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

If you love the pageantry of centuries past then the biennial Wimborne History Festival is a must, a living history event that celebrates Wimborne Minster’s fascinating history with the sights and sounds of battle, dynamic action and hands-on activities.

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.

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! 

You won’t need a beard (or even a moustache) to enjoy the Hairy Man Festival, like the equally wonderfully named ‘Henfest’ it is a local music and arts Festival in a delightful setting on the banks of the River Stour on the outskirts of Wimborne Minster.

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.