What’s On – Local events guide

The Open for Art Trail returns from 17 May to 1 June! Get ready to explore the vibrant world of local art! 60 talented local artists will be throwing open their studio doors & filling surprising venues across Weymouth, Portland, Dorchester and beyond. It’s free, it’s friendly, and it’s the perfect way to discover amazing local art. Pick up a brochure locally & follow @openforartdorset on Facebook.

Join us on a unique and quirky trail dedicated to animal droppings. Have fun with various activities as you learn some poo-mazing facts. In the wild, animals see poo as something valuable – it can be used and recycled, and even played with. Have a go at our fun games like cow pat frisbee, roll balls like a dung beetle, and try to identify the poopetrator. Free trail, ferry and entry fee apply.

7:00 pm. Wessex Musical Theatre presents ‘Oliver!’ Tickets £20 (£15 under 15) Matinee Saturday 2pm. Featuring Shakira Berrisford and Stella Brading (Michael McIntyre’s Big Show)

We are running both morning and afternoon 1 hour Bushcraft taster sessions every Friday during school holidays. Starting at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Master skills including basic knife techniques, fire lighting, shelter construction, and identifying plants and trees. at the birthplace of Scouting.

7:30 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm). Come and listen, and dance, to the famous and fabulous Ben Waters, playing key shattering Boogie Woogie and Rock n’ Roll and his highly accomplished Rhythm & Blues and Jazz Saxophone player son, Tom Waters, proving the saxophone can rock & roll! Cash Bar. Tickets on sale now, £20 p.p. – Contact Susana via phone or email as per the links below. Raising funds for repairs to the church.

3:00 pm. Free concert with refreshments available. Step back in time and let Courtlye Musick and Ars Nova of Cherbourg transport you from 1450 to 1600 on a musical journey through the courts of Europe. Costumed performance on reproduction instruments. Donations welcome for St Mary’s church roof.

Featuring The Leggomen, Nina Garcia, Stealing Whisky, Chloe, Tom & Jack On The Box. In aid of Piddle Valley School and the Blood Bikers. Under 14s go free when accompanied by a paying adult. Follow web link below to buy tickets.

You are warmly invited to our monthly, cathedral-style service of Choral Evensong on Saturday 31st May at 4.30pm in St Peter’s Church, Dorchester. The music marks Ascension Day and includes works by Stanford, Philip Radcliffe, Joanna Forbes L’Estrange and Finzi. We are delighted to welcome David Bednall (Clifton Cathedral) as guest organist.

3:00 pm. Free concert with refreshments available. Step back in time and let Courtlye Musick and Ars Nova of Cherbourg transport you from 1450 to 1600 on a musical journey through the courts of Europe. Costumed performance on reproduction instruments. Donations invited to support Dorset Rural Music School.

Classic & Twinshocks Scramble. 10.30 am start of racing. Entry for adults £5.00 Accompanied teenagers under 16 free. There will be catering in the form of a burger van. Hot food & drinks. What 3 words – Skater sized locating. Free car park. Please come along & bring the whole family.

The evening starts with a scenic journey aboard the vintage Dorset Queen yacht, with fish and chips (vegan option available) The evening adventure will start at the new hide overlooking the lagoon, watching and listening to the nesting birds calling and catching fish. Afterwards, we will be using bat detectors to locate and identify a variety of different bat species.

Join us for a fun-filled day of activities, catering to all ages – including two very special Hairy Coo guests! Games, skittles, village stocks, junior tug of war, bouncy castle, kids enterainer Smarty Pants the Clown, music from Nina Garcia, bar and BBQ. Traditional stalls, cream teas, cash raffle and Dog Show. All set in the beautiful grounds of this 18 century Manor House.

You are warmly invited to our monthly, cathedral-style service of Choral Eucharist on Sunday 8th June at 10.30am in St Peter’s Church, Dorchester. The music includes: Durufle ‘Ubi caritas’, Jannacconi ‘Missa alla Palestrina’ and Ives ‘Listen sweet dove’. All are very welcome to this free service and for refreshments afterwards.

Once again Dorchester & District Lions will be organising Summerfest in 2025 – a free family fun day on the Great Field, Poundbury. As well as raising money for the Lions, the event provides a platform for local charities & organisations to come along , showcase & promote their own charities. There will be over 12 attractions, food & refreshments on sale and bar by the Convivial Rabbit.

7:30 pm. A concert by The West Dorset Singers .The choir was founded in 1966 and has since grown to become the largest choir in West Dorset. For over 60 years they were known as The New Elizabethan Singers, but in 2023 they decided to change our name to the West Dorset Singers. The director is Matt Kingston.
Also in the programme will be items from The Broadoak Choir. Tickets via web link below.

Flower Festival, Art exhibitions and Music Concerts in the glorious setting of St Mary’s Church. The event is raising funds for Weldmar Hospicecare. Free Admission. Artisan stalls on Friday and Saturday, 13th & 14th. Meet Ben McGregor the winner of Landscape Artist of the Year 2025 on Saturday 14th. Floral demonstration on Saturday 14th 11am.

7:30 pm. Get ready to be swept away by the harmonious sounds of the Dorchester Rock Choir! This talented and versatile choral ensemble invites you to an unforgettable evening filled with a diverse range of popular music that will resonate with audiences of all ages. Also joining the concert will be guest artists. All ticket sales support Weldmar Hospicecare. Tickets via web link below

Almost sixty brightly decorated elephants have transformed the west of Dorset into a vibrant, fun, and free art trail that local families and visitors will never forget. Each designed and painted by talented artists and local schools. Before the large sculptures are auctioned to raise funds for Weldmar Hospicecare, and the Mini Herd are returned to the schools who designed them, there is a final gathering of the herd in the Corn Exchange – the only time to see every elephant together under one roof! Follow the web link below to book tickets.

7:30 pm. This concert promises a captivating blend of classical and contemporary music. Matt’s musical journey began at Downside School, and he later earned an organ scholarship at Homerton College, Cambridge, while studying classics. He is currently on a UK tour of Cathedrals and Churches across the UK. Supporting Weldmar Hopsicecare. Tickets via the web link below.

A fun family treasure hunt searching for clues, collecting stamps and exploring the gardens to unlock the treasure chest and win goodies at the end! The event is raising money for Taylors Rehoming Centre to help animals across Dorset. Entry is £5 per child and cash only.

The evening starts with a scenic journey aboard the vintage Dorset Queen yacht, with fish and chips (vegan option available) The evening adventure will start at the new hide overlooking the lagoon, watching and listening to the nesting birds calling and catching fish. Afterwards, we will be using bat detectors to locate and identify a variety of different bat species.

Join us at St Peter’s Church on Dorchester Saturday 21st June between 12.30pm and 1pm for our free lunchtime concert. This is a thirty-minute programme of music for trombone, performed by Kevin Morgan. Kevin is the principal trombonist in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. You can expect an eclectic programme with informative.

You are warmly invited to our monthly, cathedral-style service of Choral Evensong on Saturday 28th June at 4.30pm in St Peter’s Church, Dorchester. The music includes Duruflé’s ‘Tu es Petrus’, the ‘Preces & Responses’ by Richard Ayleward, Sydney Watson’s ‘Evening Canticles in E’ and Jonathan Dove’s ‘Seek him that maketh the seventh stars’. Admission is free and there is a glass of wine to follow.

Dorchester Choral Society will be performing a lovely programme of anthems by English composers spanning five centuries. The choir will be conducted by Duncan Emerson and accompanied on the organ by Heather Reed. This free, unticketed and informal concert takes place in the historic church of St Mary’s Cerne Abbas. Refreshments will be sold and collection taken in aid of Weldmar Hospicecare.

Join the #WillDoes Bus Pull Challenge! On Saturday 12 July 2025 at Dorchester Rugby Club, teams of 8 will battle the clock to pull a bus in just 25 seconds — all to help raise £25,000 for Dorset charities supporting young people. Sign up via the web link below.

Free activities including Punch and Judy shows, face painting, a treasure hunt and music provided by Keep 106. More activities to be confirmed.

We are running both morning and afternoon 1 hour Bushcraft taster sessions every Friday during school holidays. Starting at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Master skills including basic knife techniques, fire lighting, shelter construction, and identifying plants and trees. at the birthplace of Scouting.

The Villagers of Milton Abbas invite you to their 18th Century Street Fair Whatever the weather, we hope you join in the fun of our Street Fair. We have tried to recreate the flavour of a country occasion using costume, rural crafts, entertainment and craft demonstrations. We expect to have a large number of stalls, with food and drink venues throughout The Street and Lake Field.

Get Safe for summer: 5 days for middle school students upwards to learn how to help if someone is in danger esp near the beach and water. Cost for week : £37.50

Join us for a fun evening of live music with The Mother Ukers, begin your night with a scenic harbour cruise aboard the Dorset Queen, with a complimentary drink. Enjoy the quirky performance, featuring unique and lively ukulele tunes. Savour a delicious pasty as you soak in the music and the stunning island views. The event price is all inclusive.

The superb annual Sunflower Trail to raise funds for local good causes. Check dates. The trail will be throughout August, but check exact dates nearer the time.

We are running both morning and afternoon 1 hour Bushcraft taster sessions every Friday during school holidays. Starting at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Master skills including basic knife techniques, fire lighting, shelter construction, and identifying plants and trees. at the birthplace of Scouting.

We are running both morning and afternoon 1 hour Bushcraft taster sessions every Friday during school holidays. Starting at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Master skills including basic knife techniques, fire lighting, shelter construction, and identifying plants and trees. at the birthplace of Scouting.

From 12:00 pm. Purbeck Valley Folk Festival is a small festival set on a farm on the beautiful Jurassic Coastline. We’re a festival that’s loved by everyone because there’s loads for kids to do, loads for parents, and loads for the old folkies too! This year’s lineup is already shining with Buster Sledge, John Bramwell, and Ellie Gowers—and there’s more to come! Stay tuned!

We are running both morning and afternoon 1 hour Bushcraft taster sessions every Friday during school holidays. Starting at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Master skills including basic knife techniques, fire lighting, shelter construction, and identifying plants and trees. at the birthplace of Scouting.

Join us for a fun evening of live music with The Mother Ukers, begin your night with a scenic harbour cruise aboard the Dorset Queen, with a complimentary drink. Enjoy the quirky performance, featuring unique and lively ukulele tunes. Savour a delicious pasty as you soak in the music and the stunning island views. The event price is all inclusive.

We are running both morning and afternoon 1 hour Bushcraft taster sessions every Friday during school holidays. Starting at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Master skills including basic knife techniques, fire lighting, shelter construction, and identifying plants and trees. at the birthplace of Scouting.

We are running both morning and afternoon 1 hour Bushcraft taster sessions every Friday during school holidays. Starting at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Master skills including basic knife techniques, fire lighting, shelter construction, and identifying plants and trees. at the birthplace of Scouting.

We are running both morning and afternoon 1 hour Bushcraft taster sessions every Friday during school holidays. Starting at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Master skills including basic knife techniques, fire lighting, shelter construction, and identifying plants and trees. at the birthplace of Scouting.