 The summer holidays are fast approaching, we will have 6 weeks to entertain and make memories with the children. Whilst you might be going away, or have some other big days out planned, you will more than certainly be looking for other FREE events and activities to fill in the days. I have put together a list of FREE events and activities across Dorset so that you can get ahead with your planning. Dates have been confirmed for the free Weymouth summer fireworks displays this year. You can see the fireworks anywhere along the seafront. Start planning your 2026 Summer Holidays with Joanne Dewberry's SUMMER HOLIDAY PLANNER! Every summer I start planning by getting Joanne's summer holiday planner. You can download it yourself for FREE (or you can buy a lovely printed one - see above, that is me on the right - pre heatwaves haha) If you run your own business , the summer holidays can be a challenging time, but for amazing hints and tips for organising both the children and your small business and using your Summer Holiday Planner efficiently, check out her blog https://joannedewberry.co.uk/summer-holiday-planner/ Lobster Dig - 12th August 1030am-12pm - Avon Beach Lobster Dig at Avon Beach! Join in on Wednesday 12th August, 10:30-12:00pm, for a FREE community event that's perfect for little adventurers! The Noisy Lobster team has hidden 100 Lobster Sand-Shapers on the beach and it's up to the children to dig, search and find them! Location: Avon Beach, opposite the Occasion Huts Library doors trail - Until 24th September 24 local schools have each created a story door, and there’s one hidden in every library. Download the map to begin the trail. How many doors can you find? The trail will run from Monday 25 May to Monday 28 September. Brewery Square, Dorchester - various datesLooking for ways to keep the kids active, entertained, and smiling this summer without breaking the bank? Brewery Square in Dorchester has got your mid week plans completely covered. Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the holidays, Brewery Square is turning into the summer playground. Whether your little ones are future gold medallists, mini-strikers, or just looking to burn off some energy, bring them down for three days of completely FREE family fun. FREE summer movies - Tuckton Tea Gardens - varoius dates The line up for 2026 outdoor cinema is officially out. Whether you're making a night of it with the kids or fancy a relaxed riverside evening with friends, there's something for everyone and no booking required. Just show up and they will take care of the rest. Dorchester Kite Festival - 25th July 2026 A brand new festival is coming to Dorchester on Saturday 25th July 2026. Let’s Go Fly! Kite Festival is being hosted on The Great Field between 11am and 4.30pm. On the day, you’ll find… Huge stunt kites with commentated flying Art in the Park with Kites A flying area with space to launch your own A selection of market stalls and food Arts and crafts activities FREE Summer youth events - Bourne Community Hub - various dates Looking for fun and engaging activities for your children during the summer holidays? There is a fantastic programme of free events running throughout July and August at the Bourne Community Hub. These sessions are designed to help young people stay active, build confidence, learn new skills and make new friends in a safe and welcoming environment. Children aged 8–14 can attend independently with a completed consent form. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Free Family Fun Day - Bourne Community Hub - 13th August 2-5pm  FREE family fun day at the Boune Community Hub. Lots of free activities. Bournemouth Natural Science museum - every Tuesday & Wednesday throughout August Open on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10:00 - 16:00 throughout August! So come and visit this summer. It's FREE! Dorset Dinghy Day - 8th August - Iford, Christchurch For the uninitiated amongst you the rules are very simple: We launch at Iford Bridge and drift down the river. You have to be in something inflatable, literally anything inflatable will do! This is a family friendly event. You will be on the river for at least a couple of hours and unless you have a life-size inflatable replica of the Titanic then you are going to get wet. We drift away down the river and finish at Christchurch Quay literally miles away from the start point so do not expect to park and collect your car afterwards. You take part in this event at your own risk, the event organiser takes absolutely no responsibility for what happens on the water Anonymous Festival - Dorchester - 31st August SAVE THE DATE: ANONYMOUS FESTIVAL 2026 Bank Holiday Monday 31st August 11am-5pm 11am-5pm The Borough Gardens, Dorchester, Dorset Totally FREE I went to this event last year and it was an amazing FREE day out! All of the activities, workshops, games etc are all free! FREE Disney Lorcana fun day - Entoyment, Poole 15th August 11am-5pm Entoyment are hosting a Disney Lorcana Fun Day and everyone is welcome – whether you’re a Disney fan, already play Lorcana, or have never seen it before! It’s a great day out for kids and adults, and with our café on site, parents can relax with a coffee while the children get involved (or join in the fun themselves! ). Check out the poster for all the details. FREE family films at The Allendale, Wimborne. Various dates FREE Family Films Allendale Community Centre, Wimborne Doors open at 10am. Dates are now available for all of the Summer Season of films. See if you can guess the films from the clues in this image. For licencing reasons, they are unable to share the film titles online. Please sign up to their newsletter to discover which films are showing at www.linktr.ee/allendalecentre Bike nights on Poole Quay. Fridays throughout July and August Witness an amazing array of motorbikes every Friday evening during July & August set against the stunning backdrop of Poole Harbour. As usual, Brewery Square have free summer entertainment on again this year for the little ones. For more information visit - https://brewerysquare.com/ FREE Firework displays - multiple dates Throughout August there are many FREE local firework displays across Dorset, these include:
Local museums with FREE entry Did you know that many of our museums in Dorset are free to enter? These make the perfect wet weather activity when you need to get out of the house but the weather is not great.
Local attractions with FREE entry If you are looking for somewhere to visit locally with no entrance fees, I have put together a little list for you.
Other ideas for FREE activitiesOther ideas for free activities in the school holidays. You don't need a set day to have fun. How about getting the kids to choose something from this list or perhaps they have their own ideas of something that you can do for free in the holidays.
* Crabbing at Poole Quay, Lake Pier or Mudeford Quay. Check out this great article on top tip for crabbing in Dorset. * Visit the beach * Try geocaching * Go to the park * Fossil hunting * Watch the sunset/ sunrise * Picnics * Prize bingo night * Movie nights * Games nights * Do some baking * Splash park I hope you all enjoy the summer as much as we always do and I hope that you get some inspiration from reading this. If you know of anything else please do share in the comments section. Please make sure you check venues for more up to date information before travelling, some events require pre booking.
1 Comment
Sarah
12/7/2026 04:59:01 pm
Wow there is much to do this year! Thank you so much for your hard work in finding these activities Leave a Reply. |
