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 festivals and activities at some more unusual and perhaps slightly quirky locations.

Set in 12 acres of working farmland, Family Fest bring the best craft, sweet food and small business traders along with two days of fun-packed live music in June.

We Out Here Festival returns for another year, just a 15 minute drive out of town. Across four days, enjoy the biggest names in Jazz, Soul, Hip Hop, Brazilian and sounds from across the globe, and at night, dance to some of the scene's most exciting DJs. Alongside the music, there'll be a wellness programme (yoga, breathwork, massage, dance and more), a Talks Tent, Roller disco, and independent Record Fair.

Discovering Wimborne's past

Explore the area’s heritage with special events at the Museum of East Dorset.

You can also 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 magical performance in their impressive and 'hobbit-house like' round Earthouse.

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 (and you're tongue) tingling with the amazing products on offer at the Great Dorset Chilli Festival or nearby Cheese and Chilli Festival at Christchurch.

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

Together with regular Farmers’ Markets, in the town centre and at Market Square, 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 magical tales at the Earthouse at Cranborne's Ancient Technology Centre.

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. 

Events for all seasons

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.

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.