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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

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.

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

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 the Corn Exchange and a Farmers’ Market is also held up 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

What if the Swallows Didn't Come Back? Apr 17

What if the Swallows Didn't Come Back?

Every year fewer return. How do swallows and other migratory birds enrich our lives and what can we do to help them? Reflecting on the Future for Britain's Migratory birds. Michael McCarthy is one...

Free Lunchtime Concert Apr 20

Free Lunchtime Concert

Join us at St Peter's Church, Dorchester on Saturday 20th April between 12.30 and 1pm for our monthly lunchtime concert. Dorchester-based baritone, Stefan Oakes, accompanied by pianist, Peter...

The Giant in a Sacred Landscape Apr 20

The Giant in a Sacred Landscape

Dr Helen Gittos grew up in the area and has childhood memories of the Giant. She is now based at the University of Oxford. Her first book, Liturgy, Architecture and Sacred Places in Anglo-Saxon...

All Trees Are Clocks Apr 21

All Trees Are Clocks

All Trees Are Clocks is the second performance this season responding to environmental issues and is a live multi-media performance exploring the environmental impacts of climate change. The concert...

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