What’s On
Event types
81 upcoming events
May 2025
Dorchester Walking Festival
Experience the beauty of Dorchester and the Jurassic Coast at the Dorchester Walking Festival, 10 – 18th May 2025.
Sun 18th May - All day
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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.
Sun 18th May - All day
and 27 future schedules
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Arthur Neal in the East Wing Gallery at Athelhampton House
Arthur Neal Exhibition in the East Wing Gallery at Athelhampton House
Sun 18th May - All day
and 27 future schedules
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Art at PiPS cafe and Meeting Hub
A brand-new exhibition of work created by Jill Marsden and Fiona Redstone.
Sun 18th May - 9:00am
and 48 future schedules
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Dorchester Vegan Market
The Dorchester Vegan Market in the historic Maumbury Rings Roman Amphitheatre
Sun 18th May - 10:00am
and 1 future schedules
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Open for Art
Open studios and art events across Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester celebrating art, craft, and making.
Sun 18th May - 10:00am
and 14 future schedules
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Beating the Bounds
Join in with this free annual tradition to “Beat the Bounds” of the old Roman Walls!
Sun 18th May - 2:00pm
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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 19th May - 10:00am
and 18 future schedules
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Yoga in the Park
Immerse yourself into an evening of movement and calm.
Mon 19th May - 6:15pm
and 1 future schedules
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Roman Dorchester Walk
Join our trained guides to step back in time and immerse yourself in the historic Roman town of Durnovaria...
Tue 20th May - 10:30am
and 3 future schedules
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Volunteer Open Day
Thinking about becoming a volunteer? Come along and find out more about volunteer opportunities in Dorchester
Tue 20th May - 11:00am
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Sensory and Songs with Miss Rachel
Join Miss Rachel for some sensory rhyme time.
Wed 21st May - 1:30pm
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Magic Mic Night – Open Mic Sessions
'Magic Mic' open mic sessions at the very plush and popular VIVO Lounge.
Wed 21st May - 7:00pm
and 2 future schedules
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Friday Sessions: DJ & 2 for £15 Cocktails
Friday Sessions at The King's Arms: DJ & 2 for £15 cocktails
Fri 23rd May - 6:00pm
and 30 future schedules
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Rest, Relax, and Reset Day Retreats
We will combine various modalities to help you calm the mind and the body and teach you some that you can do at home to help you reduce stress and relax.
Sat 24th May - All day
and 2 future schedules
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Poundbury Unwrapped 24th May to 1st June 2025
Art exhibition in Jubilee Hall Poundbury (Around the corner to Waitrose Poundbury). everyone welcome. Saturday 24th May to Sunday 1st June 10am to 4pm everyday.
Sat 24th May - 10:00am
and 8 future schedules
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Craft Fest 1 year Anniversary party
Crafty Cuppa’s Anniversary Celebration – You’re Invited! We’re thrilled to be celebrating another year of coffee, creativity, and community — and we want you to be part of the fun! Join us on Friday, 24th May from 12–4pm for an extra-special afternoon at Crafty Cuppa. To mark the occasion, we’re putting on a celebration packed with delicious treats and creative energy. What’s happening: Limited-edition drinks crafted just for the day A tempting array of freshly baked cakes and pastries A garden BBQ in our tranquil outdoor space A variety of mini workshops showcasing local talent and encouraging you to get hands-on The same cosy, inclusive atmosphere you know and love Whether you’re a long-time regular or new to the café, this is the perfect chance to meet friendly faces, try something new, and enjoy everything Crafty Cuppa has to offer. No tickets needed – just pop in and celebrate with us! Location: Crafty Cuppa Café Date: Friday, 24th May Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM We can’t wait to see you there
Sat 24th May - 12:00pm
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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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Summer Sessions: Ruffdog Elliott
Ruffdog has a bar room lizard style of acoustic jazz with the grit of the streets seeping into the sound of his vocals.
Mon 26th May - 2:00pm
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Fairy Folk Tales
Step into the enchanting world of Dorset folklore and immerse yourself in the magical tale of "The Singing Barrows at Bincombe Bumps".
Tue 27th May - 10:00am
and 3 future schedules
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Who Is Claude Cahun?
Take part in this interactive drama workshop and learn more about the extraordinary story of queer artists, Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore.
Tue 27th May - 11:00am
and 1 future schedules
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Lunar Retreats
Join us for a series of enchanting evenings celebrating the moon’s magic! Immerse yourself in a cacao ceremony, sipping rich, heart-opening cacao as we set intentions under the dark sky, embracing fresh beginnings.
Tue 27th May - 7:00pm
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From the Stacks – Free lunchtime talk
Recurring event, 'From the Stacks', which is a free lunchtime talk on selected archival treasures at Dorset History Centre, taking place on the last Wednesday of every month.
Wed 28th May - 12:30pm
and 3 future schedules
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Headband making with the Mermaid Princess
Join the Mermaid Princess for a fun afternoon!
Wed 28th May - 1:30pm
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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 28th May - 2:00pm
and 7 future schedules
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Story and craft with the Mermaid Princess
Join the Mermaid princess for an exciting mini session! We will be using the popular children’s story the very hungry caterpillar in this fun session and sharing an interactive story with props, instruments and song and making a caterpillar craft to take home. All of the children will also get stickers and goody bags and have the opportunity to take photos with the princess too! Accompanying adults go free, grown ups must stay on the premises throughout the event. This session is aimed at our younger friends but there are no set age limits!
Wed 28th May - 2:45pm
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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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Thomas Hardy Society Birthday Weekend
Celebration of Thomas Hardy's Birthday with The Thomas Hardy Society
Sat 31st May - All day
and 1 future schedules
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Art in the Park 2025
Paint Out on the Great Field - Art in the Park 2025 – Saturday 31st May 2025 10am to 4pm - everyone welcome
Sat 31st May - All day Saturday 31st May 10am to 4pm
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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 31st May - 10:00am
and 4 future schedules
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Roman Town House Tours
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 31st May - 10:30am
and 3 future schedules
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Music from the Courts of Europe – Courtlye Musick and Ars Nova
A free concert of early music with refreshments available.
Sat 31st May - 3:00pm
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Jun 2025
A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy in Words and Music
A Beautiful Thread celebrates Thomas Hardy in his own words: poetry, novels, and the music he loved so much With Anton Lesser and Orchestra of the Swan.
Sun 1st Jun - 3:00pm
and 1 future schedules
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Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night – The Lord Chamberlain’s Men
The Lord Chamberlain's Men will return to Dorchester Arts next June to perform Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in the gardens of Athelhampton House
Thu 5th Jun - 7:00pm
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Gather and Grow
Sculpture by the Lakes is delighted to announce a series of vibrant one-day pop-up markets held within its picturesque Maker’s Yard this summer. Each market will offer a unique theme, showcasing a diverse range of local traders and artisans.
Sat 7th Jun - All day
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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 7th Jun - 10:00am
and 5 future schedules
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Fused Glass
Book now for a restful and creative morning using glass to create your own masterpieces.
Sat 7th Jun - 10:00am
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Preseli Pete playing at the Convivial Rabbit
Preseli Pete playing at the Convivial Rabbit
Fri 13th Jun - 7:30pm
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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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Jane Austen: Down to the Sea exhibition
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth in 1775 this exhibition will explore the sea as a setting for Austen's fictional worlds and its influence on her.
Sat 14th Jun - All day
and 92 future schedules
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Cold Porcelain Tulip
Join Stacey for 4 hours of creative fun as she shows you all the techniques needed to create your very own tulip.
Sat 14th Jun - 12:00pm
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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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No ice in Weymouth! – Eating ice cream with Jane Austen (and a bit beyond) | Dr Annie Gray
Food historian Dr Annie Gray takes us back to the Regency to eat ices with jane Austen and her friend and family cook, Martha Lloyd.
Thu 26th Jun - 6:00pm
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Summer Market at Athelhampton House
For our third year, this Summer Market brings more stalls and delicious treats for you to sample and purchase. Along side Gifts and much much more....
Sat 28th Jun - All day - 10am to 3pm
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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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Creative Carnival
Sculpture by the Lakes is delighted to announce a series of vibrant one-day pop-up markets held within its picturesque Maker’s Yard this summer. Each market will offer a unique theme, showcasing a diverse range of local traders and artisans.
Sat 5th Jul - All day
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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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Bone builders: can you construct a human skeleton?
Meet the archaeology team from Bournemouth University and piece together a full skeleton made of life-like cast bones.
Thu 24th Jul - 10:00am
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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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Summer Fruit Trees Pruning Workshop
Summer pruning of fruit trees is as important as winter pruning. Summer is the time to clear out non-fruiting wood from apple and pear trees, but also to look at pruning stone fruit trees like cherries and plums.
Sat 2nd Aug - All day
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Mind, Body, and Soul
Sculpture by the Lakes is delighted to announce a series of vibrant one-day pop-up markets held within its picturesque Maker’s Yard this summer. Each market will offer a unique theme, showcasing a diverse range of local traders and artisans.
Sat 2nd Aug - 10:00am
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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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One World Festival
The Dorset One World Festival is a free local event to celebrate the diversity of cultures in Dorchester through music, dance, food and activities.
Sat 9th Aug - 11:00am
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The Big Bad Wolf – Outdoor Theatre at Athelhampton House
The Big Bad Wolf - a rock and roll musical for the whole family following the scheming life of Fairytale Land’s most notorious baddy... The Big Bad Wolf
Sat 16th Aug - 5:00pm
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Stand-up Comedy as part of the Festival of Palestinian Culture
Palestinian Comedy Night as part of the wider Dorchester Festival of Palestinian Culture. Join us for what will be an entertaining evening of hilarious comedy from a fantastic line up of comedians. The show will provide a mixture of comedians from both Palestinian and non-Palestinian heritage.
Fri 29th Aug - 7:30pm
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Paws Around The Park
After a howling success in 2024 we are thrilled to be holding Paws Around the Park again this year!
Sat 30th Aug - All day
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A Night of Conscious Rap, Rhymes & Rhythms
Come join us for an evening filled with words that speak to the mind, rhythms that move the body, and rhymes that stir the soul.
Sat 30th Aug - 8:00pm
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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
Autumn Market
For our second year this popular Autumn Market brings more stalls and all nice things in preparation for Winter hibernation and dare i say some 'early Christmas shopping
Sat 11th Oct - 10:00am
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Athelhampton’s Tudor Living History Week
Visit Athelhampton, one of England's finest Tudor Manor Houses surrounded by stunning architectural gardens with the bonus of being able to join in this special Half Term Event
Mon 27th Oct - All day
and 4 future schedules
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Nov 2025
Dorset Food and Drink Winter Fair
Winter Food and Drink Fair at Athelhampton House
Sat 8th Nov - 10:00am
and 1 future schedules
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Jul 2026
2026 International Thomas Hardy Conference and Festival
2026 International Thomas Hardy Conference and Festival
Sat 25th Jul - All day
and 7 future schedules
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