Find free events for the whole family in and around Swanage.
From art exhibitions & craft workshops to live music in the pubs, there’s plenty to do in Swanage without spending a penny, including many of the town’s biggest events such as Carnival Week and various festivals.
🗓️ Sunday 8th – Saturday 21st March 2026 Come along to this special exhibition at Durlston Country Park today, curated by and celebrating Dorset’s care leavers. We All Bloom Differently is a reflection on the “preconceptions of those labelled as ‘care experienced’”, with personal stores, thoughts and emotions expressed through art and creativity. The exhibition […]
🗓️ Saturday 14th March 2026 Come along to Swanage Library this morning for special talk by the Wessex Astronomical Society. Suitable for beginners, it will be an introductory talk on all things astronomy as well as the society, which holds regular stargazing events at Durlston Country Park’s observatory. Refreshments will be available after the talk. […]
🗓️ Sunday 22nd March 2026 Come and find out how you can get involved with volunteering at Durlston today. 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 […]
🗓️ Tuesday 24th March 2026 Come and see what this brand new Swanage youth choir has been up to and support their first ever concert this evening: ‘Turn The Music Up!’ Voicewaves Youth Choir is for young people aged between 11 – 18, led by Rebecca Field Bunney. Join Voicewaves Youth Choir If you want […]
🗓️ Wednesday 25th March 2026 Castle Voices are back with another gig in the Showbar tonight, ‘Never Stop Singing’. Expect a fun evening of upbeat songs and feel-good vibes.
🗓️ Sunday 26th April 2026 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 […]
🗓️ Saturday 23rd – Sunday 24th May 2026 Invading the beach and taking up post at Sandpit Field, the pirates are back in Swanage for another weekend of swashbuckling shenanigans and skirmishes – this year celebrating their 10th anniversary. Watch as they practise their musket and cannon fire, parade through town and show off their sword-fighting skills […]
🗓️ Saturday 13th – Sunday 14th June 2026 Swanage Fish & Food Festival returns for its 11th year this June at its new venue of Sandpit Field. The fish and food festival is a firm favourite in the town’s summer calendar. Enjoy browsing the food stalls and sampling the very best of Dorset fish, seafood and […]
🗓️ Friday 17th – Sunday 19th July 2026 Along with Swanage Carnival, nearby Wareham has its own summer carnival each July, the week before. There’s a street procession – this year the theme is Your Natural World – along with live music, food and entertainment across the weekend at Wareham Recreation Ground. Carnival Procession Entries […]
🗓️ Saturday 25th July – Saturday 1st 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. With over 100 events across the week, highlights for 2025 are set to include […]