Weymouth Events and Festivals

(Weymouth, Dorset, England, UK)

Weymouth boasts a crammed-packed events calendar, with many annual festivals taking place all through the year. Whilst there are plenty of things to do in Weymouth during the winter months, the numerous summer festivals and celebrations are particularly noteworthy and have become major crowd pullers in their own right, particularly the seaside carnival celebrations in August each year.

Other annual events in the Weymouth and Portland area include various sailing regattas around the bay, classic car runs from the town centre to nearby Dorset locations, and numerous seasonal nature walks at the RSPB Radipole Lake alongside Weymouth's Swannery car park.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• Good Friday / Easter Monday - late March or early April
• First and last Monday in May
• Last Monday in August
• 25th December - Christmas Day
• 26th December - Boxing Day

Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Big Garden Bird Watch Walk - late January, a chance for some seasonal 'birding' at the RSPB Radipole Lake

February

• World Wetlands Day Walk - early February, a popular nature-related stroll around the RSPB Radipole Lake
• Olympic Classes Regatta - mid-February, exciting boat race organised by the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy

March

• Mothers' Day Stroll - mid-March, when a large group of people gather at the RSPB Radipole Lake to enjoy the local flora and fauna on offer at this time of the year
• Best of Dorset Tourism and Leisure Show - late March, with more than 30 different stalls, entertainment for children, workshops, martial arts displays and more, at the Weymouth Pavilion Ocean Room
• Easter Football Youth Festival - late March / early April, taking place at the Marsh Sports Ground

April

• Giant Easter Egg Hunt - early April, fun family event appealing to all ages, taking place each year at Abbotsbury
• Continental Market - early April, a colourful event attracting a variety of European traders, held within the Weymouth Pavilion Forecourt
• Lake Easter Family Fun Day - mid-April, when various events take place at the RSPB Radipole Lake
• Quay to Quay Run - mid-April, a large number of classic vehicles gather to drive between Weymouth and the nearby quay at Poole
• St. George's Day Parade / Sandcastle Competition - mid-April, various events along the beachfront
• Anzac Day Memorial Service - late April, on the Esplanade

May

• Beach Kite Festival - early May (bank holiday weekend), a popular three-day event which takes place along the Esplanade and regularly attracts more than 40,000 people
• International Firework Display - early May, a stunning show held each year on bank holiday Sunday
• Harley Davidson Parade - mid May, noteworthy bike show attracting large crowds at the Lodmoor Country Park, close to the Esplanade
• Dorset Vintage Motorcycle Club - late April, a unique opportunity to see a large collection of well-maintained motorcycles from days gone by, at the Pavilion Forecourt
• Oyster and Seafood Festival - various events relating to the areas important fishing industry, at Hope Square / Brewers Quay
• D Day Vintage and Classic Car Run - late May, large group of period classic cars gather at the Jubilee Clock
• US Memorial Day - late May, various events take place along the seafront

June

• Veterans Awareness Week - mid-June, featuring a parade along the seafront and also a service at the Weymouth Cenotaph
• Wessex Folk Festival - early June, a celebration of local folk music, with plenty of dancing and live music performed at various locations, including Hope Square
• Classics on the Prom - mid-June, various vehicles gather around the Jubilee Clock and attract considerable interest
• Royal Dorset Regatta - late June, a race attracting various boats and yachts in all shapes and sizes, at Weymouth Bay

July

• Annual International Maritime Modelling Festival - early July, including an exhibition at the Pavilion Ocean Room, together with model yacht racing and many other fun events
• International Beach Handball Championships - late July, a fast and popular annual event which is held along the beachfront and always boasts large crowds of both spectators and participants
• Beach Volleyball Classic - late July, held along Weymouth Beach and often attracts many serious athletes. Trade stalls are also available
• Town Tennis Tournament - mid-July, held at the Greenhill Tennis Courts each year
• Portland Steam and Vintage Show - mid-July, held at the Southwell Business Park and full of classic cars, vintage steam engines, tractors, marquees, food sales, helicopter rides and more
• International Themed Firework Display - various days over July, spectacular fireworks over Weymouth Bay

August

• Weymouth Lifeboat Week - early / mid-August, with a range of fundraising events in aid of the town's important RNLI lifeboats and rescue helicopters
• Weymouth Carnival - mid-August, with family fun all round, including a parade of colourful floats through the town, limbo dancing on the beach, flight displays by the Red Arrows, demonstrations by the Coastguard Rescue team, and a major fireworks display from a platform on the bay itself
• Herni Lloyd Sailing Regatta - mid-August, local boats race around the bay for trophies
• Victorian Military Festival - mid-August, various historical re-enactments and other events at the Victorian Nothe Fort
• Beach Tag Rugby - late August, fun event taking place on Weymouth Beach
• International Themed Firework Display - various days over August, spectacular fireworks over Weymouth Bay

September

• Youth and Masters Windsurfing Championship - early September, two-day event watched by crowds of spectators
• Scandia Sail for Gold - late September, popular sailing regatta around the nearby coastline

October

• Speed Week - early October, organised by the local Sailing Academy
• Beach Motocross - mid-October, with more than 250 riders from around the country, racing to crowds regularly exceeding 15,000 people
• Weymouth Race - late October, road race lasting around 16 km / 10 miles and passing many places of interest along the way
• Pumpkins in the Park - late October, Halloween celebrations in Greenhill Gardens, amongst the autumnal colours

November

• Guy Fawkes Celebrations - around November 5th, with thousands of locals and tourists gathering along the Esplanade to enjoy stunning seafront fireworks and other family related events, such as a fun Guy Fawkes contest
• Victorian Shopping Evening - evening in mid-November, when many of Weymouth's shopkeepers and staff dress up in period Victorian costumes and remember yesteryear. Also featuring market stalls, carol singing and street entertainment
• Christmas Lights Switch On - mid-November, official start to the seasonal Christmas celebrations

December

• Christmas Events - throughout December, various festivities take place all over Weymouth, including carol concerts and a pantomime at the Weymouth Pavilion Theatre
• New Year's Eve - December 31st, parties and celebrations as the new year arrives at midnight