The Best Events in Weymouth for 2025
Heading down to Weymouth for an unforgettable seaside break? If so, then you simply cannot miss out on visiting...
Looking for the best festivals taking place in Dorset during 2025? If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
No matter what time of the year you visit, there’s always something going on in Dorset for visitors to get up to. From mouth-watering food festivals to music events and everything in between, there’s no shortage of fantastic Dorset festivals that take place throughout the year, with 2025 being no exception!
Keep scrolling to uncover all the best 2025 Dorset festivals…
• Illuminate at The Blue Pool
• Dorchester Beerex
• Christchurch Cheese & Chili Festival
• Swanage Fish & Food Festival
• SandFest 2025
• Wild Swimming Festival
• Swanage Carnival & Regatta
• Camp Bestival 2025
• Purbeck Valley Folk Festival
• Dorset County Show
Date: 9th January 2025
Location: The Blue Pool & Tearooms, Furzebrook, Wareham (BH20 5AR)
Admission: Children – £8.50 | Adults – £17.50
Website: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/illuminate-at-the-blue-pool-2025-tickets-1030994110137
The perfect way to see in the New Year, Illuminate at The Blue Pool is a popular Dorset festival that takes place at this former quarry on the Furzebrook Estate, situated on the stunning Isle of Purbeck. Although this popular attraction is open to visitors throughout the year, heading here in early January will give you the chance to see the surrounding woodland lit up with a magical array of fairy lights.
With a kilometre-long trail to follow through the nature reserve, be sure to head up to the Art Deco Tearooms afterwards to enjoy some fantastic live music and refreshments whilst sitting around the fire pits on the terrace. Great for visitors of all ages, it makes for a wonderful way to get out and about during the colder months of the year!
Dates: 31st January – 1st February 2025
Location: The Corn Exchange, High East Street, Dorchester
Admission: £11
Website: https://beerex.co.uk/product/dorchester-beerex-tickets/
Hosted at the Dorchester Corn Exchange by the Campaign for Real Ale, the Dorchester Beerex is due to be one of the biggest and best Dorset festivals in 2025 for lovers of great beer. Hosted over a two-day period, this event sees tonnes of local breweries set up shop to showcase their best pints and draws in hundreds of visitors from all over the county.
When it comes to tickets, you can either book an early afternoon or evening slot on either day; With the former, lunch will be provided, whereas the latter will give you the chance to enjoy the event’s live music performances. However, whichever ticket you choose, you’ll be provided with a commemorative glass to take away with you, as well as two free halves!
Dates: 17th – 18th May 2025
Location: Parley Lane, Christchurch (BH23 6AD)
Admission: Day Ticket – £9 | Weekend Ticket – £12.50 (Children under 15 go free)
Website: https://cheeseandchillifestival.com/
A staple Dorset festival that’s been running for over a decade, the Christchurch Cheese and Chili Festival is due to return for its eleventh year in 2025, drawing in foodies and tourists from all across the county and further beyond. However, despite its name, you’ll find a whole lot more than just cheese and chili at this event.
In fact, across the two days that this event is hosted, you’ll see tonnes of live music performances, entertainment for the kids and even the much-anticipated chili eating competition! Not only that, but with plenty of bars and fun things to do including a fantastic crazy golf course, it makes for the perfect place to go for a family day out.
Dates: 21st – 22nd June 2025
Location: Sandpit Field, Swanage
Admission: Free
Website: https://swanfishfest.com/
Returning for its tenth year, the Swanage Fish & Food Festival is an unmissable 2025 Dorset festival for taste enthusiasts and lovers of great seafood. Hosted on Sandpit Field right next to the seafront, this brilliant event hosts tonnes of local suppliers of fresh food who flock here to show off their best produce.
Free to enter, this two-day event also has a full schedule of live cooking demonstrations from talented chefs, as well as a hearty lineup of live music acts performing throughout the two days. Not only that, but with plenty to keep the kids busy throughout the day, it’s an event that has a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy.
Dates: 13th July 2025
Location: Sandbanks Beach, Poole
Admission: General – £40 | VIP – £80
Website: https://sandfest.co.uk/
Hosted at the famously beautiful Sandbanks Beach in Poole Harbour, SandFest is an unforgettable 1-day music festival that sees thousands of visitors flock here to party in the sunshine! First held in 2017, this independent festival’s much-anticipated return is likely to be one of the best Dorset festivals in 2025, making it an unmissable occasion for partygoers.
Featuring some of the biggest and best names in house, grime, garage and rap, the festival is estimating to have around 5000 attendees this year, so if you’re set on going for a rave on one of Britain’s most famous beaches, then be sure to get your tickets as soon as possible!
Dates: 19th – 20th July 2025
Location: Swanage Pier (BH19 2AW)
Admission: Guided Swims – £39 | 2km Challenge – £59 | 4km Challenge – £69
Website: https://www.thewildswimming.co.uk/
Hosted every year in the height of summer is the Swanage Wild Swimming Festival, a brilliant event that’s well-suited to adventurers and those of you who love spending time in the great outdoors. Attended by locals and visitors of all ages, this Dorset festival hosts fantastic guided swims led by coaches and lifeguards, as well as a host of safety seminars and even some challenging open-water races!
With a couple of options to choose from, participants can opt either for a 2km or 4km timed challenge around the bay, depending on your preferences and experience level. On top of all that, this wonderful Dorset event also hosts plenty of live music and local food suppliers across the two days, making it an excellent place to go for the whole family.
Dates: 26th July – 2nd August 2025
Location: Various Venues around Swanage
Admission: Children (4-12) – £35 | Youth (13-17) – £75 | Adult – £175
Website: https://swanagecarnival.com/
Known for being one of the biggest and most popular carnivals on the South Coast, the Swanage Carnival and Regatta is one of the town’s premier annual events, drawing in thousands of people every year. Hosted at the end of July and the beginning of August, this week-long Dorset festival is run entirely by volunteers, being mostly local townspeople, and has a rich history spanning nearly two hundred years.
Drawing in around a quarter of a million visitors every year, it’s safe to say that this will be one of the most popular Dorset festivals in 2025. Across the eight days that this event takes place, visitors can expect to see everything from air displays to live music, sporting events, games, competitions, firework displays and the famous carnival precession that passes through the heart of the town. So, if you’re heading down to Swanage in 2025, planning your trip around the carnival and regatta is a must-do!
Dates: 31st July – 3rd August 2025
Location: Lulworth Castle, East Lulworth
Admission: Children (5-9) – £111 | Children (10-12) – £131 | Teenagers (13-17) – £158 | Adult – £221
Website: https://dorset.campbestival.net/
Originally the family-friendly alternative to the now-defunct Bestival, this Dorset festival is now one of the county’s biggest annual events that sees tens of thousands of families and partygoers head to the beautiful Lulworth Estate for a fantastic occasion. Unlike a lot of UK festivals, this event is suitable for attendees of all ages, making it a great Dorset festival to visit during your next holiday with your loved ones.
During this 4-day festival, attendees can expect to see loads of live music from some of the biggest names in the industry, as well as tonnes of fun activities for both adults and kids alike. So, whether you’re hoping to go for a day or the entire week, attending Camp Bestival 2025 is a fantastic idea to think about!
Dates: 14th – 17th August 2025
Location: Purbeck Valley Farm, Valley Road, Corfe Castle (Wareham)
Admission: Children (4-12) – £35 | Youth (13-17) – £75 | Adult – £175
Website: https://www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk/
Described by organisers as “how festivals used to be”, the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival is a wonderful event that takes place annually on a small farm near the village of Corfe Castle. Hosting five stages across the site with a lineup of local and visiting performers, this Dorset festival also has a host of other fun things to see and do, including music and dance workshops, a makers market and a fantastic children’s area to keep the little ones entertained!
With a host of other activities taking place across this three-and-a-half-day festival including two traditional ceilidh dances, a “best beard” competition and the Purbeck Poetry Slam, there really is something for everyone to get stuck into at the Purbeck Valley Folk Festival.
Dates: 6th – 7th September 2025
Location: Dorchester Showground, Dorchester (DT2 7SD)
Admission: TBA (Children under 15 go free)
Website: https://www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk/
Taking place just outside the county town of Dorchester, the Dorset County Show takes place over three full days and brings in thousands of visitors from all over the region who come here to enjoy all the trappings of rural life. Hosting a range of events and activities for visitors including horse jumping, a dog show and even axe throwing, it’s also perfect for families, given that children under 15 can go for free!
Aside from the horse jumping and livestock awards, there will also be a vintage vehicle parade, a jam-packed food hall, a motorbike display and even some weird and wonderful events like a wacky ferret race, you’re bound to have an unforgettable time at the Dorset County Show, regardless of what you’re into.
For more events taking place in the county, why not check out this handy guide covering the best events in Weymouth for 2025? On the other hand, if you’re hoping to attend one of these 2025 Dorset festivals and in need of a place to stay, then be sure to check out this vast collection of all available Dorset holiday cottages »
Image Credits: Gaius Cornelius – (CC BY 4.0); Stephen and Helen Jones – (CC BY-SA 2.0); dorsetbays – (CC BY-SA 2.0); Saffron Blaze – (CC BY-SA 3.0)
I'm Rob and I joined the Sykes team in February 2024. I am a passionate writer and have always enjoyed holidays in the UK, especia...
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