary of D Day in June 2024. The exhibition will feature both existing and...
Willow Hare Workshops with Jo Sadler
Come and make a bouncing, leaping Mad Hare sculpture for your home or garden with local willow artist, Jo Sadler. Using locally sourced willow from Somerset, you will learn the fundamentals of willow...
Farm Walks with Alasdair McNab
Join Alasdair from The Old Ways for a walking tour of his farming enterprise at Symondsbury Estate. Meet laying hens whilst learning about wildlife and conservation and the regenerative farming...
Secret Garden Easter Trail
This Easter, come and join the fun at Symondsbury Estate on our Secret Garden Easter Trail. Pop into the Visitor Centre to pick up a trail sheet and head out to egg-splore the Estate. Search for a...
Bob Whitley and Lee MacKenzie - Anne Boleyn Wolf at the Door
Written and Composed by Bob Whitley. Performed by Bob Whitley and Lee MacKenzie. Bob Whitley (guitar, tenor guitar and mandola) and Lee MacKenzie (baroque cello) take us back to the 16th Century and...
Townsend Productions - Behold Ye Ramblers
From the voices of ramblers and campaigners to the songs and poetry inspired by past and current struggles, 'Behold Ye Ramblers' is a new play about The Clarion newspaper and the organisations...