The Ultimate Visitor Guide
Events:
What's on in Dorset
There's never a dull moment here! With a huge choice of events in Dorset taking place throughout the year, you'll be entertained no matter when you visit.
You'll find tasty food festivals like the award-winning Dorset Seafood Festival, red arrows and other spectacular events at the Swanage Carnival, fireworks aplenty, music festivals such as the Wessex Folk Festival, some fantastic theatre productions, comedy shows and of course some slightly quirkier events to enjoy (Bridport Hat Festival we're looking at you!)
Dorset County Show and Melplash Show are just two of many events giving you the chance to discover rural life in Dorset.
Whatever your interests, you'll find details of what's on in Dorset on this page. Use the tabs to browse events today, this weekend, this week or next week - or just use the calendar to find out what's on when you're visiting.
Have an eventful visit!
Dorset Events by Date
The next 60 events in Dorset:
Fri25thSep
Jongleurs Stand Up Comedy on Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth
Fri25thSep
Quiz Cruise with Ultimate Party Nights
Weymouth
Sat26thSep
Bingo'in CraZy
Weymouth
Sat26thSep
Birds and Wildlife on the Bay
Weymouth
Fri25thSepuntilSat26thSep
Dusk til Dark 2026
Weymouth
Sat26thSep
Tiger Tank Day Autumn
Wareham
Mon28thSep
Sunset Fish and Chips Cruise
Weymouth
Sat21stMaruntilWed30thSep
Beatrix Potter™ Trail at Groves Nurseries
Bridport
Thu1stOct
DS:UK…in Tribute to Dire Straits
Weymouth
Fri2ndOct
McCartney All the Best — Beatles and Beyond
Weymouth
Fri2ndOct
Oktoberfest Party Cruise
Weymouth
Sat3rdOct
Badness: Madness Tribute on Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth
Sat3rdOct
Romance Writing Festival
Bournemouth
Sat3rdOct
Shaftesbury Carnival
Shaftesbury
Sat3rdOctuntilSun4thOct
Dorset Team Autumn Fair
Wimborne
Sat3rdOctuntilSun4thOct
Pirate Weekend at Nothe Fort
Weymouth
Thu1stOctuntilSun4thOct
Swanage Blues Festival
Swanage
Fri2ndOctuntilSun4thOct
Weymouth Pirate Festival
Weymouth
Thu8thOct
The Phantoms Starring Lee Mead
Weymouth
Fri9thOct
Rave On
Weymouth
Sat10thOct
Gillingham Carnival
Gillingham
Sat10thOctuntilSun11thOct
A Night at The Tank Museum
Wareham
Sun11thOct
Weymouth Beach Motocross
Weymouth
Mon12thOct
Pack Monday Fair
Sherborne
Sat17thOct
Autumn Market - Saturday 11th October 2025
Dorchester
Sat17thOct
Bingo’in CraZy
Weymouth
Sat17thOct
Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience
Bournemouth
Mon19thOct
Biofluorescent Night Walks
Lyme Regis
Wed21stOct
Nigel Havers: Talking B*ll*cks
Bournemouth
Sat24thOct
A Creepy Circus - Live Actors
Weymouth
Sat24thOct
Birds and Wildlife on the Bay
Weymouth
Sat17thOctuntilSat24thOct
Dorchester Literary Festival
Dorchester
Sat24thOct
Oktoberfest at the Treehouse
Christchurch
Sat24thOctuntilSun25thOct
Autumn Colours Weekend
Sherborne
Thu29thOct
Halloween Quiz with Ultimate Party Nights
Weymouth
Fri30thOct
Halloween Bingo'in CraZy
Weymouth
Fri30thOct
Haunted Harbour Cruise
Weymouth
Fri30thOct
Trunk 'n' Treat Halloween Parade
Weymouth
Mon26thOctuntilFri30thOct
Tudor Week - Living History at Athelhampton
Dorchester
Sat31stOct
Family Halloween Party at Sticks & Bones
Weymouth
Sat31stOct
Halloween Party Cruise
Weymouth
Sat24thOctuntilSat31stOct
Halloween Quiz at Wimborne Model Town
Wimborne
Sat31stOct
Haunted Harbour Cruise
Weymouth
Fri30thOctuntilSat31stOct
Nothe of the Living Dead
Weymouth
Sat24thOctuntilSat31stOct
October Illuminate 2026
Abbotsbury
Sat31stOct
West Bay Fireworks
West Bay
Sat3rdOctuntilSun1stNov
Ascarium at the Sea Life
Weymouth
Sat24thOctuntilSun1stNov
Children's Autumn Pumpkin Trail
Sherborne
Sat24thOctuntilSun1stNov
Ghostly Games at Abbotsbury Swannery
Abbotsbury
Sat24thOctuntilSun1stNov
Halloween at Sandworld
Weymouth
Sat24thOctuntilSun1stNov
Halloween Family Half-Term
Weymouth
Sat24thOctuntilSun1stNov
Halloween Garden Adventure
Lyme Regis
Fri16thOctuntilSun1stNov
Purbeck Film Festival
Wareham
Thu5thNov
Bonfire Night BBQ Cruise
Weymouth
Thu5thNov
Free Firework Night on Poole Quay
Poole
Thu5thNov
Weymouth Guy Fawkes Night
Weymouth
Sat7thNov
Bournemouth Littledown Fireworks
Bournemouth
Sat7thNov
Lyme Regis Fireworks Display
Lyme Regis
Sat7thNov
The Ultimate 80s Rock Anthems on Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth
Sat7thNov
Upwey Bonfire and Fireworks
Weymouth
What's on by Town
AbbotsburyBeaminsterBlandfordBournemouthBridportChristchurchCorfe CastleCranborneDorchesterGillinghamLulworthLyme RegisNew ForestPoolePortlandShaftesburySherborneStudlandSwanageWarehamWest BayWeymouthWimborne
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