What’s On
Event types
71 upcoming events
Aug 2026
“At the Chapel” Pop Up Bakery at The Kings Arms
Pop along every Thursday 9-2 for scrumptious baked goodies including their signature traditional breads, croissants, savouries, quiches, doughnuts, cruffins, and fabulous cakes.
Thu 13th Aug - 9:00am
and 21 future schedules
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Treasure! Lost and Found Exhibition
The Treasure! Lost and Found exhibition reveals the stories of objects once treasured, buried for centuries, then rediscovered – celebrating our fascination with uncovering the past.
Thu 13th Aug - All day
and 31 future schedules
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Wear Your Wings With Pride
Beautiful Pride exhibition of hand-crafted wings!
Thu 13th Aug - All day
and 13 future schedules
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Smugglers’ Summer Escapade
Join our Summer Smugglers' Escapade and discover the world of Victorian smugglers through a family-friendly trail and hands-on crafts.
Thu 13th Aug - All day
and 16 future schedules
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Kids Eat Free at Santos + Co
School Holiday Special. Order any Main Course and get a FREE Kids Meal on us - all school holiday long! All day. All week. From 21st July - 2nd September 2026. Bring the family, enjoy a delicious meal, and let us take care of the rest. *(Age restrictions apply. Only from the kids menu.)
Thu 13th Aug - All day
and 20 future schedules
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Circus Cortex
For five days only, the Big Top will arrive at The Great Field, bringing one of the UK's most exciting live family entertainment experiences to Dorset.
Thu 13th Aug - All day
and 4 future schedules
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St George’s Summer Dragon Quest
Free Children's Activity
Thu 13th Aug - All day
and 17 future schedules
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What Survives – Iryna Yermolova
I paint to understand what words cannot express.
Thu 13th Aug - 10:00am
and 27 future schedules
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Dorset Sunflower Trail 2026
Two trails, endless memories.
Thu 13th Aug - 11:00am
and 18 future schedules
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The life and death of Mary Channing of Dorchester
Discover the fascinating story of a woman who, in 1706 was burnt at the stake at Maumbury Rings for poisoning her husband to death.
Thu 13th Aug - 11:00am
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£4 drinks – Thursday Happy Hour
£4 drinks at The Kings Arms! Every Thursday 4pm-7pm.
Thu 13th Aug - 4:00pm
and 2 future schedules
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Health Walk
Free Weekly Health Walks at Thorncombe Wood!
Fri 14th Aug - 10:00am
and 13 future schedules
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Friday Sessions: DJ & Cocktails
Friday Sessions at The King's Arms
Fri 14th Aug - 6:00pm
and 19 future schedules
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Roman Dorchester Tour
Join our trained guides to step back in time and immerse yourself in the historic Roman town of Durnovaria.
Sat 15th Aug - 10:30am
and 3 future schedules
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Handcrafted Afternoon Tea: Every Saturday 12-5 at The Kings Arms
Handcrafted afternoon teas at The Kings Arms
Sat 15th Aug - 12:00pm
and 23 future schedules
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Bottomless Afternoon Tea
BOTTOMLESS AFTERNOON TEA IS BACK
Sat 15th Aug - 12:00pm
and 14 future schedules
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Cider Festival
Celebrating the region's finest cider producers, with great food and live music throughout the day.
Sat 15th Aug - 2:00pm
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In the footsteps of Hardy’s childhood – National Trust Walk
Starting at the Visitor Centre and finishing at Hardy's Cottage, this walk lasts about 1 hour and includes poetry readings along the way linked to the natural surroundings of the woods and heathland.
Sun 16th Aug - 12:15pm
and 3 future schedules
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Knit and Natter
Bring your knitting, crochet, sewing or any crafty project and join us for a relaxed morning of stitches and chat!
Mon 17th Aug - 10:00am
and 16 future schedules
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Family Time Travelling Tour
Join us for a family tour where our friendly guides will turn Dorset's greatest discoveries into adventures you'll remember.
Tue 18th Aug - 10:30am
and 1 future schedules
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UV Resin Drop in session
Create a beautiful UV resin keyring or earrings in this fun, drop-in summer holiday workshop with Viv.
Wed 19th Aug - 11:00am
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Wise Owls – Social group for over 65’s
Tea, chat & company – join our Over 65’s Social at The Crafty Cuppa.
Wed 19th Aug - 1:00pm
and 7 future schedules
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Store Tour
Join our Collections Team for an opportunity to explore behind the scenes in Dorset Museum & Art Gallery's Collections Discovery Centre.
Wed 19th Aug - 2:00pm
and 4 future schedules
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Dorchester Inflatable Theme Park
We’ve got giant castles, super slides, obstacle courses and our ever popular 'Blob'! And we don't forget the little ones - we have a dedicated under 5's area as well
Thu 20th Aug - All day
and 1 future schedules
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Smuggling Songs with Nautical Graffiti
Join local author and musician Will Adams for a lively hour of songs, music and family fun inspired by Dorset’s colourful smuggling history.
Fri 21st Aug - 10:30am
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Smuggling Songs with Nautical Graffiti
Join local author and musician Will Adams for a lively hour of songs, music and family fun inspired by Dorset's colourful smuggling history.
Fri 21st Aug - 10:30am
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Roman Town House Tour
Join our trained guides on a tour of Roman Town House site and the precious artifacts recovered and now on display at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery.
Sat 22nd Aug - 10:00am
and 2 future schedules
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Make Your Own Gold Lunula!
A free craft session where families can make their own shimmering gold lunula – a crescent-shaped piece of ancient jewellery.
Sat 22nd Aug - 10:30am
and 1 future schedules
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Metal Detecting – Have a Go!
Join local metal detectorists Karen Brown and Brian Reid for an exciting family digging experience where you will search for hidden coins and uncover the secrets of the past.
Sat 22nd Aug - 10:30am
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Festival of Palestinian Culture
Join us for a full day of Palestinian culture in Dorchester's beautiful Borough Gardens.
Sat 22nd Aug - 11:00am
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Music at the Pavilion
Free live outside music at Pavilion in the Park, bring a picnic or enjoy lunch from PiPs cafe!
Sat 22nd Aug - 12:00pm
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Fused Glass Workshop – Kiln Carving
Join us for a creative fused glass workshop where you’ll learn the beautiful technique of kiln carving to create your own unique glass piece.
Sat 22nd Aug - 1:00pm
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Live music and 3 course dinner with Darron Garnett at Al Molo Dorchester
Darron Garnett - The Voice of Cool Swing!
Sat 22nd Aug - 8:30pm
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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 23rd Aug - 10:00am
and 2 future schedules
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Bark in the Park
A Family Fun Dog Show on the Great Field in Poundbury supporting The Lexi May Trust
Sun 23rd Aug - 10:00am
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Paint in the Park
Come and join the Family Friendly Dog Show and paint a pet or the scene to be "Best in Show".
Sun 23rd Aug - 10:00am
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Spoken Word Night
Spoken Word Night at The Poet Laureate!
Tue 25th Aug - 7:00pm
and 2 future schedules
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From the Stacks – Free lunchtime talk
Free lunchtime talk on selected archival treasures at Dorset History Centre.
Wed 26th Aug - 12:30pm
and 3 future schedules
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Woodland Wanders
Join Our Ranger-Led Seasonal Strolls!
Thu 27th Aug - 10:15am
and 4 future schedules
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Seriously Fun Science – Dinosaurs, Fossils and Volcanoes
Join us for a fun science workshop with our professor! This brand new session focuses on dinosaurs, fossils and volcanoes.
Thu 27th Aug - 2:30pm
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How Recent Archaeological Fieldwork is Changing our Knowledge of the Past
Join Dorset Council’s Senior Archaeologist Steve Wallis in this free daytime talk as he shares insights from recent fieldwork across Dorset.
Sat 29th Aug - 11:00am
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Maiden Castle Guided Tour
Discover the story of one of Britain's most extraordinary prehistoric landmarks with our Maiden Castle Guided Tour.
Sun 30th Aug - 10:30am
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Anonymous Festival 2026
Free music festival supporting a range of young local musicians, playing live music and DJing.
Mon 31st Aug - 11:00am
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Sep 2026
Why Did Dorset’s Bronze Age Communities Sacrifice Valuable Things?
In this talk, Dr Neil Wilkin explores why people in Bronze Age Dorset deliberately buried valuable objects, often never to retrieve them.
Thu 3rd Sep - 6:00pm
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Siglo de Oro in concert at St Peter’s Church Dorchester
Siglo de Oro Chamber Choir In Concert
Fri 4th Sep - 7:00pm
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Dorset County Show
Celebrating Dorset Agriculture, Countryside and rural life. Acting as Dorset’s end of harvest celebration.
Sat 5th Sep - All day
and 1 future schedules
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Quiet Opening
Explore the Museum and take part in drop-in activities during our Quiet Openings. Especially suitable for visitors with autism or other sensory conditions, and their siblings, parents and carers. The sessions are also suitable for any group or individual who would like to visit our museums and galleries at a quieter time.
Sat 5th Sep - 10:00am
and 3 future schedules
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Aspects of Metal Detecting
Ever wondered what it takes to become a metal detectorist? Join Karen Brown, Keith Brown, and Brian Read to explore every aspect of the hobby.
Sat 5th Sep - 1:30pm
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Hardy’s Dorchester Tour
Step into the world of Thomas Hardy on this immersive and inspiring guided tour of Dorchester. Discover how the real streets, buildings, and landscapes of Dorset were transformed into the powerful setting of 'Casterbridge'.
Sun 6th Sep - 10:30am
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Summer Sessions: Live Music in Borough Gardens presents Tony Lowe
Join us at the Bandstand for an easy-listening afternoon of classics, courtesy of the ever-popular Tony Lowe. Enjoy covers of hit songs by some of the biggest names in music. We're delighted to say that Tony will take to the Bandstand on four Sundays this summer: 12 July, 2 August, 6 September and 14 September - all from 2-4pm. The event is free for all to attend with no booking required.
Sun 6th Sep - 2:00pm
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Poetry and Writing Workshop
Unlock Your Creative Voice – Writing Workshop
Wed 9th Sep - 10:30am
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Pumps, Pipes and Privies: A Talk by Philip Browne
The introduction of clean drinking water and a sewerage system to Dorchester in the 1850s.
Thu 10th Sep - 7:00pm
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Historical Mystery & Food History
A talk by Georgia Piggott. Historical Mystery & Food History Discovering 17th century recipes through novel-writing with author Georgia Piggott!
Sat 12th Sep - 11:00am
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Summer Sessions: Live Music in Borough Gardens presents Tony Lowe
Closing out our Summer Sessions line-up this year is Tony Lowe, who will perform a selection of dearly-loved classics for everyone at the Bandstand. Expect a bit of Bublé and a dash of Diamond through a set that will take in a number of the all-time greats! The event is free for all to attend with no booking required.
Sun 13th Sep - 2:00pm
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Monochrome Photography Exhibition and Sale: Wessex
This year, the Dorset Monochrome Collective's photography exhibition theme is "Wessex seen through the eyes of 10 photographers".
Mon 14th Sep - 10:00am
and 6 future schedules
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Dorchester Repair Cafe
The amazing repairers will be waiting for you, ready to tackle your broken clocks, clothes, small appliances and more!
Sat 26th Sep - 10:00am
and 2 future schedules
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Hardy, The Moule Family and Fordington: Heritage Talk
Join Mark Damon Chutter for an evening talk
Sat 26th Sep - 7:00pm
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Oct 2026
Dorchester Half Marathon & 10km
A relaxed, welcoming and inclusive local running event in Dorchester.
Sun 4th Oct - 9:00am
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The Script’s The Thing!
The Script’s The Thing will take place on 10th and 11th October, and is a celebration of new writing for theatre, TV, film, radio and all performance.
Sat 10th Oct - All day
and 1 future schedules
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Dorchester Literary Festival
Whether you’re interested in fiction, crime, science, history, politics, the natural world, health, music, walking, biography or cosy crime, there will be plenty to tempt you to join us in October.
Sat 17th Oct - All day
and 7 future schedules
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Nov 2026
Dorset Food and Drink Winter Fair
Winter Food and Drink Fair at Athelhampton House
Sat 7th Nov - 10:00am
and 1 future schedules
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Jun 2028
Thomas Hardy Victorian Street Fair
Dorchester's Victorian Street Fair to celebrate the birthday of one of Dorchester's most famous residents, Thomas Hardy. This will be a fun filled day for all the family with an incredible array of Victorian and Thomas Hardy themed activities and demonstrations.
Sun 4th Jun - 11:00am
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