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Events and Festivals in Wimborne

If you want fun and colour in your life then the Wimborne Minster area is the place to visit! 

An amazing range of events, from quality music, arts and food festivals to open gardens, traditional village fetes, vehicle displays, guided walks and even a wonderful winter carnival, fill a packed annual diary.

In town and around

With many festival making use of Wimborne Minster’s wonderful courtyards, squares and open spaces, you can combine an entertaining event with a satisfying shopping spree or a trip to one of the town’s visitor attractions.

Events can also be a great way to discover new venues with festival and activities at some more unusual and perhaps slightly quirky locations.

Discovering Wimborne's past

Explore the area’s heritage with special events at the Priest’s House Museum, the Museum of East Dorset, and discover fabulous buildings and historic sites, usually closed to the public, as part of the Dorset-wide Architectural Heritage Week organised by the East Dorset Heritage Trust.

At the nearby Ancient Technology Centre in Cranborne, find out about life in times gone by or watch a performance in their impressive and magical Round House.

Tempting treats

Everyone loves a tasty treat and with its rich horticultural heritage the Wimborne Minster area is blessed with quality producers keen to showcase their delicious food and drink.

Set the taste buds tingling with the tempting treats available at the Wimborne Food and Drink Festival in October, the tongue will certainly be tingling and the mouth on fire with the amazing products on offer at the Great Dorset Chilli Festival. 

Perhaps a visit to the annual Cider or Beer Festival, will then be needed - just to cool you down! 

Together with regular Farmers’ Markets, in the town centre and at the Market site, there are plenty of opportunities to try and buy scrumptious local produce.

Culture vultures

Holidays are meant to be full of fun and who doesn’t like a good laugh? 

Wimborne Minster’s beautifully restored art deco Tivoli Theatre & Cinema hosts well known and emerging comedians as well as a varied programme of drama, music, dance and the latest film releases.

The town has a very strong arts scene, get your toes tapping at the annual Folk Festival, when the streets are filled with music and dance displays, meet a favourite author or listen to an eminent speaker at the Literary Festival or be enthralled by a magical tales at the Sting in the Tale storytelling festival.

Regular photography, art and craft exhibitions, together with professional open-air theatre productions bring local scenes and historic settings to life.

And now for something different…

Colourful characters with a quick wit and booming voices, the Town Criers of southern England gather biennially on Wimborne Minster’s delightful Minster Green to perform in the Southern England Town Criers Championships.

Wimborne’s own Town Crier helps to organise the town’s annual Buskers Bash for Cash - where passers by are the judges and decide who has the X-Factor! 

Sometimes it is wonderful to return to a time when life seemed simpler, so take a moment to visit one of the area’s traditional village fetes, flower and plant shows or open garden events. 

What could be better than fresh air and exercise, particular when it is great fun, so pop along to Dreamboats on the River Stour for the annual race or their Family Fun event. 

If you don’t feel like taking to the water yourself you could always cheer on one of the bright yellow entrants in the annual Duck Race!

Whatever the season there is something to entertain all the members of the family, and it doesn’t need to cost the earth with many events free of charge.

Use the events search tool on the website to find out what is happening and when, if you are coming for a specific event, take the chance to stay a while longer and discover all that the Wimborne Minster area has to offer. 

A great range of guest houses and self catering accommodation is available; start planning your Wimborne weekend (or week!) today.

Events coming soon

Guided Snowdrop Walks Feb 06

Guided Snowdrop Walks

Join one of the Kingston Lacy volunteers on an exclusive walk down paths lined with carpets of snowdrops. Learn more about the many different varieties and discover their long history at Kingston...

The Oceanaires Feb 15

The Oceanaires

Fresh from their first concert in October 2022, the newly revived big band from The Bands of HM Royal Marines, 'The Oceanaires', are excited to reinvigorate the music from the 1940's swing...

Latchepen Mar 05

Latchepen

Latchepen are born out of a collective admiration of Django Reinhardt and anything that swings. Acoustic by nature, this is jazz on strings, with influences ranging from Romani music to bebop. The...

FiFi La Mer - A Journey into French Music Mar 10

FiFi La Mer - A Journey into French Music

Fifi la Mer and Oliver Wilby will take you on a journey through 100 years of French music, from Offenbach to Gainsbourg, not forgetting Michel Legrand and Edith Piaf. Featuring the dulcet tones of...

New Perspectives - The Swearing Jar Mar 11

New Perspectives - The Swearing Jar

Finding one true soulmate is fortunate. Finding two, life becomes complicated. Meet husband and wife, Simon and Carey - the perfect couple. He has some news to share, but she gets in first with a jar....

Family History Workshop Mar 18

Family History Workshop

Family history is fascinating and increasingly popular, and thanks to the many records available, it's a thought-provoking and enjoyable hobby. With knowledgeable support and advice from local...

Bird Feeders Willow Weaving Course Mar 19

Bird Feeders Willow Weaving Course

These beautiful willow bird feeders will grace any garden, and something you can make as eco gifts for family and friends. You will make three different but equally attractive willow bird feeders -...

Feast of Fiddles Mar 21

Feast of Fiddles

The Feast of Fiddles set out on their Spring Tour once again in 2023 following a very successful return to the road last year post pandemic restrictions. Born in Nettlebed on Valentine's Day 1994...

Felted Toadstool Workshop Apr 01

Felted Toadstool Workshop

Join Sarah Jane in this small and friendly workshop where you will learn the art of needle-felting. Over the course of the morning you will create a toadstool and mount it on a disc of wood. All...

Natural Willow Birdfeeders Apr 15

Natural Willow Birdfeeders

Feed the birds in style this Spring by creating two natural willow birdfeeders. A corn dolly for suet and peanuts, and a fat ball birdfeeder. All will be made from weaving English willow. Suitable for...

Historic Garden Tour Apr 19

Historic Garden Tour

Discover our beautiful, historic walled garden in the company of Simon, our lead gardener. The walls mark what would have originally been a medieval plot of land. Simon explores the fascinating...

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