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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

"BREAKING FREE" MIXED MEDIA ART WORKSHOP May 15

"BREAKING FREE" MIXED MEDIA ART WORKSHOP

BREAKING FREE A mixed media art workshop for all abilities. Try your hand at Chinese brush painting, charcoal, oil pastels, acrylics, stencils, stamps and collage! First, sketch in the Victorian cells...

Pick Your Own Flowers - Flower Field Open Days May 15

Pick Your Own Flowers - Flower Field Open Days

Come and browse the beautiful flower field located in Friar Waddon, between Weymouth and Dorchester in Dorset. Choose your own stems to take home from the wide array of seasonal, chemical free blooms...

Dorchester Vegan MegaMarket May 16

Dorchester Vegan MegaMarket

The Dorchester Vegan MegaMarket returns outdoors to the historic Maumbury Rings Roman Amphitheatre this Spring! With FREE ENTRY to our 2 Day May MegaMarket, with 50+ stalls of 100% vegan products...

Lunchtime Concert May 16

Lunchtime Concert

Join us at St Peter's Church Dorchester on Saturday 16th May between 12.30pm and 1.00pm for our monthly lunchtime concert. Natalie Burton (clarinet) and Rob Taylor (piano) perform the Copland...

Smuggling in Dorset and Hampshire May 21

Smuggling in Dorset and Hampshire

In the 18th and 19th centuries high taxes led to an increase in illicit imports to Britain. Coastal communities in Dorset and Hampshire became hubs for contraband. Stories of the battles between...

Artists in Residence Exhibition at Cerne Abbey May 23

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...

Fawlty Towers Comedy Dinner Show - 23/05/2026 May 23

Fawlty Towers Comedy Dinner Show - 23/05/2026

Join us for the dinner event of the year which combines fine food and classic comedy action as Basil, Sybil and Manuel do their very best to look after you the only way they know how. Chaos and mayhem...

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