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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Cool Coast Ice Rink

Type

Type:

Event

Exeter Road, Bournemouth

Cool Coast, the south coast's largest indoor ice rink, is back for the winter everyone is welcome!

Dates

From:

18 December 2019to22 February 2020Various Opening Times

Price £11.50 to £50.00 Per Ticket
Best Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh India

Type

Type:

Festival

Cranborne, WIMBORNE

Best Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh India : Arogya yoga school
yoga Teacher Training in India
Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh, India as confident teachers with a strong and solid teaching skill set ready to begin their career in the…

Dates

From:

2 February 2020to28 February 2022Open 07:00 - 19:00

Price £1,250.00 Per Ticket
PETER KNIGHT AND JOHN SPIERS

Type

Type:

Music

LYME REGIS

The violinist and former member of Steeleye Span plays with the melodeon player, previously with popular folk band Bellowhead. Together, they engage with Britain’s folk dancing heritage. These uniquely gifted musicians make a sublime pairing and…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:
12 March 2020

Price £18.50 Per person per day to £22.00 Per Ticket
Health-on-Line Bournemouth Bay Run

Type

Type:

Running

Bournemouth

Whatever your running ability – fun or competitive, there’s a race for you. Set against the backdrop of Bournemouth’s famous seven-mile stretch of golden sand choose from a variety of distances and enjoy the fantastic views as you walk, jog or run…

Dates

From:
5 April 2020
From Page To Screen Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Bridport

The UK's only festival celebrating the adaptation of books to film. Full details of films showing on the website.
Tickets range in price and are available from Bridport Arts Centre 01308 424204.

Dates

From:

15 April 2020to19 April 2020
LYME REGIS FOSSIL FESTIVAL

Type

Type:

Major Event

LYME REGIS

Here is What's On Offer! arrow down
Meet the Scientists
We have experts from the Natural History Museum, Palaeontological Association, British Antarctic Survey, Geological Society, Lyme Regis Museum, the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre and many more…

Dates

From:

1 May 2020to3 May 2020
Lyme Regis Fossil Festival

Type

Type:

Major Event

Lyme Regis

Enjoy one of Dorset's largest science festivals. Find out all about the amazing Jurassic Coast with specialist talks, walks and incredible interactive activities.

Dates

From:

1 May 2020to3 May 2020
Sherborne Abbey Music Festival

Type

Type:

Performance

SHERBORNE

Sherborne's Annual Abbey Music Festival, with a full programme of concerts. See website for full details. Tickets available from Sherborne Tourist Information Centre.

Venue

Sherborne Abbey

Dates

From:

1 May 2020to6 May 2020
Shaftesbury Food & Drink Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Shaftesbury

A celebration of local food, with farmers' market. cookery demonstrations, events and dancing in Shaftesbury and the surrounding villages. For a full list of events please visit the Festival website.

Dates

From:
3 May 2020
Spring Tide Food Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Bridport

This spectacular West Dorset outdoor food event offers you the chance to meet and buy from West Dorset‘s hugely talented local producers who will once be on hand to show off Dorset produce at its very best. From 10am - 4pm

Dates

From:

16 May 2020to17 May 2020Open 10:00 - 16:00

Price £2.00 Per Ticket
Bournemouth 7s Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

East Parley, Christchurch

Renowned as the Sporting Glastonbury, Bournemouth 7s has established a formidable reputation amongst sportspeople and festival-goers alike!

Dates

From:

22 May 2020to24 May 2020Various Opening Times
Jazz Jurassica Festival

Type

Type:

Festival

Lyme Regis

Music | Festival | Jazz Jurassica 2020 | Friday 22nd - Monday 25th May 2020
For dedicated jazzers and blues hounds alike, the Lyme Regis Jazz & Blues festival aims to bring the best of live music, both new and traditional, to the Marine Theatre,…

Venue

The Marine Theatre, West Dorset

Dates

From:

22 May 2020to25 May 2020
Mudeford Seafood Festival

Type

Type:

Seasonal

Christchurch

Welcome to the first May Bank Holiday, Mudeford Seafood Festival.
A perfect celebration of Mudefords’ rich cultural heritage, its local produce and its historic links to the Solent, Christchurch Bay, Harbour and Quay.
The Seafood Festival…

Dates

From:

23 May 2020to25 May 2020Various Opening Times
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

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
Poole Harbour Boat Show

Type

Type:

Boating

Poole

The fifth Poole Harbour Boat Show will take place in June from its award-winning home, Poole Quay Boat Haven. With over 30,000 people in attendance in both 2017 and 2018, the show continues to be the biggest-ever free to attend boat show on the…

Dates

From:

12 June 2020to14 June 2020
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

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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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