Wednesday, May 6
Dorchester Walking Festival is now in full swing, with events until Sunday, May 10. More than 650 tickets have been sold and £2,500 raised for charities. This year’s festival offers 52 guided walks across Dorchester and the surrounding countryside. Full programme on Eventbrite.
Thursday, May 7
Dorset Independent Photographers are holding their spring exhibition until May 17, 10.30am to 4.30pm at Sou Sou West Gallery, Symondsbury Estate, Bridport DT6 6HG. The group has been around since the 1980s, exhibiting widely across the region. dorsetindepend entphotographers.co.uk
All are welcome at a memory café in Bridport’s St Swithun’s Church Hall, North Allington, DT6 5DU, 2pm-3.30pm (1st & 3rd Thursdays). Refreshments, free, no need to book a place. Call Mel: 07860 592407 or Jim: 07719 074485 or: admindorset@alzheimers.org.uk
A community coffee morning will be held 9.30am-11.15am at St Swithun’s Church Hall, Allington, Bridport, DT6 5DU. Free bacon butties, cake, coffee. All welcome. 07741 457505.
A plant sale hosted by the Dorchester Committee for the Children’s Society will be held 10am-2pm at 8 Grosvenor Road, DT1 2BB. Plant donations will be gratefully received, either on the day or beforehand and can be delivered to Jane Culliford (8 Grosvenor Road) or Annette Aldridge (16 Manor Road). Collection by ringing Jane on 01305 269360. Wide range of plants for sale including annuals, perennials and vegetable plants.
Beaminster Museum’s Fire Flood Frost exhibition explores how Beaminster and the surrounding villages have battled the elements over the centuries – from floods and violent storms to bitter freezes – and the three great fires that devastated the town and how people pulled together. Open Tues, Thurs, Sat and Bank Holidays, 10.30am-4pm, Sun 2pm-4.30pm. Free, donations welcome. Whitcombe Rd, DT8 3NB. beaminstermuseum.co.uk
Friday, May 8
There’s a chance to watch an open rehearsal of Tudor music and dancing at 11am as part of Dorchester Town Council’s informal annual town meeting at the Corn Exchange (DT1 1HF), celebrating twinning between Dorset and Normandy. Step back in time with Courtlye Musick and Ars Nova of Cherbourg as they whirl you through Tudor and medieval dance music and love songs played in costume on period instruments. Free entry. courtlyemusick.co.uk or call 01305 854915.
Saturday, May 9
Sherborne & District Gardeners’ Association meets at the Main Digby Hall, Hound Street, at 7.30pm for their AGM, followed by Malcolm Balmer on choosing and preparing photographs for display. Non-members £3. Call Richard on 01935 389375.
Dorset Nectar Cider is holding a May Festival in their orchard near Bridport (DT6 5FT) from 2pm. Enjoy the sights and smells of the orchard bursting into blossom while being entertained by Bridport Mummers, plus storytelling by Martin Maudsley, Maypole dancing and the choosing of the May Queen and May King from 2pm. Live music from 5pm. The cider farm shop, with its award-winning, organic ciders, apple juices and cider vinegars and Windward Brewery craft beers, plus a tasting room and cider garden are open seven days a week 9am-11pm in summer. Cider farm tour & tastings every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 11am-12.30. There’s also camping until Sept 14. Contact 01308 488382 or go to dorsetnectar.co.uk
Dorset Spring Show will be held today and tomorrow near Puddletown! The celebration of all things countryside features a veritable feast of entertainment, with a motocross stunt show, heavy horse village, music stage, circus show, enhanced spring farm area, fire show, have-a-go circus skills, wood carver, pottery workshop, steam engines and an enlarged food hall. Head to Birch Lane Showground, DT2 7LN. Book at dorsetcountyshow.co.uk
Dorset Chamber Orchestra at St Mary’s Church, Dorchester at 7.30pm, in a joint promotion with Dorchester Arts. Three much-loved works − the dramatic Overture from Prince Igor by Borodin, Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 2 featuring Dominic Doutney as soloist, and Brahms’ Symphony No 2. Tickets are £21 for adults and £2 for under 19s and are available from dorchesterarts.org.uk
Linde Nijland and Bert Ridderbos will perform at Chetnole Village Hall (DT9 6NU) at 7.30pm – a cappella songs mixed with ballads, instrumental tunes and up tempo sing alongs. Linde was described as ‘best folk singer of the Netherlands’. Bar available (cash/card). Tickets £12.50 from Blair 01935 872420 or Jeff 01935 873247 or visit chetnolevillagehall.com. The Chetnole Inn (next door to the village hall) will be open for dinner before the show. Phone 01935 872337 to book.
There’s a talk at Tolpuddle Old Chapel by Kate Edwards, who will share her knowledge of cob buildings, looking at soil structure, making cob in the traditional way (by dancing on it!) and undertaking minor repairs on a cob structure in the village. More info and booking at tolpuddleoldchapeltrust.org
Lyme Bay Chorale presents Sacred Spring Music including works by Handel, JS Bach and Mendelssohn at Lyme Regis Parish Church at 7pm. Advance tickets £15 from tickettailor.com/ events/lymebaychorale or £17.50 on the door. Under-18s free. Refreshments will be available. lymebaychorale.co.uk
Friends of Bridport Millennium Green are holding a plant sale 9.30am-1pm on the Millennium Green, North Street. Surplus cuttings, pots, tools, books etc required, will collect. 01308 423078.
An afternoon tea concert with Weymouth Concert Brass will be held at St Edmund’s Church Hall, Lanehouse Rocks Road at 3pm. Music, tea and cakes. A relaxing and entertaining afternoon of brass band music and home-made refreshments. Tickets £6.50 U16s free at ticketsource.com/ weymouth-concert-brass, or from Jeff on 07710 096174.
There’s bingo at Maiden Newton Village Hall, doors 2pm, eyes down 2.30pm.
There’s a vintage toy fair in Sherborne at the Digby Memorial Hall, DT9 3NL, from 8.30am (£5 entry, £3 after 9am), closing at 1.30pm. Around 30 toy sellers, offering vintage favourites and rare items, who will also buy items visitors bring along. The fairs will also be held on Saturdays July 18, October 3, November 28 and December 19. Contact Hilary on 07736 666414 or hilarychisholm@aol.com to book a stall.
Repair Cafe Weymouth at Southill Community Centre, 137, Radipole Lane, DT4 9SS, 10am-12.30pm. Bring items for repair by specialist volunteers for an optional donation. Electrical, clocks, jewellery, sewing and leather repairs, mechanical, sewing machines etc. From November this event will be held every second Saturday of the month. repaircafeweymouth.org
A plants and car boot sale will be held 10am-1pm at St Swithun’s Church Garden and Hall, Allington, Bridport, DT6 5DU. Sellers £12. Plus stalls clothes, bric a brac, tombola, garden items, jazz cafe with bacon butties and refreshments. 07887 483228.
Step back in time with Courtlye Musick and Ars Nova of Cherbourg at Broadmayne Village Hall, Cowleaze Road, DT2 8EW at 2.30pm. Medieval and Tudor dance music and love songs played in costume on period instruments. Free concert with retiring collection. More details at courtlyemusick.co.uk or call 01305 854915.
Sunday, May 10
The Sherborne Steam and Waterwheel Centre is holding an open day 11.30am-3.30pm. The waterwheel and steam engines will be running. Refreshments, picnic area, toilet. Wheelchair access to all areas except for the visitor centre and toilet. Park in Oborne Road. Entry by donation. New members and volunteers warmly welcomed. sswc.co.uk
Salway Ash Village Cream Teas at Strongate Farm (DT6 5JD). Cream teas, plant stall and raffle in aid of Holy Trinity Church 2pm-5pm. Dogs welcome on a lead. For more details contact Tess on 07792 609617.
Island Voices Community Choir will hold a concert and workshop 2pm-4.30pm at All Saints’ Church Wyke Regis DT4 9ES. Donations to Portland Island Community Action and All Saints’ windows. Workshop 2pm-2.30pm – come along and sing, no previous experience needed. 3pm-4.30pm concert with an interval with tea and cake. More info: Su 07593 063551 or Barb mcint@gmail.com
St Peter’s Church Dorchester (DT1 1XA) Choral Eucharist at 10.30am with music by Michael Haydn, Gorecki and William Harris. Free. musicatstpetersdorchester.org
Monday, May 11
A new and exciting exhibition, A Splash of Colour is being held at Eype Centre for the Arts between 10am and 4pm until May 17. The exhibition will showcase the work of Nicola Dennis, who has a passion for pattern and colour and is usually inspired by wildlife. Dan Pedler with his abstract pieces of wood, paint, resin and collage inspired by walking the Southwest coastal path and Sally Davies, who has a studio on St. Micheals Trading Estate in Bridport. Her work is a mixture of abstract painting, photography as well as a wide range of splashbacks for the bathroom, kitchen or as outdoor art. There is plenty of parking and the exhibition is free.
Dorchester Oddfellows will host an afternoon of tabletop games 2pm-5pm at PIP Café Poundbury, St John Way, Poundbury, DT12FG. Come and play or learn to play: Backgammon, Scrabble, rummikub, mah jong and much more. Free event to include tea and coffee and cake. Please phone or email Rosemary for further details 07788 436797/rosemarywdt2@gmail.com
West Dorset Flower Club is holding a talk on hats by Sue Outhwaite from Snooks, at the WI Hall, North Street, Bridport, at 2.30 pm. Non members £6. 01308 456339.
St Swithun’s Band spring concert 7.30pm-9pm at St Swithun’s Church Garden and Hall, Allington, Bridport, DT6 5DU. All welcome, donations are to be split between the band and church funds. Tea and biscuits on sale in the hall after the concert.
Dorchester Townswomen’s Guild meet at the Community Church, Liscombe Street, Poundbury at 2pm for a talk on My Memory Quilt – Living with Motor Neurone Disease by Sally Scragg. Sally completed the beautiful quilt over four years to create memories after her husband was diagnosed with MND. Sally’s journey is reflected in the quilt, not to be missed.
Tuesday, May 12
Dorchester Oddfellows host a coffee and get together with bring and buy 10.30am-noon at Crossways Village Hall. Contact Mary Brewer 01305 853125 marybrewer44@icloud.com
Weymouth Art Group (Wags) invites new members to its friendly, mixed-ability group. Tuesdays 9.30-12 Southill Community Centre (£2 weekly).
Southill Gardening Club is hosting a plant sale and seed swap at the Southill Community Centre at 7.30pm. All welcome to come along and stock up for the new season and chat with fellow gardeners. Non-members welcome, refreshments available. Further information from Nigel Smith on 01305 788939.
Royal British Legion, Dorchester Branch will hold a meet and greet social event 11am-1pm at The Junction Hotel, Great Western Road, DT1 1UF. Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Everyone is welcome.
Wednesday, May 13
Weymouth Memory Café is held on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays 2pm-3.30pm at St Andrew’s Church Rooms, 4 Church Rd, Preston, DT3 6BU, just round the corner from the bus stop. People living with dementia and their carers/families and just turn up and it’s free, with no need to book. Contact admindorset@alzheimers.org.uk or call Mel on 07860 592407 or Jim on 07719 074485.
Loders Local History Group meets 7.30pm-9pm in the village hall for a talk by Helen Doble on Loders Parish in the 1920s. All welcome. £3/adult refreshments.
Thursday, May 14
There’s an evening class on functional ware at Tolpuddle old chapel, main road, 7pm-9pm – £30. Booking through creativeclayforall.co.uk/shop Beginners and advanced welcome to make a mug/jug. Pieces will be kiln fired.
Daytime Holy Communion service with hymns at St Aldhelm’s Church, Spa Road, Weymouth, DT3 5EW for Ascension Day, at 10am, followed by refreshments in the Church cafe. All welcome.
Saturday, May 16
It’s Charter Fair day in Bridport! A chance to enjoy lots and lots of activities including many free ones. See page 43 for more details.
Weymouth Sailing Club is holding an open day from 10am-4pm. Swap your walking shoes for deck shoes and experience the thrill of life on the water. Gather at Nothe Parade, next to the Lifeboat. Whether you are a complete novice or a seasoned sailor looking for a new home port, the day offers a hands-on introduction to the friendly, member-run community club. You will need soft-soled shoes (trainers are fine), a windproof jacket and a warm hat.
There will be SB20 keel boat taster sessions, yacht trips into the bay, Youth on Boats (YOBs) for ages 9-18, a clubhouse tour and a chance to meet the members. You can also meet some of the lifeboat crew. The club offers RYA courses, including Powerboat Level 2 and Day Skipper Theory. wsc.org.uk
Weymouth British Heart Foundation shop’s annual charity fashion show will be held at the Centenary Club on Jubilee Close (DT4 7BG) at 6pm. Live music, buffet, raffle, auction and pre-loved bargains. Tickets £9 from the Weymouth BHF store at 34 St Mary Street (01305 785457).
St Peter’s Church Dorchester (DT1 1XA) lunchtime concert 12.30pm-1pm with music by Copland and Finzi – Natalie Burton (clarinet) Rob Taylor (piano). Admission free. musicatstpetersdorchester.org
Sherborne Tennis Club is holding a 24-hour tennisathon for the Motor Neurone Disease Association from noon at the Terraces. There will be a raffle, refreshments and an auction, too. There are 192 one-hour slots to be filled. To take part or get involved email mnd@sherbornetennis.com
It’s Cider Saturday at Dorset Nectar Cider! Come on down every week, 5.30pm to 8pm at the farm in Waytown, Bridport DT6 5FT and enjoy delicious food (veggie option) and live music from DJ Simon.
Longburton Garden Club is holding a plant sale 10.30am-noon at the Cam Vale Community Hall, Wildewood Rise, DT9 5FZ. Cake stall and refreshments, all in aid of club funds. Cash or cheque.
A coffee morning will be held at All Saints church, Wyke Regis, 10am-noon. All welcome for cakes, books, Fairtrade stall.
Dorchester’s Vegan MegaMarket will be held at Maumbury Rings today and tomorrow, 10am-4pm, with 50+ stalls including an inflatable play zone for the children and the opportunity to try a free gong bath. For more info email wdveganevents@gmail.com
Sunday, May 17
The Occasional Singers perform Choral Masterworks at 7pm at St Mary’s Church, Edward Road, Dorchester DT1 2HL. The church will resound to the glorious music of Handel, Bach and Mendelssohn. The singers will be joined by the outstanding young soprano Sumei Bao-Smith as they run the gamut of emotions from the joyful, energetic vigour of Handel’s ‘Let God Arise’ to the tender romantic passion of Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42. The programme includes the famous soprano aria Scherza Infida from Handel’s Ariodante. Free, with a retiring collection for Weldmar.
Free yoga sessions with Debbie at The Marsh in Weymouth return every Sunday 9am-10am, until September 13. Bring a mat or towel and some water. No need to book.
Monday, May 18
A talk by Dr Francis Burroughes ‘To catch the eye of the judge’ at 7.30pm at Piddletrenthide Memorial Hall. Piddle Valley Gardens Club event – members free, guests £2.
Tuesday, May 19
Fortuneswell Cancer Trust is holding its AGM in The Main Hall, at The United Church in South Street, Dorchester, at 6.30pm, followed by a talk from Neil Johnston, deputy divisional director of operations for urgent and integrated care division, about the support that FCT gives to Dorset County Hospital. Light refreshments. All welcome. More info from thefortuneswellcancer trust@gmail.com
Beaminster Horticultural Society meets for a presentation by Phil Broomfield: Brick by Brick – Walled Gardens of Dorset. Phil details those in Dorset including Edmondsham, Deans Court, Museum of East Dorset, Kingston Lacy and Upton House, as well as a few he has visited further afield. Public Hall, DT8 3EF. Doors 7pm, meeting 7.30pm. Raffle, bar refreshments, plants. Guests £3. Info from bemhortsoc@gmail.com
A Turn Lyme Green talk at 7pm, Driftwood Cafe, Baptist Church, top of Broad Street, Lyme Regis. ‘Shockingly Simple: 12 Years of Living with an Extension Cord’. Simon West, an enthusiastic owner for 10 years reveals how simple and rewarding it is to own an electric vehicle. He will update on the current marketplace and what to look out for. Free. Refreshments available.
Wednesday, May 20
Live Laugh Love Ladies Club at Crossroads, 1 Crown Square, Poundbury. 7pm – 9pm. Speaker Lorna Robinson of Helping Hands. Call Sally 07703 171545, sallyannchildsslade@gmail.com livelaughloveladies.club/sallycs
Thursday, May 21
Cash bingo at Charleton Horethorne village hall (DT9 4FY), 6.30pm, eyes down 7pm. 01935 814199. In aid of hall funds.
All are welcome at a memory café in Bridport’s St Swithun’s Church Hall, North Allington, DT6 5DU, 2pm-3.30pm (1st & 3rd Thursdays). Refreshments will be available, there’s no charge and there’s no need to book a place. Call Mel: 07860 592407 or Jim: 07719 074485 email: admindorset@alzheimers.org.uk
Saturday, May 23
Mind Body Spirit Fayre at Digby Hall, Hound Street Sherborne DT9 3AA, 11am-5pm. Psychic mediums, psychic artist, tarot, ancestral healing, reiki, reflexology, intuitive therapy, crystals, jewellery, demonstrations, tombola. Entry £1 cash, children free.
The annual Summer Fair will be held today and tomorrow at Bryanston School, Blandford (DT11 0PX) with loads to do, eat, drink and experience. There’s live music, crafts, food & drink and entertainment 10am-5pm. Adults £5, U16 £1. More details P66
It’s Cider Saturday at Dorset Nectar Cider! Come on down every week, 5.30pm to 8pm at the farm in Waytown, Bridport DT6 5FT and enjoy delicious food (veggie option) and live music from Big Whisky.
CraftFest will be held noon-4pm at the Crafty Cuppa in Dorchester’s High East Street, with mini workshops, a barbecue, a fun treasure trail, and even a visit from the Town Crier.
Dorset wildlife artist Paul Matthews will open his studio until June 7, 10am-5.30pm, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, at 23 High Street, Puddletown.
Sydling St Nicholas Open Gardens today and tomorrow, 2pm-6pm (DT2 9NX). Beautiful range of small and large gardens plus delicious tea and cakes in the village hall. Only £6 for a ticket that covers both days – accompanied under 16s free. Tickets on sale from 1.30pm in the hall – cash and card accepted. No dogs please other than assistance dogs. Contact maureenhaywood@me.com or 07771 623973.
Sunday, May 24
A pop up workshop will be held at Rollington Farm, Studland Road, Corfe Castle, BH20 5JG, 11am-3pm, to make a Jurassic tile in air drying clay. No need to book. Creativeclayforall.co.uk
St Peter’s Church Dorchester (DT1 1XA) Choral Eucharist for Pentecost at 10.30am with music by Mozart, Tallis and Ives. Free. musicatstpetersdorchester.org
Monday, May 25
Alweston car boot sale: Sellers 7am, buyers before 7.30am £5, buyers after 7.30am, donation. See Facebook for more.
Clay activities at Lyme Regis museum ( DT7 3QA), included in admission price. 10am to 4pm.
Tuesday, May 26
Dorchester Oddfellows hosts its regular coffee and chat at The Kings Arms Hotel, 30 High East Street, DT1 1HF, 10am-noon. The first two coffees/teas are on the Oddfellows, bar snacks are available to buy. Rosemary 07788 436797/ rosemarywdt2@gmail.com
Bridport U3A talk at 2pm in the United Church Hall: Alex Leger on The Disappearing Islands of The Solomons. Talk, Q&A then refreshments. Guests £3.
Wednesday, May 27
Weymouth Memory Café is held on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays 2pm-3.30pm at St Andrew’s Church Rooms, 4 Church Rd, Preston, Weymouth DT3 6BU, just round the corner from the bus stop. Free, no need to book. Contact admindorset@alzheimers.org.uk or call Mel on 07860 592407 or Jim on 07719 074485.
Thursday, May 28
Broadwindsor holds its second Oak Apple Festival over the whole Bank Holiday weekend. Today, there’s an Oak Apple banquet at the White Lion Community pub. See P12.
Dorchester Art Club is hosting a demonstration by Jack Dickson, who was recently on BBC’s Extraordinary Portraits with Bill Bailey, at St George’s Church Hall, Fordington 2pm-4.30pm. Everyone welcome, £5. Tea and biscuits in interval. Contact Penny on 07747 049501.
Friday May 29
There’s a flower festival 10am-5pm at St Peter’s Church, Chetnole (DT9 6NU) until Sunday, May 31. To kick things off, there’s a celebration of flowers, prose and poetry with Pimm’s at 7pm today, and teas from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. Donations gratefully received, small charge for teas. Contact stpeterschetnole@gmail.com
Broadwindsor’s Oak Apple Festival continues with a church flower festival 10am to 4pm. At noon, Lewesdon picnic walk and storytelling will be held before a family fun evening at the cricket club 6pm-9pm. The Where’s Charlie? trail will run 10am to 6pm.
Saturday, May 30
It’s Cider Saturday at Dorset Nectar Cider! Come on down every week, 5.30pm to 8pm at the farm in Waytown, Bridport DT6 5FT and enjoy delicious food (veggie option) and live music from Cobalt Blue.
Broadwindsor’s Oak Apple Festival continues with a church flower festival 10am to 4pm, a scarecrow trail and the Where’s Charlie? trail 10am to 6pm. At 1.45pm there’s a parade of organisation shields, 2pm-5pm the Oak Apple Fair and in the evening there’s live music at White Lion.
The Wessex Folk Festival will be held today and tomorrow on Weymouth’s picturesque harbourside and Hope Square. It brings together great local talent, Morris dancers, and visiting folk artists for a friendly, welcoming weekend full of life and colour. Run entirely by volunteers, it’s a true community festival that keeps folk traditions alive while encouraging new generations. Children’s entertainment and a performance at Weymouth Drama club. Food court. All welcome. wessexfolkfestival.com
St Peter’s Church Dorchester (DT1 1XA) hosts a Choral Evensong at 4.30pm with music by Elgar, Neary, Gibbons and Blair. Free.
Heritage Coast Canoe Club is hosting a free open day on the river in West Bay, 11am-4pm. No previous experience is necessary. Trained club coaches will be on hand to fit you with a buoyancy aid, teach you the basic strokes, and guide you on a short introductory paddle. All equipment is provided. Just wear clothes you don’t mind getting slightly damp, and bring a towel and some dry clothes. Register at bridportkayaking.org or call or text Paula on 07809 574975 or Simon on 07771 682754.
Film night: Wyke Regis Community Film Club presents All About Eve (1950), starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders and Marilyn Monroe. A young fan charms her way into the life of a Broadway star she supposedly admires. However, in reality she is ambitious, manipulative, and willing to upend the life of her idol to get what she wants. Entry £6.50 includes glass of wine, beer, or soft drink. Book now at parishofwykeregis.org.uk/events, contact Jeff on 07710 096174, or pay on the door.
Sunday, May 31
Netherbury Repair Café at the village hall on the last Sunday of the month, 10am-12pm. Bring your garden tools to be repaired and sharpened, and items to be fixed, including electricals, bikes, textiles, ceramics, electronics, wooden and metal items. The cafe offers home-made cakes, vegan and vegetarian-friendly. They are always looking for new volunteers! Contact Lisa Willis on 07870 950 666 or info@repaircafenetherbury.org repaircafenetherbury.org
Broadwindsor’s Oak Apple Festival continues with a church flower festival 10am to 4pm, a scarecrow trail and the Where’s Charlie? trail 10am to 6pm. Also, breakfast baps in Comrades Hall 9.30am-12.30pm, followed by a community church service at 11am, classic cars at 10.30am to 2.30pm, live music and food at the White Lion from 12.30pm and from 2pm-4pm, cream teas at Comrades Hall.
The Originals will serve up two hours of memorable songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s 2pm-4pm at Greenhill Gardens Weymouth. Bring a picnic and enjoy the music with a beautiful backdrop.
Swing by Bridport’s monthly vintage market 10am-3pm and be transported into another world of lovely things. Stallholders will pack the site at DT6 3RR with vintage and antique items, and there will be food, drink and entertainment.
The Thomas Hardy Victorian Street Fair returns to Dorchester from 11am-4pm. There will be stalls, the chance to have a go at traditional crafts, a procession and more. See P49 for more.
Tuesday, June 2
Bridport Railway walk at 11am led by a Bridport Museum guide from the Co-op car park, Sea Road North. Tickets (£8) from the museum website include a single visit to the museum.
Wednesday, June 3
Stephen Brown will talk on Gardening for Butterflies to Dorchester and District Gardening Club at 7.30pm. Stephen is a retired teacher who volunteers for Butterfly Conservation. Butterflies are in a long term decline, come and hear how and why we all should do all we can to save them! All welcome at the United Church Hall, 49/51 Charles Street, DT1 1EE, doors open 7.15pm. No booking necessary, visitors £4 on the door. Bring and buy stall and draw with tea/coffee and biscuits.
Thursday, June 4
All are welcome at a memory café in Bridport’s St Swithun’s Church Hall, North Allington, DT6 5DU, 2pm-3.30pm (1st & 3rd Thursdays). Refreshments will be available, there’s no charge and there’s no need to book a place. For more information, call Mel: 07860 592407 or Jim: 07719 074485 email: admindorset@alzheimers.org.uk
Dads can learn how to plait at Bridport’s Bull Hotel on the first Thursday of the month, from 7pm-9pm. The social event, called Pints & Ponytails, has been launched inspired by similar events in London. For £3 you get a mannequin to work on, plus brushes and tuition in creating some classic styles, such as plaits, ponytails and more. Call 01308 422878 to book or pop in.
Come and try out Crossways Community Singers, 1st and 3rd Friday each month at St Aldhelm’s, 7pm-8pm, led by WDM cartoonist Lyndon Wall. No auditions, no pressure. All ages welcome. £1 per session. Contact Will on 07907 688878.
A free screening of a new film about the climate emergency is to be shown at Dorchester’s Corn Exchange 6.30pm-9.30pm, featuring Chris Packham, leading scientists, a former General, Jennifer Saunders, Deborah Meaden, and a range of voices from across the UK. Doors open 6.30pm with refreshments. Film starts at 7pm. This 45-minute film will be followed by an informal discussion and reflections on its impact. Book at tickettailor.com/events/ dorsetaction/2186149
Saturday, June 6
There’s a flea market at the Digby Memorial Hall, Sherborne, DT9 3NL, from 8.30am (£5 entry, £3 after 9am), closing at 1.30pm. Contact Hilary on 07736 666414 or hilarychisholm@aol.com to book a stall.
Justice on Trial: An immersive fundraising experience will bring 1830s courtroom trials to life at Shire Hall Museum, High West St Dorchester at 7pm. Tickets £30, including a two-course summer buffet. Step back into the drama of the 1830s as two real courtroom trials are brought vividly to life. Each case, drawn from meticulous research by history volunteers, reveals the stories of young defendants, the crimes they faced, and the stark realities of 19th-century justice. You won’t just watch – you’ll take part. Join the jury, weigh the evidence, and deliver your own verdict before the original outcomes are revealed. A bar will be open. Tickets are available from the museum’s front desk or at: zeffy.com/en-GB/ticketing/justice-on-trial
Summerfest 2026 will be held at Redlands Leisure & Community Park, Weymouth (DT3 5AW) from 10am-10pm. There will be live music, family attractions, entertainment, food and drink traders, community showcases and activities for all ages. Live music and fireworks in the evening. All proceeds from the event will support Weldmar Hospicecare. £4 for adults, children free. Pay on the gate.
Weymouth is inviting residents and visitors to celebrate King George III’s birthday on the Esplanade today and tomorrow. Across the two days, the seafront will come alive with immersive performances, a street party, music, street theatre and costumed characters. For more details, search Facebook for The King’s Dip Event.
Join One Voice Choir from Weymouth as they present Moments in Time – Timeless Songs with Joyful Voices at Sydling St Nicholas Village Hall at 7pm. The programme is varied from John Rutter, Beach Boys to Coldplay. Tickets £10, U16 free from Chris Legg 07895 701718, the post office or on the door.
It’s Cider Saturday at Dorset Nectar Cider! Come on down every week, 5.30pm to 8pm at the farm in Waytown, Bridport DT6 5FT and enjoy delicious food (veggie option) and live music from Chris Davies.
St Nicholas Church in Weymouth (DT3 5DN) is holding a quiz night to raise funds for Macmillan. Tickets £8. Info susanamalik@yahoo.com or 07944 617553.
Sunday, June 7
Monkey Jump – a three-piece band with a versatile range of music from the 60s to the 00s will play Greenhill Gardens 2pm-4pm – free! Bring a picnic and enjoy the music with the beautiful backdrop of Weymouth Bay.
Open Farm Sunday will be held at Denhay Farm, Broadoak (DT6 5NP) on Sunday, June 7, 10am-4pm. See P56 for details.
Eco Fair: Saving Planet Wyke, St Edmund’s Church Hall, Lanehouse Rocks Road. 1-5 pm. Want to help save your planet? Want to get more involved in local sustainability projects? The Parish of Wyke Regis Eco Church team is bringing together people and projects for the first event in their Great Big Green Week programme. Stalls including The Bridge Fair Trade Shop, the Weymouth Climate Hub, and Dorset Wildlife Trust. Hands-on activities, including a natural voices workshop, and talks from local organisations including Annie and Simon Pugh-Jones of Isle of Portland Orchids, as recently featured on BBC Gardener’s World. Entry is free. Refreshments available, as well as a raffle to win an eco-friendly hamper. For more information, visit parishofwykeregis.org.uk.
Taize Service at 6pm at St Mary’s Church, Dorchester DT1 2HJ. A multisensory act of worship on the theme of The Body of Christ with beautiful chants, silence and iconography framing the reading of a Gospel story.
A Family Fun and Dog Show will be held at The Piggery, Grove Road, Portland DT5 1GD 11am-3pm. The first class is £3 and any further classes £1.50. Limited number of 20 entrants per class so sign up early on the day! No pre-registration required – first come, first served, the first class will start at noon. Barbecue and refreshments. Last year’s show raised nearly £1,000 for Portland charities. To donate prizes for the tombola or raffle or to book a stall at £15 per gazebo or £20 for two – no bric a brac or jumble please – contact Sarah Curtis on 07721 420248.
The Great Dorset Bike Ride will start at 10am from Dorchester’s Top o’ Town car park going out towards Wareham. Approx 49 miles, go at your own speed, you have all day and it’s definitely not a race. West Dorset Cycling members will most likely show you the way. The route won’t be signed and it is unsupported. There are many refreshment places on the route but you may want to carry water and some food.
The Sherborne Steam and Waterwheel Centre is holding an open day 11.30am-3.30pm. The Waterwheel and Steam engines will be running. Tea, coffee and basic refreshments, picnic area, toilet. Wheelchair access to all areas except for the visitor centre and toilet. Park in Oborne Road. Entry by donation. sswc.co.uk