Swanage Carnival JUL/AUG 2026

🗓️ Saturday 25^th July – Saturday 1^st August 2026

Swanage Carnival is one of the main highlights of the year in Swanage and Purbeck, with eight days of entertainment taking over the town in one of Dorset’s most popular family-friendly festivals.

There’s a different carnival theme each year – the theme for 2024 was Jurassic Rocks, which brought lots of prehistoric and dinosaur-inspired fun to town, and the theme for 2025 was ‘Cirque du Swanage’.

The 2026 theme is ‘A wacky western in Carnival Canyon’.

With over 100 events across the week, highlights for 2026 are set to include themed events and activities including a Wild West fancy dress competition, western skills workshop and a rodeo bull & stampede!

Replacing the Red Arrows this year is a flypast by BBMF Dakota ZA947, plus Team Raven air display.

Visitors can also enjoy returning favourites such as the annual procession, Granny Turismo and Titan the Robot.

Each day of Carnival is packed with family-friendly entertainment, day and night, which takes over the town’s streets and beachfront, with a festival hub at its central showground, overlooking Swanage Bay.

With live music, fireworks, games & competitions and the famous annual procession, there’s something for the whole family at Swanage Carnival, from traditional fun runs, friendly competitions and dog show, to the more unique events such as the wheelbarrow race, Dinosaur Derby and fire-engine pull.

The carnival’s showground at Sandpit Field is home to an array of street food stalls, a beer & pimms tent, children’s fairground games and an annual craft & produce market.

Swanage’s bars, cafés and restaurants all enter into the party spirit too – you’ll find carnival-themed gigs, pub games and quiz nights throughout the week.

The carnival has grown year-on-year since its inception in the 1800s to now being a major attraction on the south coast, with over a hundred different events across the eight days – ranging from special performances from visiting acts to the simple pleasures of sand sculpture competitions and carnival games.

Swanage Carnival remains completely free to attend, with small entry fees for various activities and competitions.

The event raises thousands of pounds each year (a record-breaking £41,600 in 2025), which is given to a range of local charities and good causes.

Swanage Carnival was the proud winner of the Bronze award for Tourism Event/Festival of the Year at the Dorset Tourism Awards 2024/25.

“To be nominated again with such other great events is testament to our hard-working and very dedicated volunteers, without whom the event simply wouldn’t happen.

“As a totally self-funding organisation with a long and rich history, Swanage Carnival has now become a much anticipated date in the Dorset calendar.

“We really couldn’t run this event without the generosity of our sponsors and all the people who help us without hesitation.

“A huge thanks also to the people of Swanage who support us unconditionally.

“We are looking forward to this year’s carnival with new and exciting events.”

DARREN STRONG Swanage Carnival Chairman

Programme of Events

Here’s a list of some of the main Carnival events this year.

For the latest information and full programme, visit the Swanage Carnival website: swanagecarnival.com/products/carnival-programme/

Entry forms, where relevant, can be found on the Swanage Carnival website: swanagecarnival.com/entry-forms/

Saturday 25^th July

• Fireworks
• Wild West Show & Walkabout
• Wild West Fancy Dress Competition
• Rodeo Stampede
• Rodeo Bull
• Shore Runners
• BBMF Dakota Flypast
• Team Raven Air Display
• Fire engine pull
• Fire engine fun
• Photo Marathon
• Silent Disco
• Community Corner: Salsa/Cuban dance class
• Raw Samba

Sunday 26^th July

• Carnival Procession
• Granny Turismo
• Beach Buggy Club & Top Hat Riders
• Rodeo Bull
• Carnival Praises
• Ranger School of Dance

Monday 27^th July

• Arts & Crafts Fair
• Regatta Trophy Bowls Drive
• Go Kart Grand Prix
• Food Demonstration: Swanage Bay Fish
• Swanage Bay Swim
• Putting competitions
• Carnival Bingo
• Darts Competition
• Meet Purbeck Sounds Radio
• Community Corner: The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society

Tuesday 28^th July

• Dinosaur Derby
• Black Sheep Barn Dance
• 4-Mile Fun Run
• Wacky Races
• Junior Tennis Tournament
• Art Auction
• French Boules: singles tournament
• Junior Crabbing Competition
• Putting semi-final
• Pool competition
• Our Last Steps book signing
• Table Top Sale
• Food Demonstration: Christian from Salt & Co.

Wednesday 29^th July

• Community Fireworks, with pre-firework entertainment
• Scruff’s Fun Dog Show
• Senior Tennis Tournament
• Carnival Sea Stig Racing
• Biathlon
• Food demonstration: With chef Gareth
• Silent Disco
• Putting Final
• Community Corner: Zumba
• Community Corner: Swanage Gymnastics Display

Thursday 30^th July

• Fancy Dress Street Party
• Yard of Ale Challenge
• Sand Sculpture Competition
• Carnival’s Got Talent
• Wacky Pick-Up-and-Play workshop
• The Cellar Bar Gig Racing Challenge
• Children’s Party & Disco
• Silent Disco
• Junior Table Tennis
• Beer Pong
• Community Corner: Martial Arts (Aikido) demonstration

Friday 31^st July

• Wheelbarrow Race
• Vintage & Classic Car Show
• Pavement Artist Competition
• Carnival’s Got Talent Final
• Children’s Painting & Beachcomber Art Prize Presentation
• Karaoke Party
• Children’s Songs & Storytime
• Carnival Lunchtime Bingo
• French Boules Doubles Tournament
• Senior Table Tennis
• Community Corner: Aerobics & Stretch with Vanessa

Saturday 1^st August

• Fireworks Finale
• UnBoxed Presents: ‘Catch of the Day’ (circus display, followed by circus skills workshop)
• Flash Mob
• Rodeo Bull
• Titan the Robot
• Wacky Pick-Up-and-Play workshop
• Indoor Rowing Challenge
• Community Corner: ‘Words to Inspire’ Poetry

Events running throughout the week:

• Carnival Draw
• Foot Treasure Trail Hunt
• Beachcomber Art Competition
• Children’s Painting Competition
• Best-decorated ‘Wacky Western’ shop window
• What’s Not My Line
• Community Corner: Daily Beach Yoga
• Art for Fun

Volunteering

One of the best ways to get involved with the local community in Swanage is through volunteering – and what better way to start sharing your time and skills than Carnival.

It’s a great way to meet new people and see different aspects of the town, whether that’s helping out with the preparations in the months leading up to Carnival as a committee member, or simply becoming a Friend of Swanage Carnival and helping out during the fun-filled but busy week – either way the amount of time you give is flexible.

To enquire about becoming a Friend or committee member, send an email to the Swanage Carnival team here: swanagecarnival.com/volunteer/

History of the Carnival

From a simple sailing regatta back in the 1800s to the week-long extravaganza with over a hundred events throughout the week as it is today, Swanage Carnival has become a key event for the town’s tourism and a special place in the hearts of the people who live here and those who return year-on-year to enjoy the festivities once more.

As the original, historic regatta held in Swanage Bay gained in popularity it soon became a regular feature of the new seaside town, and a carnival to mark its finale was introduced in the 1900s.

Word soon spread of Swanage’s fun-filled Regatta & Carnival and soon a new element was added – the road race. This began to draw even more visitors, and by the mid-1900s festivities had grown into a week-long celebration similar to the carnival we know and love today.

In the 1950s the Swanage Carnival gained further renown when the children’s author of the moment, Enid Blyton, took up the position of Carnival President. Blyton was heavily involved in various aspects of Purbeck life – with her husband, Kenneth Darrell Waters, she owned the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club in Studland and many of her books are heavily influenced by the landscape of this, her favourite holiday destination. It’s recorded that Blyton also helped to organise the famous fireworks display that continues to be one the main attractions of the event to this day.

“I hope the Carnival and Regatta will be as successful as ever, with real summer come at last. But my main thoughts are, of course, with the children, whether resident or visitors. This year they have a very full and exciting programme, and will enjoy every minute. Happy days to you, children, and a great welcome to Swanage, if you are our visitors.”

Enid Blyton, in her Carnival Presidential foreword

In the following years, Swanage Carnival became a vital opportunity to raise money for local charitable organisations in Swanage and continues to contribute hugely to good causes, so if you see a donation point or friendly volunteer with a bucket, pop what you can in and know that it’s going to a good cause.