What’s On
Event types
68 upcoming events
Aug 2026
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.
Wed 19th Aug - All day
and 25 future schedules
VIEW
Wear Your Wings With Pride
Beautiful Pride exhibition of hand-crafted wings!
Wed 19th Aug - All day
and 7 future schedules
VIEW
Smugglers’ Summer Escapade
Join our Summer Smugglers' Escapade and discover the world of Victorian smugglers through a family-friendly trail and hands-on crafts.
Wed 19th Aug - All day
and 11 future schedules
VIEW
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.)
Wed 19th Aug - All day
and 14 future schedules
VIEW
St George’s Summer Dragon Quest
Free Children's Activity
Wed 19th Aug - All day
and 11 future schedules
VIEW
What Survives – Iryna Yermolova
I paint to understand what words cannot express.
Wed 19th Aug - 10:00am
and 23 future schedules
VIEW
Dorset Sunflower Trail 2026
Two trails, endless memories.
Wed 19th Aug - 11:00am
and 12 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
“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 20th Aug - 9:00am
and 20 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
£4 drinks – Thursday Happy Hour
£4 drinks at The Kings Arms! Every Thursday 4pm-7pm.
Thu 20th Aug - 4:00pm
and 1 future schedules
VIEW
Health Walk
Free Weekly Health Walks at Thorncombe Wood!
Fri 21st Aug - 10:00am
and 12 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
Friday Sessions: DJ & Cocktails
Friday Sessions at The King's Arms
Fri 21st Aug - 6:00pm
and 18 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
Festival of Palestinian Culture
Join us for a full day of Palestinian culture in Dorchester's beautiful Borough Gardens.
Sat 22nd Aug - 11:00am
VIEW
Handcrafted Afternoon Tea: Every Saturday 12-5 at The Kings Arms
Handcrafted afternoon teas at The Kings Arms
Sat 22nd Aug - 12:00pm
and 22 future schedules
VIEW
Bottomless Afternoon Tea
BOTTOMLESS AFTERNOON TEA IS BACK
Sat 22nd Aug - 12:00pm
and 13 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
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.
Sat 22nd Aug - 12:15pm
and 2 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
Knit and Natter
Bring your knitting, crochet, sewing or any crafty project and join us for a relaxed morning of stitches and chat!
Mon 24th Aug - 10:00am
and 15 future schedules
VIEW
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 25th Aug - 10:30am
VIEW
Spoken Word Night
Spoken Word Night at The Poet Laureate!
Tue 25th Aug - 7:00pm
and 2 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
Woodland Wanders
Join Our Ranger-Led Seasonal Strolls!
Thu 27th Aug - 10:15am
and 4 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
Roman Dorchester Tour
Join our trained guides to step back in time and immerse yourself in the historic Roman town of Durnovaria.
Sat 29th Aug - 10:30am
and 2 future schedules
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
Anonymous Festival 2026
Free music festival supporting a range of young local musicians, playing live music and DJing.
Mon 31st Aug - 11:00am
VIEW
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
VIEW
Siglo de Oro in concert at St Peter’s Church Dorchester
Siglo de Oro Chamber Choir In Concert
Fri 4th Sep - 7:00pm
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
Poetry and Writing Workshop
Unlock Your Creative Voice – Writing Workshop
Wed 9th Sep - 10:30am
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
Hardy, The Moule Family and Fordington: Heritage Talk
Join Mark Damon Chutter for an evening talk
Sat 26th Sep - 7:00pm
VIEW
Oct 2026
Dorchester Half Marathon & 10km
A relaxed, welcoming and inclusive local running event in Dorchester.
Sun 4th Oct - 9:00am
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW
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
VIEW