Swanage Christmas Market DECEMBER 2025

🗓️ Saturday 6th December 2025 One of Purbeck’s top winter attractions is the Swanage Christmas Market, where Dorset traders line the streets around Station Road. There’s always plenty of bargains to be had, as well the chance of finding a one-off handmade gift from one of the stalls. Younger children can enjoy merry-go-round rides and visit […]

Swanage Christmas Lights Switch-On NOVEMBER 2025

🗓️ Saturday 29th November 2025 Get the date in your diary for this year’s Christmas lights switch-on in Swanage. Grab a mulled wine, join in with some festive songs and get ready for the countdown before the town sparkles with the magic of Christmas once more. There’ll be live entertainment, a formal countdown, and as always […]

Swanage Lifeboat Week AUGUST 2025

🗓️ Saturday 9th – Sunday 17th August 2024 The annual Swanage Lifeboat Week is back this summer for nine days of RNLI festival fun both on the water and on land at Prince Albert Gardens and around town. It’s a packed programme of activities and entertainment, from the much-loved build-a-boat competition and family-friendly charity duck […]

Swanage Carnival JUL/AUG 2025

🗓️ Saturday 26th July – Saturday 2rd August 2025 Swanage Carnival is one of the main highlights of the year in Swanage and across the Isle of Purbeck, with eight days of entertainment taking over the town in one of Dorset’s most popular family-friendly festivals. Swanage Carnival is the proud winner of the Bronze award […]

Swanage Fish Festival JUNE 2025

🗓️ Saturday 21st – Sunday 22nd June 2025 Swanage Fish Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year at its new venue of Sandpit Field. The fish & food festival is a firm favourite in the town’s summer calendar – usually held at Prince Albert Gardens in June, it was postponed earlier this year due to […]

Corfe Castle Summer Fair JUNE 2025

🗓️ Saturday 14th June 2025 Head to Corfe for a fun-filled family afternoon at the annual Corfe Castle PTFA summer fete. Held in the village hall and field, there’ll be stalls, kids’ games, competitions and a bouncy castle, plus live music entertainment. Food stalls and a bar will be available throughout the afternoon and evening. […]

Charity Concert with Swing Easy Too & Guests (Mowlem Showbar) JUNE 2025

🗓️ Saturday 14th June 2025 Join local jazz band Swing Easy Too, plus special guests, at The Mowlem’s Showbar this afternoon for a special fundraising concert. The group, under the banner Music Unlimited for Swanage Independent Charities (M.U.S.I.C.), is holding the charity gig for Dementia Friendly Purbeck. Come and show your support and enjoy an […]

Swanage Pirate Festival MAY 2025

🗓️ Saturday 24th – Sunday 25th May 2025 Invading the beach and taking up post at Sandpit Field, the pirates are back in Swanage for another weekend of swashbuckling shenanigans and skirmishes. Watch as they practise their musket and cannon fire, parade through town and show off their sword-fighting skills at the Battle of the Beach. There’ll […]

Carnival Classic Motor Show APRIL 2025

🗓️ Sunday 27th April 2025 The annual Swanage Classic Motor Show is a great, family-friendly spring day out and charitable event run by the Swanage Carnival committee. Experience a fantastic selection of vintage vehicles including cars, motorcycles and bicycles, mostly dating pre-2000 – and vote for your favourite. The event, held each year in Swanage’s […]

Purbeck Wellfest (Harman’s Cross) MARCH 2025

🗓️ Saturday 22nd March 2025 Enjoy an afternoon of relaxing treatments and meet local wellbeing practitioners at Purbeck Wellfest. It’s a free wellbeing fair in Harman’s Cross, where there’ll be stalls to browse and workshops throughout the day. Refreshments will be available. Stallholders If you’d like to have a stall at Purbeck Wellfest, email: shorebodytherapies@outlook.com […]

Volunteer Day at Durlston MARCH 2025

🗓️ Sunday 16th March 2025 Come and find out how you can get involved with volunteering at Durlston. There’s an active team of volunteers who take on a variety of roles at the country park and they’re holding a special Volunteer Day to showcase the range of opportunities available, so if you’d like to try […]

Nature Journalling for Kids (Studland Bay) 2025

🗓️ Selected Sundays between March – October 2025 Come and get creative and connect with nature at this special Nature Journalling for Kids activity in Studland. Children are encouraged to explore the dunes, woodland or beach – what can you hear, see, smell and feel in your surroundings? Use the inspiration that’s all around you […]

Swanage Bay Water Quality Meeting (Swanage Town Hall) MARCH 2025

🗓️ Thursday 6th March 2025 Join Swanage Town Council and Wessex Water to find out how the water quality at Swanage Beach is monitored. There’ll be a short presentation covering topics such as weekly water sampling and sewage release, followed by a Q&A session.

Author Talk: Purbeck’s Mowlem Mystery (Swanage Library) MARCH 2025

🗓️ Monday 3rd March 2025 Come and listen to a talk at the library this morning entitled ‘Purbeck’s Mowlem Mystery’ by author Audrey Pembroke. The illustrated talk is free to attend and gives a fascinating insight into John Mowlem’s ancestral history back to Domesday.

Wedding Fair (Harman’s Cross Village Hall) MARCH 2025

🗓️ Sunday 2nd March 2025 Meet local wedding suppliers and view the facilities at Harman’s Cross village hall today. The wedding fair is free to attend. Harman’s Cross village hall is a popular choice for a wedding venue, with its large hall, spacious outdoor space and plenty of parking. There’s also a children’s playground adjacent […]

The Purbeck School Science Fair MARCH 2025

🗓️ Saturday 1st March 2025 Everyone is welcome (not just students) to The Purbeck’s School’s annual Science Fair this March. The fun and interactive afternoon will have a range of activities to try and demonstrations to watch, plus the ever-popular Science Dome. If you’re interested in STEM, want to know more about geology or simply […]

Jurassic Life Under the Microscope (Swanage Library) FEBRUARY 2025

🗓️ Tuesday 18th February 2025 Come and meet the team from The Etches Collection today to learn all about Jurassic life under a microscope. You’ll get the chance to closely examine fossils and use the Kimmeridge museum’s interactive tablets to produce 3D images of Jurassic sea creatures that once swam in the seas here. Swanage […]

Dinosaur Crafts (Swanage Library) FEBRUARY 2025

🗓️ Monday 17th – Friday 21st February 2025 (Selected dates) Whether you live here or are visiting the Jurassic Coast for the half-term holiday, come and visit Swanage Library for a fun dinosaur-themed craft session. ‘Cretaceous Crafts’ is a free, drop-in arts & crafts session for children to get creative and have some fun. Make […]

Studland Volunteer Recruitment Day FEBRUARY 2025

🗓️ Sunday 16th February 2025 Come and find out how you can get involved in volunteering at Studland. Chat to other volunteers and National Trust staff about what’s entailed. There’s currently availability for new volunteers with Studland’s Trust 10 trail run and various other events. You can offer to volunteer on a regular or ad […]

Become a Nature Detective (at Studland Bay) FEBRUARY 2025

🗓️ Saturday 15th – Sunday 23rd February 2025 Get outdoors and explore the natural world of Studland Bay this half-term. Nature Detective Bags are free to borrow and will help you discover Knoll Beach’s natural environment. Each bag contains an activity sheet, binoculars, magnifying glasses and bug pots. A small number of sensory bags are […]

Swanage Volunteer Bureau Opportunities 2025

🗓️ Selected dates, monthly Find new volunteering opportunities in and around Swanage at these public engagements sessions run by Swanage Volunteer Bureau. If you have some spare time and would like to get involved and give a helping hand to your community, come along and chat to a volunteer champion today and find out more. […]

Trust10 Trail Run (Studland Bay) 2025

🗓️ Monthly trail run Challenge yourself on this free monthly 10k trail run through Studland, held on the fourth Sunday of the month. The route takes you from Knoll Beach up to Ballard Down, past Old Harry Rocks and back, with a mixture of beach, road, gravel and grass pathway terrain. The scenic trail is […]

Swanage Folk Festival Celebration Afternoon (The Mowlem Showbar) JANUARY 2025

🗓️ Saturday 25th January 2025 If you can’t wait for September’s Swanage Folk Festival, you can come along to a special Celebration Afternoon today, hosted by the Folk Festival team. The free event will be held in The Showbar at The Mowlem and feature local folk-rock band The Savage Underdogs. The Celebration Afternoon will see […]

Purbeck Arts Choir Taster Session (St Mary’s School)

🗓️ Thursday 9th January 2025 The Purbeck Arts Choir is looking for new singers to join its friendly, Swanage-based choir. Come along this evening for a free try-out – no audition required, and no musical experience necessary; just a love of singing. You’ll learn a range of pieces for Purbeck Art Choir’s next performance in […]

Ghostly Tales from Swanage Library

🗓️ Wednesday 18th December 2024 Join local authors and Swanage Library staff at this special afternoon of Christmas ghost story-telling. Refreshments will be available.

Sundrunk (Old Harry Bar, Studland)

🗓️ Saturday 14th December 2024 Come and enjoy some live music from local band Sundrunk at the Old Harry Bar in Studland tonight. The group will be playing music from the ’60s to the present day. Find more upcoming gigs from Sundrunk via their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/sundrunkband/

Make Your Own Christmas Decorations (Swanage Library)

🗓️ Monday 9th December 2024 Come along to the library this afternoon for some festive craft time. Decorate your own Christmas decorations to take home or as a handmade gift at this free drop-in workshop. All materials are provided.

Christingle & Craft Afternoon (Swanage URC)

🗓️ Sunday 8th December 2024 Come along to Swanage United Reformed Church this afternoon for a traditional christingle-making session and service. The family-friendly craft event is open to everyone – make your own decorated orange Advent candle holder to take home for Christmas. Refreshments will be available.

Christmas Elf Trail (The Mowlem Showbar)

🗓️ Monday 2nd – Tuesday 24th December 2024 Pop in to The Mowlem this month and help Jonny the Elf find a lost message from Father Christmas. Ask at the box office or in the Showbar for your first hint and follow the trail to find the secret message – a festive treat awaits you […]