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Events and Festivals in Dorchester

Are you searching for a place that buzzes with events all year round?

Well get ready to fill your days with festivals, fairs, shows, carnivals and concerts as Dorchester has them all!

Festival fever in Dorchester

Dorchester has a vibrant mix of festivals; the popular Thomas Hardy Victorian Fair in June, the Cider Festival in August and the Dorchester Literary Festival in the Autumn.

But the highlight of Dorchester’s calendar year has to be the Dorset County Show, an annual agricultural show featuring over 450 tradestands and a fantastic array of attractions. Drawing in the crowds are the spectacular main ring performances, the show jumping, the rousing scurry racing, the funfair and not forgetting of course all of the delicious food and shopping there is to be done.

Dorchester's seasonal events

No matter what the weather is doing, there’s always somewhere to go in Dorchester.

In February, welcome the newborn lambs into the world at Kingston Maurward’s lambing weekend and at Easter, hunt throughout the Dinosaur Museum to spot the dinosaur eggs and solve the mystery.

In the Summer, take the family and a picnic down to the Borough Gardens or Maumbury Rings and enjoy the live music events.

And at Christmas, the town is lit up and filled with the wonderful aroma of roasted chestnuts for the Christmas Cracker, Dorchester’s Christmas shopping event.

Market days in Dorchester

Wednesday is Dorchester’s market day so come and enjoy the lively atmosphere, pick up some fresh produce, clothes, plants, flowers, antiques, collectables and gifts.

A Country Market is held every Friday in Dorchester's Corn Exchange and a Farmers’ Market is also held at Poundbury’s Queen Mother Square on the first Saturday of the month. So, time your visit to Dorchester well and you’ll be in for some tasty treats!

Events coming soon

Artists in Residence Exhibition at Cerne Abbey Jun 07

Artists in Residence Exhibition at Cerne Abbey

Artists in Residence is an open art exhibition at Cerne Abbey in the historic village of Cerne Abbas, Dorset, forming part of Dorset Art Weeks 2026. Set within the medieval Guest House and Pond Garden...

Choral Eucharist Jun 07

Choral Eucharist

You are warmly invited to our cathedral-style service of Choral Eucharist on Sunday 7th June at 10.30am in St Peter's Church, Dorchester. The music includes: Thomas Tallis's 'If ye love...

An Evening of Opera Jun 13

An Evening of Opera

We welcome you to join us for an unforgettable evening of fabulous music! Confirmed performers include opera singers Daniel Meades, Cheryl Enever and Ian Bloomfield. They will be perform a variety of...

Orchids and Grasses with Leif Bersweden Jun 13

Orchids and Grasses with Leif Bersweden

This one-day workshop aims to introduce and inspire you to quickly and confidently identify a range of orchids and grasses across a variety of different grassland types, from traditional meadows and...

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