What's On in Dorset

Summer of Sport and Music at Castlepoint

Venue: Castlepoint Shopping Park

Website: www.castlepointshopping.com

Open air live screenings of sporting events and music festivals on the LED big screen. See the website and social media for event updates

Summer Skate

Venue: Bournemouth Lower Gardens

Website: www.summerskate.co.uk

Roller rink, yoga and fitness, movie nights, live music

Wildlife Photographer Of The Year

Venue: Dorset Museum and Art Gallery

Website: www.dorsetmuseum.org

Exhibition with over 100 powerful photographs capturing fascinating animal behaviour, spectacular species and the beauty of our planet

Heritage Open Days - Bridport Museum

Venue: Bridport Museum

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Visit the Museum for free - interactive displays and captivating stories

Dear Zoo

Venue: Lighthouse Poole

Website: www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

Stage adaptation of the classic children's book with puppets, music and lots of audience interaction

Heritage Open Days - Lulworth Castle House

Venue: Lulworth Castle House

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Visit the Weld Family home in the grounds of Lulworth Castle - the Entrance Hall and Drawing Room will be open to view - the gardens are not open

Heritage Open Days - Free access

Venue: Hardy's House,

Address: Max Gate

Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset

Free opening to celebrate Heritage Open Week

Berwick St John Country Fayre

Venue: Berwick St John Country Fayre

Website: www.berwickstjohncountryfayre.co.uk

Country show - see the website for details

Family kayak taster session

Venue: Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre

Website: www.facebook.com/weymouthoec

Try the sit on top kayaks in the sandy shallows of Sandsfoot Beach, Weymouth with an experienced and friendly instructor to help guide you. £20pp - to 5pm

Family Paddleboard taster

Venue: Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre

Website: www.facebook.com

Test your balance on the inflatable stand-up paddleboards in the calm waters of Portland Harbour or Weymouth Bay with an experienced and friendly instructor to help guide you. £20pp, 10am to 1pm, minimum...

Family paddleboard taster

Venue: Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre

Website: www.facebook.com/weymouthoec

Test your balance on the inflatable stand up paddleboards in the calm waters of Portland Harbour or Weymouth Bay with an experienced and friendly instructor to help guide ou. £20pp 10am to 1pm - minimum...

Films & Fun: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs

Venue: Lighthouse Poole

Website: www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

Screening of the much-loved animated fun

Gillingham and Shaftesbury Agricultural Show

Venue: Turnpike Showground

Website: www.gillinghamandshaftesburyshow.co.uk

Livestock events, craft and countryside area, Heavy Horse village, showjumping, agriculture, food and drink area, stalls and more

Heritage Open Days - Corfe Festival of Cultural Heritage

Venue: Corfe Castle

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Free entry to the castle for all visitors, hands-on demonstrations from local craftspeople, stalls, talks and displays

Model Building Day

Venue: Wimborne Model Town

Website: www.wimborne-modeltown.com

Model building and painting, sculpting, building brick challenges, 3D printing demo

Rewilding Our Seas

Venue: Emmanuel Baptist Church

Website: www.planetpurbeack.org

Local marine wildlife experts and practical local action for healthier seas. Suitable for al the family

Seafood and Sounds Festival

Venue: Poole Old Town and Quay

Website: www.seafoodandsounds.co.uk

Free to attend event with premium seafood and live music. See website for details of the lineup

South West Model Show

Venue: Tank Museum

Website: www.tankmuseum.org

See and buy models with indoor and outdoor trders and displays, sci-fi and more with specialist talks and tours

Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival

Venue: Sturminster Newton

Website: www.cheesefestival.co.uk

Artisan food, cheese, live music and more

Upton House Heritage Open Days weekend

Venue: Upton House

Address: Upton Country Park

Website: www.tockify.com/uptoncountrypark

2 days of exhibitions and tours to tell the story of Upton House's connections to Pool e and beyond, created by history students from Bournemouth University and costume students from Arts University Bournemouth

Vintage Weekend

Venue: Wimborne Model Town

Website: www.wimborne-modeltown.com

See the website for details

Vintage Weekend

Venue: Wimborne Model Town

Website: www.wimborne-modeltown.com

See the website for details

Wimborne Food Festival

Venue: Wimborne

Website: www.wimborne.info/events/wimborne-food-festival

Brand new food festival with self-guided food walk route, free food demos, talks and more

Autumn Plant Fair - Mapperton

Venue: Mapperton

Website: www.mapperton.com

Plant sale in the grounds of Mapperton attracting a large number of stalls of specialists from all over the region and benefitting West Dorset Wilding Charity

Heritage Open Days - Guided Tours at Shire Hall

Venue: Shire Hall Courthouse Museum

Website: www.shirehalldorset.org

Discber more about the history of Shire Hall and the people whose lives were changed there - find out more about the secreats of this historic building

Heritage Open Days - Nothe Fort

Venue: Nothe Fort

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

360 degree views across Dorset's Jurassic coast, maze of underground tunnels, a Museum, parade ground and more

Heritage Open Days - The Keep Military Museum

Venue: The Keep

Website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Free admission to the Keep with a brand new guide to the building itself, a new children's trail and craft activities

Ironman 70.3 Weymouth

Venue: Weymouth

Website: www.ironman.com

Series of long distance triathlon races - see website for spectator information

Open Garden - Annalal's Gallery

Venue: 25 Millhams Street

Address: Christchuch

Website: www.findagarden.ngs.org.uk

Open garden at the this 180 year old cottage, home of two royal Academy artists, Victorian walled garden, sculptures and paintings

Peter Pan

Venue: Lighthouse Poole

Website: www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

New retelling of the classic novel with original live music and song

Lyme Eats Boutique

Venue: Lyme Regis

Website: www.uniqueboutiqueevents.co.uk

Evening street food market atop the sea wall

Open Day in Aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Venue: Knoll Gardens

Website: www.knollgardens.co.uk

No booking required by normal admission charge applies which will donated to the NGS

Apple Weekend

Venue: The Ancient Technology Centre

Website: www.ancienttechnologycentre.com

Celebration of the apple harvest, apple pressing, rural craft displays and more

Axminster Carnival

Venue: Axminster

Website: www.facebook.com/axminstercarnival

Carnival events - see the website for details

Cirque: The Greatest Show

Venue: Bournemouth Pavilion

Website: www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk

Show with musical theatre showstoppers and jaw-dropping circus

Dorset Bird Festival

Venue: Talks, guided walks, demos, locall sourced foods and more

Website: www.events.rspb.org.uk

talks, guided walks, demos, locally sourced foods and more

Early Bird Walk and Breakfast

Venue: Brownsea Island

Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/brownseaisland

Be led on a wander around the island, lakes and lagoon followed by a breakfast. Booking essential.

Meet a Moth

Venue: Durlston Country park

Website: www.durlston.co.uk

Join one of the Durlston volunteers to open up last night's moth traps

Miniature Steam Festival on Poole Quay

Venue: Poole Quay

Website: www.steamheritage.co.uk

Celebrate the sights, sounds and smells of the age of steam when mini traction engines go to Poole Quay

Nature and Wellbeing Fair

Venue: Swanage Seafront

Website: www.planetpurbeack.org

Live music and family activities, local projects and community groups

Ringwood Carnival

Venue: Ringwood

Website: www.ringwoodcarnival.org

Festival of fun supporting the local community - see the website for the full details

Wessex Heavy Horse Show and Country

Website: www.wessexheavyhorsesociety.co.uk

Heavy horse themed show with lots of activities - see website for details

30% off Oceanarium memberships

Venue: Oceanarium

Address: Bournemouth

Website: www.oceanarium.co.uk

See the website for details

Attenborough's Giant Sea Monster - Sea Rex

Venue: The Etches Collection

Website: www.theetchescollection.org/giant-sea-monster

Pliosaur Skull Discovery - see the amazing creature and learn more about how it lived, hunted and died in the Jurassic seas of Kimmeridge 150 years ago

Beautiful Bournemouth Mini Exhibition

Venue: Russell Cotes Museum

Website: www.russellcotes.com

Discover the evolution of Bournemouth through this display in the Print Room

Easter Crafts at Broadstone Library

Website: www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/libraries

Craft activities

Easter Crafts at Canford Heath Library

Easter Hunt at Moors Valley Country Park

Venue: Moors Valley Country Park

Website: www.moors-valley.co.uk/easter

Find the hidden giant Easter egg shapes around Moors Valley - solve the riddles, spot the eggs and write down the letters to work out the hidden answer

Pieces of our Past

Venue: Highcliffe Castle

Website: www.highcliffecastle.co.uk

Experience the history of the Castle with never before seen photographs and artefacts

Rebellion and Revolt

Venue: Museum of East Dorset

Website: www.museumofeastdorset.co.uk

Thought provoking exhibit delving into two pivotal national struggles that profoundly impacted Dorset: the English Civil War of the 1640s and the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685. Themed trail around the Museum,...

West Bay In The War

Venue: West Bay Discovery Centre

Website: www.westbaydiscoverycentre.org.uk

Discover what happened locally in WW2. Find out about local memories, coast defences and more