Category: Festivals

Bournemouth Air Festival

Bournemouth Air Festival is a great FREE family friendly Bournemouth.

More than just an Air Show…A Festival!

The Air Festival promises lots of action.

Whatever you want to see, be it on land, sea or in the air there will be plenty to keep you entertained this year. As well as flying displays throughout the afternoon and early evening there will be so much more to see across the whole area including a Royal Navy dive tank, unarmed combat displays, cooking demonstrations by Navy chefs, the newly located RAF village, product sampling from a multitude of traders and of course the traditional Funfair.

More details on the events organisers website 

Lyme Folk Weekend

Lyme Folk Weekend is a massively popular weekend where events are usually sold out so book ahead.

Bringing folk and country music to venues throughout Lyme Regis,  keep an eye on the Folk Weekend website  for details of events and also on Facebook.  You can already buy tickets for individual events at the Marine Theatre or a 3 day pass.

This year’s festival will open with a bang, as former Bellowhead front man Jon Boden brings his outstanding solo show to the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, with support from acclaimed duo The Askew Sisters.

Belmont House in Lyme Regis

Belmont House in Lyme Regis opens it’s door to the public one weekend a year in September.  The rest of the year it is only available to book to stay in.

This fine 18th-century maritime villa in Lyme Regis is listed Grade II* and once belonged to the remarkable businesswoman, Mrs Eleanor Coade who devised a formula to mass produce architectural embellishments. More recently Belmont was home to world-famous author, John Fowles, author of The Magus and The French Lieutenant’s Woman.

The Landmark Trust have restored Belmont to its appearance in Mrs Coade’s day. Here you can sit – and indeed write – in John Fowles’s former writing room with its wide views of sea and sky. In the garden there is a Victorian observatory tower, with hatch and revolving roof. Most of the long garden is left wild (Fowles was a keen naturalist) and it tumbles down to the esplanade, with a pebble beach and the Cobb beyond.

Free Admission and leaflets on the building’s history.
Not all parts are accessible

You can read about my visit to Belmont House in Lyme Regis here

More about Landmark Trust events here

Ample parking in the Holmbush car park just 100 metres away. DT7 3HX

Bridport Hat Festival

One of the more unusual events in the South West – Bridport Hat Festival is a great event where the good folk of Bridport and beyond wear their best or most unusual hat.  2019 is the 10th anniversary of this unique event

Bridport Hat Festival is a multi-day celebration of hats, a fundraiser for head-related charities and a giant summer. Ending party for the town and its visitors there is music at various locations around the town.

The most creative, quirky, stylish and inventive headwear combines with live music, multiple competitions, demonstrations, talks, displays, shows, a hat auction, games, hatted dogs.

All ‘topped’ off by a HUGE mass hat-wearing photo-shoot in Bucky Doo Square on ‘Haturday’.
And all you need is a hat!

Check the web site or Facebook page for more details about events on the day. www.bridporthatfest.org

Food Rocks Festival

Mark Hix will host his annual Food Rocks Festival in September, showcasing the very best food, produce and suppliers from Lyme Regis and the surrounding areas. With many food and drink exhibitors, Food Rocks highlights the quality and diversity of Dorset’s food and drink.

The main stage will showcase a diverse mix of interactive cookery demonstrations, talks and tastings across the weekend. Book ahead and treat yourself to the Crab and Mackerel Supper Club during Food Rocks in the main tent above Marine Parade. A 5 course feast with a drink on arrival. This is a a rustic affair with long feasting table, buckets, bibs and recyclable plates and cutlery. The supper clubs is hosted by Mark Hix and Nigel Bloxham on 7th Sept.

In addition to providing entertainment for the local community, the festival also raises money for the RNLI, the Fishermen’s Mission.  More Food Rocks information here.

Chardstock Street Fair

Chardstock Street Fair is has all the fun and activities of a traditional country village fair set along the main street of Chardstock in East Devon.

With live music all day, BBQ and hog roast as well as a fun dog show, classic vehicles and vintage tractors, welly wanging, stalls, children’s activities and street performers. Paper planes and Reptiles in the Church, cream teas

The event starts at 11am.  Evening entertainment until late.

https://www.facebook.com/chardstockstreetfayre/

Otterhead Lakes Open Day

Enjoy guided walks, tea and cake at the Otterhead Lakes Open Day which is deep in the Blacdown Hills between the A303 and Corfe

The two large lakes are the remains of the landscaped gardens of Otterhead House.  A lovely place for a walk with some easy well maintained paths and woodland walks.

Discover the history of Otterhead House and Estate (1845-1952) which once had landscaped gardens set around two lakes. After the house was demolished the formal gardens fell into neglect but, in recent years, they have been transformed into a nature reserve, providing a habitat for a variety of species including bats, beavers, dormice, dibbers, kingfishers and wagtails.

Guided walks 2pm -5pm (TO BE CONFIRMED)

Guided walk in the lost gardens of Otterhead House (demolished in 1952).

Refreshments available in the Coach House. Donations welcome.

More details here https://e-voice.org.uk/otterheadestate/

You can see my blog post from earlier in the year https://www.flipflopsorwellies.co.uk/otterhead-lakes/

This is one of a series of Heritage Open Days across England. Every September some 40,000 volunteers organise 5,000 events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are free to explore.

Otterhead Lakes Nature Reserve, Anders Lane, Otterford, Taunton, Somerset, TA3 7EE

Belmont House in Lyme Regis

Belmont House in Lyme Regis opens it’s door to the public one weekend a year in September.  The rest of the year it is only available to book to stay in.

This fine 18th-century maritime villa in Lyme Regis is listed Grade II* and once belonged to the remarkable businesswoman, Mrs Eleanor Coade who devised a formula to mass produce architectural embellishments. More recently Belmont was home to world-famous author, John Fowles, author of The Magus and The French Lieutenant’s Woman.

The Landmark Trust have restored Belmont to its appearance in Mrs Coade’s day. Here you can sit – and indeed write – in John Fowles’s former writing room with its wide views of sea and sky. In the garden there is a Victorian observatory tower, with hatch and revolving roof. Most of the long garden is left wild (Fowles was a keen naturalist) and it tumbles down to the esplanade, with a pebble beach and the Cobb beyond.

Free Admission and leaflets on the building’s history.
Not all parts are accessible

You can read about my visit to Belmont House in Lyme Regis here

More about Landmark Trust events here

Ample parking in the Holmbush car park just 100 metres away. DT7 3HX

Festival of Literature and Landscape

Bringing together writers, broadcasters, poets, travel and garden specialists and even crime writers there will be workshops, film shows, debates and chances to meet authors.

Food provided by local chefs and producers is served in the nearby village school.

There are workshops for children, including bush craft and other activities, which allow them to explore and engage with the surrounding natural beauty and vegetation of the landscape.

Tickets can be purchased for individual talks and single days. There are also reduced weekend passes available (children under 16 are free but should be accompanied by an adult).

Profits go towards Shute Community Primary School and the building and repairs of St Michael’s Church, Shute.

Coffee, cakes and great food.

Talks start at 2pm on Friday 13th, run all day Saturday and until early afternoon on Sunday.

Event details, one day tickets or weekend passes from www.shutefest.org.uk

Events at St Michael’s Church and Shute Primary School

All the details on www.shutefest.org.uk