Your truly comprehensive list of local events
Saturday, 1 August
Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society. Summer Flower and Produce Show. Competition marquee; cream teas and refreshments; gardening advice; stalls and exhibits. This year celebrating Pollinators. Uplyme Village Hall and Playing Field 2-5pm. Entry £1 adults, 16 and under free.
Loders fete 2-5pm, near Bridport in the idyllic grounds of Loders Court (DT6 3RZ, next to Loders Church). Stalls include tea tent, bar, BBQ, grand raffle, tombola, coconut shy, games, fresh produce and preserves, cakes, plants, books, silent auction and more – there will be magic and mayhem from children’s entertainer Count Backwards, Punch and Judy, music from Lyme Regis Town Band, a dog show and a classic vehicle display. Entry: Adults £2, U12s free. Parking free.
Axminster Flamingo Pool Fun Day from 12 till 4 at the Axe Valley Academy sports field EX13 5AZ, bar, food, stalls, games, entertainment and much more to raise funds for the community pool and hydrotherapy facility. Adults £2 children free, cash and cards accepted, sorry no dogs on site.
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Hawkchurch. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Scottish Dancing Party in Chardstock An evening of Scottish Dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BJ, 7.30-10.30 pm. No partner required. Please bring your own mug and a plate of food to share. Tea and coffee provided. Cost £5.00. Contact David on 01460 65981. https://www.chardscottishdance.co.uk.
Beaminster Museum summer exhibition Fire Flood Frost explores how Beaminster and the surrounding villages have battled the elements – from floods and violent storms to bitter freezes – along with the three great fires that devastated the town. The exhibition tells the story of how local people pulled together in times of crisis and learned lessons for the future. Visitors will also find exciting new Pre-history and Geology displays with eye-catching accompanying graphics, as well as a wide range of children’s activities. The Museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Bank Holidays, 10.30am – 4.00pm, Sundays 2.00pm – 4.30pm. Admission is free, but donations are very welcome. Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. www.beaminstermuseum.co.uk
Thursday, 6 August
Colyton Town History Walk leaving Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm. Guided walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under 16 free. No booking required, all weathers. Group Bookings by arrangement – contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
Friday, 7 August
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland An unforgettable open-air performance of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Join Alice as she tumbles down the rabbit hole and encounters a whirlwind of curious characters that come to life on stage in a dazzling production full of humour, music, and a touch of madness. Tickets can be purchased from www.fordeabbey.co.uk/events.
Move and Groove – 10.15am to 11.15am – a dance group for ages 55 to 90 years – exploring movement and dance in a friendly and creative environment. Classes take place at Steps studio, Crepe Farm Business Park, Symondsbury. For more details and to enrol contact Nikki Northover at nikkinorthover43@gmail.com @ gmail.com.
Saturday, 8 August
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Abbotsbury. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
One World Festival is back once again to celebrate the diversity of cultures in Dorset through world music, dance, food, and activities. This free event will be held from 11am-4pm at the Borough Gardens in Dorchester and will feature a programme of traditional and modern music involving local communities.
Drimpton & District Gardening Club 80th Summer Show including teas, raffle, and a chance to view all the entries from 1.30pm; all welcome. Drimpton Village Hall. Entry to the show is open to all ages, within a 20 mile radius of Drimpton – classes for baking & preserves, floral art, handicrafts, painting etc, flowers, fruit & vegetables. More details and entry forms are obtainable by emailing the show secretary: drimptonshow@btinternet.com Be bold, give showing a try – you may be surprised how well you do.
Sunday, 9 August
3pm Dalwood Jazz Club presents Amy Roberts & The Craig Milverton Trio with Amy on saxophone, clarinet & flute, Craig Milverton keyboard, Sandy Suchodolski – d/bass and Nick Millward – drums. Dalwood Village Hall, EX13 7EG (near Axminster). Bar for beer/wine/soft drinks and tea/coffee/cake etc. Parking at the Village Hall £12.50p If possible, please book in advance and pay (cash or card) at the door.
Wednesday, 12 August
6:00pm, Choral Evensong, St Michael’s Church, Lyme Regis. The Gloral of Choral Evensong performed by visiting choir Laudemus, under Musical Director Jeremy Jackson and Organist Sam Hanson as they tour from Broadstone to Wimborne Minster.
Thursday, 13 August
Colyton Town History Walk leaving Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm. Guided walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under 16 free. No booking required, all weathers. Group Bookings by arrangement – contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
Friday, 14 August
Move and Groove – 10.15am to 11.15am – a dance group for ages 55 to 90 years – exploring movement and dance in a friendly and creative environment. Classes take place at Steps studio, Crepe Farm Business Park, Symondsbury. For more details and to enrol contact Nikki Northover at nikkinorthover43@gmail.com @ gmail.com.
Saturday, 15 August
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Little Bredy. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Saturday, 15 – Monday, 31 August
Cockney Lines: The Paintings of Jim Buckingham Jim’s cockney family has a common and uncommon history. The exhibition traces the lines of his legacy through memorabilia, portraits and abstract explorations of ancestry. Open daily 10.30 — 16.30. Sou’-Sou’-West Gallery, Symondsbury Eastate, Bridport DT6 6HG. Contact: 07708 852 067.
Sunday, 16 August
French + Breton Folk Dance, Bal Crewkerne with live house band, in the Speedwell Hall, Abbey Street, Crewkerne, TA18 7HY. Dance workshop for beginners 6-7pm followed by main dance 7-9.30pm. Admission £4 (cash). Tea and coffee available or bring your own drinks. Free parking in the town centre car parks. More information on our website:https://balcrew.wixsite.com/balcrewkerne
Wednesday, 19 August
Coffee Morning including cakes, scones & savouries, and bacon/egg rolls (made to order), 10.30am – noon; all welcome. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. More details from Julia (01460 72769).
Thursday, 20 August
Colyton Town History Walk leaving Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm. Guided walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under 16 free. No booking required, all weathers. Group Bookings by arrangement – contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
Friday, 21 August
Move and Groove – 10.15am to 11.15am – a dance group for ages 55 to 90 years – exploring movement and dance in a friendly and creative environment. Classes take place at Steps studio, Crepe Farm Business Park, Symondsbury. For more details and to enrol contact Nikki Northover at nikkinorthover43@gmail.com @ gmail.com.
Tuesday, 25 August
Bridport U3A Talk starts at 2.00 pm. The talk is in The British United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport, DT6 3LJ. Pamela Simpson is telling us about ‘Scottish Colourists’ Talk lasts for 1 hour followed by Q & A then refreshments. Members free, visitors £3.00.
Thursday, 27 August
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7.25 mile walk from Winsham. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Colyton Town History Walk leaving Colyton Dolphin Car Park at 2 pm. Guided walk approximately one hour. Cost £5, children under 16 free. No booking required, all weathers. Group Bookings by arrangement – contact 01297 552514 or 01297 33406.
Friday, 28 August
Lyme Folk Weekend Four brilliant artists will share the stage with Eliza Carthy, honouring and celebrating her father Martin’s immense legacy and musical back catalogue. The set features some of Martin’s best loved work from all eras of his career, spanning from his debut to final albums, via Waterson:Carthy and beyond. Eliza Carthy is one of the most recognisable faces in British folk. She has received an MBE; numerous BBC R2 Folk Awards; two Mercury Prize nominations; was the first English traditional musician to be nominated for a BBC R3 Award for World Music, and in 2021 became President of the English Folk Dance & Song Society. From the purest unaccompanied traditional songs to original music incorporating myriad influences, she has moved through English folk music like a force of nature, both stirring it up and putting it back on the map. Tim Van Eyken is a highly respected singer, melodeon player, and interpreter of English folk music. Rising to prominence as a member of Waterson:Carthy, Tim has established himself as a distinctive solo artist with a rich, expressive voice and a powerful instrumental style. His performances are marked by both passion and precision, breathing new life into traditional songs while showcasing his skill as a captivating storyteller. Many will no doubt remember Angeline Morrison after her captivating show at Lyme Folk Weekend 2024. She is a superb singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music blends folk tradition with powerful storytelling. Her album The Sorrow Songs was named The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Year in 2022. Nick Hart will be another familiar face from Lyme Folk 2024. Nick is an award-winning singer and multi-instrumentalist whose work with English folk song has earned him a reputation as one of the most acclaimed performers of his generation. Finn Curran-Carthy is the grandson of Martin, son of Eliza, and the latest in the lineage to take to the stage, playing his grandfather’s guitar. Marine Theatre Lyme Regis. For more information and to buy tickets for all the shows, visit www.lymefolk.com.
Bardfest 2026 Welcome Concert, 7pm-10pm, Puncknowle & Swyre Village Hall. Featuring music, poetry, and storytelling by James Hollingsworth, Simon Andrews, Izzy Darkwood Monica Ciriani. Refreshments by donation. Book & CDs for sale. Bring cash. £15 advance ticket, £20 on door. Gold Weekend Ticket: £50 – entry to all events. Silver Ticket: £25 – entry to 3 events. Bronze Ticket: £10 – entry to 1 event. Paypal: kevanmanwaring@yahoo.co.uk. FFI: See Eventbrite for individual event bookings.
2pm and 6pm ‘The Homecoming’ Bridport Youth Dance contemporary dance company presents ‘The Homecoming’ – a site specific performance on the Upper Lawn at Symondsbury Estate. Tickets are on sale from Bridport Tourist Information Centre 01308 424901. Also online through the TIC website. ‘The Homecoming’ takes elements of Homer’s “The Odyssey” story told through dance. Produced by Nikki Northover ‘The Homecoming’ is a part of BYD’s 25th anniversary celebrations and will be a fusion of dance, movement, music, puppetry, nature and land performed by BYD contemporary dancers and alumni. Please bring a foldable chair, rugs and picnic if you wish. ‘The Homecoming’ is supported by Dorset Council, Bridport Town Council, Vicary and Co., Bridport Ladies Circle, Bridport Charities, Nantes solicitors and one anonymous angel.
Saturday, 29 August
Lyme Folk Weekend The six musicians in the Sandy Denny Project share a love and respect for her music, and also boast an impressive folk-rock pedigree, with each at the very top of their musical game. Since the band’s creation in 2019, they have been hailed as the finest performers of Sandy’s material by those who knew and played with her. Their joy in performing the work is contagious, taking their audiences on an emotional musical journey through her best loved songs, leaving them dazzled. The is approach is not one of a tribute band, slavishly copying the records, but as a tribute in its best sense — an interpretation of Sandy’s wonderful work. The band consists of singer Sally Barker (The Poozies, Fotheringay MkII) guitarist PJ Wright (TradArrr, The Dylan Project), Marion Fleetwood (Feast of Fiddles, TRADarrr), Gemma Shirley (keyboard and vocals – TRADarrr), plus bassist Mat Davies and drummer Mark Stevens from folk-rock legends Little Johnny England. Marine Theatre Lyme Regis. For more information and to buy tickets for all the shows, visit www.lymefolk.com.
Bardfest 2026 Goblin Market & Small Press Fair, 10am-4pm, Puncknowle & Swyre Village Hall. Lunchtime Concert: The Fairies’ Bazaar. Storytelling & Poetry by Izzy Darkwood. 1pm-2pm, £10. Teatime Concert: Healing Waters. Storytelling & Poetry by Kevan Manwaring, 4pm-5pm £10. Bardic Cabaret. Music, Storytelling & Poetry in aid of the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Beer garden of The Crown, Puncknowle, 6.30pm-10.30pm – Donations (bring cash). Gold Weekend Ticket: £50 – entry to all events. Silver Ticket: £25 – entry to 3 events. Bronze Ticket: £10 – entry to 1 event. Paypal: kevanmanwaring@yahoo.co.uk. FFI: See Eventbrite for individual event bookings.
Record Sale Large collection of Vinyl records for sale, LPs from treasured collection, plus singles. Huge variety including some rare items. Something for everybody! Some books, mainly paperbacks, also for sale. 10am to 5pm. in Chaffcombe, Chard, TA20 4AP Enquiries to Dave 01460-61116 davidbracher@btopenworld.com.
Sunday, 30 August
Lyme Folk Weekend another wonderful, atmospheric, collaborative musical evening curated by festival patrons Ninebarrow. Jon and Jay’s guests for 2026 will be Honey & The Bear and Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll. Honey & the Bear are a multi-instrumentalist husband and wife duo who have become a tour de force on the UK Folk Festival circuit in recent years. The British folk and roots duo combine delicately interweaving vocal harmonies with emotive and evocative songwriting. With a diverse range of sounds and textures, and rhythms that flow from the fast and furious to gentle ballads, their live performances are spirited and dynamic. Nick Wyke and Becki Driscoll return to Lyme Folk Weekend for the first time since 2016. This musical partnership has its roots in the traditional music of the South West but explores a contemporary sound that draws on inspiration from across the globe. All that and the fabulous Ninebarrow too! Marine Theatre Lyme Regis. For more information and to buy tickets for all the shows, visit www.lymefolk.com
Matinee Following the great success in previous years of Magellan: Circumnavigation (2022) and Anne Boleyn: Wolf at the Door (2023), Bob Whitley (guitars and mandola) and Lee MacKenzie (cello) return to Lyme Folk Weekend with their brilliant brand new show, Ophelia. Written and composed by Bob, Ophelia is a musical story of love, treachery and tragedy. Bob and Lee perform as Shakespearian Players to bring you the tragic love story of Ophelia and Hamlet, set in the Danish coastal castle of Elsinore, another magical combination of vivid storytelling and beautiful music. Marine Theatre Lyme Regis. For more information and to buy tickets for all the shows, visit www.lymefolk.com.
Bardfest 2026 Goblin Market & Small Press Fair, 10am-4pm, Puncknowle & Swyre Village Hall. Lunchtime Concert: Ricky Romain, 1pm-2pm, £10. Teatime Concert: Giants & Kings with Peter Roe and Rebecca Katya Danici, 4pm-5pm, £10. Sunday Sing ‘n’ Strum. Beer garden of The Crown, Puncknowle. Free.
Monday, 31 August
Bardfest 2026 Folk Song Walk with Alastair Braidwood, 11am, Meet outside The Crown, 2 hr walk, wear suitable footwear and clothing. Bring water. £10. Discount advance tickets onlly: Gold Weekend Ticket: £50 – entry to all events. Silver Ticket: £25 – entry to 3 events. Bronze Ticket: £10 – entry to 1 event. Paypal: kevanmanwaring@yahoo.co.uk. FFI: See Eventbrite for individual event bookings.
11:30am, Organ Recital, St Michael’s Church, Lyme Regis A fun and sparkling organ recital by Peter Irving. Favourites for all the family including the Finale of Saint Saens’ ‘Organ Symphony’, Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, and Elgar’s Nimrod. Retiring collection with all funds raised in aid of the new church toilets.
First-Ever Symondsbury Summer Dog Fête promises fun for the Whole Family. A fun-filled day of entertainment, activities and community spirit is on the menu at one of Dorset’s most dog-friendly destinations. With free entry, the event will transform Symondsbury Estate into a traditional summer fête with a canine twist, offering a packed programme of attractions for dogs and their owners, while ensuring there’s plenty for visitors without dogs to enjoy too. A highlight of the day will be the Symondsbury Dog Show, featuring a variety of fun classes and culminating in the ever-popular Paws Got Talent showcase. There will also be the chance to strike a pose at the Pooch Smooch Booth, browse the Pup-Up Market packed with doggy gifts, treats and accessories from local traders, and enjoy delicious food and drink provided by The Symondsbury Kitchen. Four-legged guests won’t miss out either, with puppaccinos, doggy ice creams and plenty of tasty treats on offer. The Summer Dog Fête is the perfect chance for people to experience the Estate for themselves, whether that’s exploring the scenic trails, getting a culture fix at the art gallery, browsing the independent shops, going on our family Summer Explorer Trail, enjoying great food and drink at The Symondsbury Kitchen, or simply relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere. Symondsbury Estate, Bridport DT6 6HG. 10am – 4pm. Free Entry.
Anonymous Festival returns Borough Gardens in Dorchester from 11am to 5pm. This family friendly event, now in its 16th year, is literally bursting to the seams with activities for all ages, from craft and clay to bouncy castles and bungee trampolines. And not only is the event free to attend, but there is absolutely no charge for any of the activities either! You will have the opportunity to battle your friends at inflatable gladiators, get your hair feathered or a glitter tattoo or have your photo taken in a vintage horsebox. You will even have the chance to do a masterclass in how to create a special effect wound! And to top it all there will be musical entertainment taking place throughout day by way of 2 stages which will feature some of our most talented young performers, as well as the locally loved Vinyl Van who will be spinning discs in the chill out corner. There will be a range of affordable, delicious food on offer, including burgers, sausages and chips, mouth-watering freshly cooked Thai dishes, authentic falafels, and delicious curries. For the sweet of tooth there will also be popcorn, candy floss and ice-cream, and the park kiosk will be open for light snacks and drinks. Feel free to bring your own blanket or deckchair and make a day of it. Borough Gardens in Dorchester, 11am – 5pm.
