Festivals in Dorset

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!

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Wessex Folk Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Weymouth

Family festival on Weymouth Harbourside with two free stages showcasing a range of traditional and modern folk acts. Morris dancing, food and craft stalls along the picturesque harbourside. Workshops and traditional music sessions in the local pubs…

Dates

From:

30 May 2020to31 May 2020
Family Fest 2020 - Bringing Families & The Community Together

Type

Type:

Festival

Bournemouth

Family Fest welcomes you to Wimborne Showground this May – a free event for all of the family!
The third annual Family Fest will return on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st May 2020, at the new location of Wimborne Showground, Lake Gates, Wimborne…

Dates

From:

30 May 2020to31 May 2020Open 11:00 - 19:00

Free
Bournemouth Open Golf Festival *CANCELLED*

Type

Type:

Festival

West Drive, Bournemouth

Join us in 2020 for another week of seriously good fun! The festival is a mixture of qualifier and fun competitions for individuals, groups, societies and families.

Dates

From:

1 June 2020to6 June 2020
Cheese and Chilli Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

CHRISTCHURCH

Christchurch Cheese and Chilli Festival - the only dedicated UK Cheese and Chilli Festival will be returning to Christchurch in early June this year for two days of all things cheese and chilli. Now in its 7th year, the event will bring an amazing…

Dates

From:

6 June 2020to7 June 2020Open 10:00 - 17:00

Price Free to £8.00 Per Ticket
Thomas Hardy Victorian Fair

Type

Type:

Festival

Dorchester

The Thomas Hardy Victorian Fair is returning to Dorchester for its second year to celebrate the 180th birthday of the literary giant.
High West Street and High East Street in Dorchester will again be closed to traffic to allow visitors to enjoy a…

Dates

From:
7 June 2020Open 11:00 - 16:00

Free
Wimborne Minster Folk Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Wimborne Minster

As is traditional, on the second weekend of June, Wimborne will come alive with the annual Folk Festival as the streets, pubs and concert halls are filled with morris dancers, music – and much more!

Dates

From:

12 June 2020to14 June 2020Various Opening Times
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 2020to14 June 2020Various Opening Times

Free
Magic of Thailand Festival in Poole

Type

Type:

Festival

Poole

A two day Thai Festival to experience the taste of Thailand this summer at Harbourside Park is brought to you by Magic of Thailand, previously known as Poole Thai Festival.
Treat yourself to a weekend wonder and bring along your families and…

Dates

From:

13 June 2020to14 June 2020Open 10:00 - 19:00

Price £4.00 Per Ticket
Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Christchurch

The Highcliffe Food and Arts Festival is a two-day event run by unpaid volunteers celebrating local and regional food, drink and art and takes place in June each year.

Venue

Highcliffe Castle, Christchurch

Dates

From:

13 June 2020to14 June 2020Various Opening Times

Free
World of Love Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Bournemouth

Free family language festival with people from more than 20 countries from all over the world sharing their languages and cultures: Polish, Chinese, Filipino, Italian, Brazilian, Pakistani, Moroccan, Indian, Russian, German, Bulgarian, French,…

Dates

From:
14 June 2020Open 11:00 - 16:00

Free
Leweston Live

Type

Type:

Festival

Sherborne

Leweston Live - Leweston Summer Fest is back by popular demand.
June 20, 2020.
Once again we will be bringing you amazing live music including our Headliner The Hoosiers, delicious food and wonderful family friendly entertainment including…

Dates

From:
20 June 2020Open 12:00 - 23:45

Price £9.00 to £15.00 Per Ticket
Dorset Midsummer Music Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Blandford Forum

Dorset Midsummer Music Festival is a family friendly music festival set in an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Dates

From:

26 June 2020to27 June 2020

Price £3.00 to £27.00 Per Ticket
Shake and Stir Vintage Music Festival - Home Edition

Type

Type:

Virtual Event

Bournemouth

Music - Dancing - Masterclasses & More! A spectacular celebration of vintage life, enjoyed from the comfort of your sofa!

Dates

From:

27 June 2020to28 June 2020Open 10:00 - 22:00

Free
Folk on the Quay *CANCELLED FOR 2020*

Type

Type:

Festival

Poole

*CANCELLED FOR 2020*
Free family folk festival including, three live music stages, street barn dances and Morris dancers.

Dates

From:
27 June 2020Open 10:30 - 21:00
Sutton Poyntz Victorian Street Fayre

Type

Type:

Country Show

Sutton Poyntz, Weymouth

Sutton Poyntz village, near Weymouth, hosts a Victorian Street Fayre on Sunday 28th June 2020. A day of family fun with craft stalls, live music, lots of children's entertainment, cream teas, Pimms and strawberries, barbeque, farmers market and a…

Dates

From:
28 June 2020Open 11:00 - 17:00

Price Free to £3.50 Per Ticket
Poole Quay For My Car *CANCELLED FOR 2020*

Type

Type:

Car & Motor Vehicles

Poole

*CANCELLED FOR 2020* Sponsored by Poole Pirates - Poole Speedway, Poole Quay hosts a unique car event with a different theme each week.

Dates

From:

3 July 2020to28 August 2020Various Opening Times
Bourne Free - Bournemouth's Pride Festival - CANCELLED UNTIL 2021

Type

Type:

Free Event

Bournemouth

CANCELLED UNTIL 2021 - 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 Parade.

Dates

From:

3 July 2020to4 July 2020
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:

10 July 2020to11 July 2020
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:

11 July 2020to12 July 2020Various Opening Times
Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Tolpuddle

An annual festival to commemorate the bravery of the martyrs' struggle featuring music, speakers and family entertainment.

Dates

From:

17 July 2020to19 July 2020

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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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