What's On: Entertainment
Event types
Entertainment
32 upcoming events
Apr 2025
Exhibition: Gladiators of Britain
A British Museum Partnership Exhibition with Colchester + Ipswich Museums will delve into the lesser-known history of gladiatorial contests in Roman Britain. Launching at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery in January 2025, the exhibition will tour four UK venues, tracing the footsteps of gladiators who once fought in Britain’s amphitheatres.
Wed 30th Apr - All day
and 11 future schedules
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The Magic of Middle-Earth
Journey to Middle Earth at the Shire Hall Museum. Go beyond the books to explore J. R. R. Tolkien's artistic legacy through this exciting exhibition.
Wed 30th Apr - All day
and 45 future schedules
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May 2025
Friday Sessions: DJ & 2 for £15 Cocktails
Friday Sessions at The King's Arms: DJ & 2 for £15 cocktails
Fri 2nd May - 6:00pm
and 33 future schedules
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Magic Mic Night – Open Mic Sessions
'Magic Mic' open mic sessions at the very plush and popular VIVO Lounge.
Wed 7th May - 7:00pm
and 3 future schedules
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Dunkirk – A Special Evening Event
Drinks reception followed by a special talk on the Dorsetshire Regiment at Dunkirk.
Fri 9th May - 6:30pm
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Street in the Park 2025
Street In The Park is back! Get ready to witness epic DJ sets, creative street dance and amazing graffiti.
Sat 10th May - 2:00pm
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Dorset Chamber Orchestra’s Beethoven Gala Concert
The Dorset Chamber Orchestra is delighted to present an inspiring all-Beethoven concert.
Sat 10th May - 7:30pm
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VE Day 80th Concert
A free concert in Borough Gardens from 1.00pm until 4.00pm with music with the Decadettes and the Durnovaria Silver Band. Come along with a picnic or enjoy a range of refreshments from the Borough Gardens catering kiosk and listen to a range of patriotic and 1940s music.
Sun 11th May - 1:00pm
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Film screening: Le Petit Nicolas
A comedy/family film with the Dorchester-Bayeux Twinning Society
Tue 13th May - 7:30pm
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The life of Rev. John Hutchins, author of The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset
Tue 13th May - 7:30pm
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The Dorchester Artisan Market
Dorset Artisan Markets are bringing a fabulous collection of over 200 artisan traders to the streets of Dorchester!
Sun 25th May - 10:00am
and 6 future schedules
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Summer Sessions: Nick Capaldi
Live music in the park from singer-songwriter Nick Capaldi.
Sun 25th May - 2:00pm
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Dorchester Association Talk: Victorian Dorchester by Mark Chutter
Details of everyday school life in rural Dorset.
Thu 29th May - 7:30pm
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Hardy Women: Mothers, Sisters, Wives, Muses
Join Paula Byrne for a talk exploring Hardy Women which offers a fresh perspective on Hardy’s life, exploring it through the lens of the women who shaped him—his formidable mother, devoted sisters, first loves, long-suffering wives, and inspiring muses. Through their eyes, we see the man behind the novels, a figure both enthralled by and at odds with the women around him.
Fri 30th May - 6:00pm
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Thomas Hardy: Justice of Peace
Saturday 31st May 2025 from 2pm. Join Mark Damon Chutter, Chairman and Academic Director of the Thomas Hardy Society to find out more about Hardy's Justice of the Peace role.
Sat 31st May - 12:00am
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Jun 2025
Stampede by the Sea – Farewell Event
West Dorset's sculpture trail comes to Dorchester in a special exhibition!
Sat 14th Jun - All day
and 4 future schedules
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Stampede by the Sea – Auction
West Dorset sculpture trail will be auctioned to raise funds for Weldmar Hospicecare!
Thu 19th Jun - All day
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The Wind in the Willows – Outdoor Theatre at Athelhampton
Pack your picnics and join Ratty, Mole, Badger, and the fantastically irrepressible Toad as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime culminating in a colourful battle to save Toad Hall from the mischievous weasels!
Sat 21st Jun - 5:00pm
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Jul 2025
Empire, the West Country and Thomas Hardy | Corinne Fowler and Rena Jackson
This joint talk explores the British Empire's impact on the West County, examining Dorset's colonial connections, imperial wealth, and literary responses, including Thomas Hardy's portrayal of global influences in Wessex.
Fri 4th Jul - 6:00pm
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Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir – Athelhampton: A Musical Portrait
Intimate event with the opportunity to explore this wonderful house and gardens.
Sat 5th Jul - 5:30pm
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The Battle for Normandy – Hill 112
Drinks reception followed by a special talk on the Dorsetshire Regiment at Dunkirk
Fri 11th Jul - 6:30pm
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‘The Shadow on the Stone’: Hardy and Archaeology | Mark Damon Chutter
Join Mark Damon Chutter, the Chairman and Academic Director of the Thomas Hardy Society, for this special talk as part of our Festival of Archaeology programme.
Wed 23rd Jul - 11:00am
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Fraught with high tragedy: new insights on the Maiden Castle Iron Age ‘War Cemetery’ | Dr Martin Smith
This talk presents new work by archaeologists from Bournemouth University, that has used radiocarbon dating to arrive at new conclusions regarding the dead of Maiden Castle and why they were laid to rest within the ramparts of this iconic site.
Thu 24th Jul - 6:00pm
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Aug 2025
Jane Austen and the Sea | Lizzie Dunford
Join Jane Austen's House Director Lizzie Dunford for this illustrated talk exploring the connections of Britain's greatest writer with the coast that surrounds our islands.
Fri 1st Aug - 6:00pm
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Thomas Hardy: The Novels, The Novelist and Dorchester
Saturday 2nd August 2025 from 2pm at Shire Hall. Join Alban O'Brien for this evocative talk which will take you on a Journey through Hardy's Dorchester and his novels.
Sat 2nd Aug - 2:00pm
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Jane Eyre – Outdoor Theatre at Athelhampton House
Join Chapterhouse Theatre Company as we bring the windswept moorland of Brontë’s masterpiece to life in open air.
Sat 2nd Aug - 6:00pm
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Sep 2025
Writing Jane Austen | Gill Hornby in Conversation with Tracy Chevalier
Join bestselling author, Gill Hornby for a captivating evening as she discusses her writing inspired by the world of Jane Austen with writer Tracy Chevalier.
Fri 5th Sep - 6:00pm
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Abba by Moonlight at Athelhampton House
Athelhampton & Chapterhouse present one of the most entertaining and exhilarating events of the summer.
Sat 6th Sep - 5:30pm
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Oct 2025
