The vibrant Great Dorset Steam Fair
Soak up the atmosphere of Camp Bestival at Lulworth Castle

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Festivals in Dorset

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Highlights

Come to Dorset during any month and you’ll find an array of festivals and events to enjoy!

Dorset plays host to a variety of events such as music, theatre, comedy, country shows…and there are even a few more unusual events to be found that you simply won’t find anywhere else.

Spring into life!

As spring emerges, it’s time for a colourful mix of music, fossils and swans!

The Sherborne Abbey Music Festival is as majestic as it sounds with beautiful music in a magnificent setting. They say don’t look down but make sure you look up – the fan vaulted ceiling has to be seen to be believed, it will simply take your breath away!

Children will love taking a step back in time and discovering more about the dinosaurs that roamed our lands at Lyme Regis Fossil Festival.

If you’re looking for something a bit out of the ordinary then make sure you visit Abbotsbury Swannery from mid May. Walk through the paths and watch as fluffy cygnets hatch from eggs right before your eyes.

Dates for a foodie’s diary

As if that wasn’t enough, the wide variety of Dorset events includes plenty of events for those with a love of food.

In May, Christchurch Food & Wine Festival takes place and is one of the premier events of its type.

Or why not enjoy a day at the Dorset Knob Throwing Festival…we did say that there are more slightly unusual events taking place in Dorset!

The Pommery Dorset Seafood Festival in July is also a must where you can enjoy some of the finest, freshest seafood whilst relaxing with a cold glass of bubbly!

Get into the carnival spirit

June really kicks off the start of summer when the county is alive with festivals and carnivals.

Chill out and really get into the swing at the Wonky Donk festival in July or let the kids (and grown ups!) enjoy some explosive fun at Tankfest!

The summer months also see traditional village fetes hang their bunting all across Dorset.

August gets off to a great start with Camp Bestival. Lulworth Castle provides the stunning backdrop for this well renowned family festival.

With music to tackle all taste buds, a fantastic line up for the little ones and much more, this is a festival not to be missed!

Morris Dancers bring the streets to life with their bright costumes and jingling bells with folk festivals in Lyme Regis and Purbeck during August.

Plus, if you like it hot then make sure you pop along to the Great Dorset Chilli Festival!

A unique blend of nostalgia and entertainment

Enjoy a giant trip of nostalgia into the days of yesteryear at the Great Dorset Steam Fair at the end of August, widely recognised as the leading event of its type in the world with 2,000 exhibits, 800 trade stalls and over 220 full size steam engines!

You’ll be all puffed out after an action packed day!

A true celebration of country life

If you’re looking for a great day out for the young and old to all enjoy then make sure you go along to one of our agricultural shows.

Melplash Show and Dorset County Show are crammed full of animal shows, magnificent displays, trade stalls and all the fun of the fair!

Don’t be fooled into thinking these are low key events, they really are buzzing with activity!

Fun and frolics with flamboyant and fabulous headwear

Get your hats at the ready by September for the Bridport Hat Festival, a wonderfully British celebration of eccentricity!

With music all around and entertainment for the whole family this wonderful, quirky event is not to be missed!

Celebrate Autumn

Celebrate the start of Autumn with a spectacular display of colours in the beautiful lakeside gardens at Sherborne Castle or take a magical evening stroll along candle-lit pathways through enchanted glades at Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens.

Festive Dorset events with magic and sparkle

And it doesn’t stop there!

The year might be drawing to a close but there are still plenty of events to enjoy in Dorset, many of which have a touch of festive sparkle about them!

If you are planning to visit Dorset to take part in one of our amazing festivals and events, why not stay a while and make a holiday of it?

We’ve got plenty of accommodation for you to choose from – your perfect break is just a click away!

Also, we recommend you take a look at our things to do, places to visit, food and drink and travel pages to find out more on the following:

Last but not least, we highly recommend you to take a trip up to the iconic landscape of Broadchurch where ITV's famous crime series of the same name was filmed, you will be amazed at its stunning beauty!

Number of results:

Number of results: 34

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SUZI RUFFELL: DANCE LIKE EVERYONE’S WATCHING

Type

Type:

Comedy

LYME REGIS

This event has moved from Thursday, 16 April 2020 to Sunday 7 February 2021.
Comedian Suzi Ruffell has made a name for herself by turning tragedy and anxiety into big laughs. This year she is actually happy. This show answers the question: are all…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:
7 February 2021

Price £12.00 to £14.00 Per Ticket
ROZI PLAIN

Type

Type:

Music

LYME REGIS

This date of this event has changed (the previous date was 27 March). All tickets for the original date are valid for the new date.
Alt-folk musician Rozi Plain is visiting following the release of her latest album ‘What A Boost’ released on…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:
19 February 2021

Price £12.00 to £14.50 Per Ticket
RICHARD JONES

Type

Type:

Major Event

LYME REGIS

Lance Corporal Richard Jones is the only magician to ever win Britain’s Got Talent. He’s a world-class celebrity performer seen entertaining at royal parties and in theatres across the world. He returns to Lyme for a very special family show!
This…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:
5 March 2021

Price £19.50 to £70.00 Per Ticket
THE LYME REGIS BIG BEER FESTIVAL

Type

Type:

Festival

LYME REGIS

*THIS EVENT IS RESCHEDULED TO FRI 02-SAT 03 APRIL 2021 - please save the date!!*
With over 20 beers and 20 live acts across the weekend, this promises to be a hearty celebration of beer and music. Join us by the sea for drinking, singing, and…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:

2 April 2021to3 April 2021

Price £5.00 Per person per day
THE STRAWBS

Type

Type:

Music

LYME REGIS

This event has been rescheduled from 18 September 2020. All original tickets are valid.
Dave Cousin's legendary band originate from the 60s and traverse rock, folk, bluegrass, and prog. Former members include Sandy Denny, Rick Wakeman, and…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:
16 April 2021

Price £17.50 to £19.50 Per Ticket
BELINDA O’HOOLEY – ‘INVERSIONS’

Type

Type:

Arts and Culture

LYME REGIS

This date of this event has changed (the previous date was 18 April 2020). All original tickets are valid for the new date.
The pianist from folk duo O'Hooley & Tidow, who wrote and performed the theme song for Gentleman Jack, presents her new solo…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:
22 April 2021

Price £15.00 to £17.50 Per Ticket
Dorset Knob Throwing & Food Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

The world-famous Dorset Knob Throwing and Food Festival will return in 2021.

Dates

From:

1 May 2021to31 May 2021Various Opening Times

Price £5.00 Per Ticket
SCOTT MATTHEWS

Type

Type:

Music

LYME REGIS

We're delighted to welcome the Ivor Novello award-winning singer songwriter for a very special solo concert.Over 14 years and with his seventh album on the horizon, Matthews has continued to push the envelope with songs of breath-taking majesty.…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:
20 May 2021

Price £16.00 to £18.50 Per Ticket
Swanage Fish Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

SWANAGE

Prince Albert Gardens, overlooking the beautiful bay, is the stage for cooking demonstrations by of top-notch chefs by day and popular entertainment by evening. Stalls offering a mouth-watering array of exotic fish fare and locally sourced fresh…

Dates

From:

12 June 2021to13 June 2021Various Opening Times

Free
Chesil Rocks

Type

Type:

Festival

Langton Herring, Weymouth

Cancelled for 2020 but please make a note in your diaries for 17th-19th June 2021 when it will return!
Chesil Rocks 2020 will be taking place this year over 2 days, Friday 19th for classical and Saturday 20th June as usual performances, and will…

Dates

From:

17 June 2021to19 June 2021Various Opening Times

Price £10.00 to £20.00 Per Ticket
LAU

Type

Type:

Music

LYME REGIS

For the first time in over a decade, Lau present an entirely acoustic tour. The pioneering Scottish folk trio have always experimented with sound and form; the results have always been complex and thrilling.
This event has been rescheduled from 04…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:
18 June 2021

Price £18.50 Per Ticket
The Original Shake & Stir Vintage Music Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Southbourne

Celebrating vintage… American hot rods, custom motorbikes, classic cars and retro fashion. Wartime moments, dance displays, and live music from the 1920’s to the 1970’s - including Rock 'n’ Roll, Rockabilly, Lindy Hop, Blues, Jazz, Americana and…

Dates

From:

19 June 2021to20 June 2021
Sandpolo at Sandbanks

Type

Type:

Event

Poole

**Event Postponed until 2021** Sandpolo at Sandbanks - New dates for 2021 announced

Dates

From:

9 July 2021to10 July 2021Open 13:00 - 01:00
Bourne Free - Bournemouth's Pride Festival

Type

Type:

Free Event

Bournemouth

New Dates! Bourne Free will be back in 2021 on the 9th and 10th July at Meyrick Park! Bournemouth Pride Festival - Bourne Free. We invite you to join us for a weekend of fun and frolics, good music, great entertainment and of course the famous…

Dates

From:

9 July 2021to10 July 2021
Jurassic Fields Music Festival

Type

Type:

Performance

Bridport

Jurassic Fields will showcases the best music, comedy, food and entertainment the local area has to offer as well as having some well known artists perform and little gems we have found around the country.

Dates

From:

9 July 2021to11 July 2021
Nyetimber Dorset Seafood Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Weymouth

A visit to the award winning atmospheric Nyetimber Dorset Seafood Festival offers an amazing opportunity to gain a better understanding of the superb seafood available to us just off our wonderful shores.

Dates

From:

10 July 2021to11 July 2021Various Opening Times
SandFest

Type

Type:

Festival

Poole

**Please note ** We have been forced to postpone the event until 2021 due to Covid-19. We will be back in 2021 with the date of 11 July 2021. SandFest at Sandbanks - Event postponed in 2020.

Dates

From:
11 July 2021Open 12:00 - 22:00
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week

Type

Type:

Festival

LYME REGIS

CANCELLED but save the date for 2021 which is 24-31 July!!
Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week is a week full of fun, from a teddy bears picnic, pavement art to a bathtub race. There will be various displays, music evenings, fireworks, Paras Red Devils…

Dates

From:

24 July 2021to31 July 2021
Camp Bestival

Type

Type:

Festival

East Lulworth

A music and performance festival hosted at Lulworth Castle, set against the backdrop of England’s dramatic Jurassic coastline in Dorset.

Venue

Lulworth Castle & Park, Lulworth

Dates

From:

29 July 2021to1 August 2021
Poole Harbour Boat Show

Type

Type:

Boating

Poole

***CANCELLED*** The 2021 Poole Harbour Boat Show has been cancelled due to coronavirus

Dates

From:

30 July 2021to1 August 2021

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Festivals in Dorset

Accommodation

Things To Do

What's On

Food & Drink

Search What's On

Highlights

Spring into life!

Dates for a foodie’s diary

Get into the carnival spirit

A unique blend of nostalgia and entertainment

A true celebration of country life

Fun and frolics with flamboyant and fabulous headwear

Celebrate Autumn

Festive Dorset events with magic and sparkle

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