ARTS FESTIVALS 2018
JANUARY
25th to 28th January
Bristol Slapstick Festival, www.slapstick.org.uk
FEBRUARY
9th to 24th February
Theatre Fest West, www.salisburyplayhouse.com
10th to 18th February
Shaftesbury, Snowdrop Festival, www.shaftesburysnowdrops.org
22nd to 24th February
Bath Bach Festival, www.bathbachfest.co.uk
Purbeck Literary Festival – taking a break in 2018
MARCH
1st to 4th March
Swanage Blues Festival www.swanage-blues.org
2nd and 3rd March
Bristol Bluegrass and Americana Festival, www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk
27th March to 15th April
Bath Comedy Festival, www.bathcomedy.com
Deverill Valley Festival, dates to be confirmed, www.deverillsfestival.com
APRIL
11th to 15th April
From Page to Screen, Bridport, www.frompagetoscreen.org.uk
Budleigh Salterton Jazz Festival, www.budleighjazzfestival.org – Taking a break in 2018
MAY
4th to 6th May
Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, www.fossilfestival.co.uk
4th to 8th May
Sherborne Abbey Festival, www.sherborneabbeyfestival.org
7th to 19th May
Swindon 25th anniversary literary festival, inc Ben Okri, Harriet Harman, Dr Helen Pankhurst, AC Grayling, www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk
10th to 20th May
Bristol International Theatre Festival. www.mayfestbristol.co.uk
11th to 13th May
OD Arts Festival, Odcombe and the Cokers, contemporary visual and performing arts, www.odartsfestival.co.uk
11th to 19th May
Wedmore Arts Festival, includes jazz, opera, comedy, music www.wedmoreartsfestival.co.uk
11th to 27th May
The Bath Festival, www.bathfestivals.org.uk
12th to 22nd May
Wimborne Literary Festival, inc Timothy West, Natasha Solomons, www.wimborneliteraryfestival.co.uk
25th to 27th May
The Cursus Cider and Music Festival, Canada Farm Sixpenny Handley www.cursusfestival.com
25th to 28th May
Chippenham Folk Festival, www.chippfolk.co.uk
25th May to 10th June
Bath Fringe Festival, www.bathfringe.co.uk
Salisbury International Arts Festival, taking a break in 2018
25th to 27th May
Shindig Weekender, Gilcombe Farm, Bruton, music and comedy, www.shindigfestival.co.uk
Wells Comedy Festival, Little Theatre, www.longpawscomedy.co.uk
25th to 28th May
Lyme Regis Jazz and Blues Weekend www.lymeregisjazzfestival.co.uk
26th and 27th May
Love Saves the Day, Eastville Park Bristol, dub, soul, hiphop, etc www.lovesavestheday.org
26th May to 10th June
Dorset Art Weeks, www.dorsetartweeks.co.uk
Purbeck Art Weeks, open studios, music, literature www.purbeckartweeks.co.uk
26th May to 4th August
Iford Arts Festival, www.ifordarts.org.uk
JUNE
1st to 3rd June
Wessex Folk Festival, Weymouth, www.wessexfolkfestival.com
8th to 10th June
Chilthorne Domer Home Farm Fest, 12th anniversary fund raiser for Piers Simon Appeal, www.homefarmfest.co.uk
12th to 17th June
Corsham, Pound Arts, Blue Sky Festival, www.blueskyfestival.org.uk
16th June
Petherton Folk Fest, South Petherton, www.pethertonfolkfest.org.uk
16th to 30th June
East Devon Music Festival, Various venues, jazz and classical music. www.eastdevonmusicfestival.org
19th to 24th June
Farley Music Festival, www.farleymusic.co.uk
21st to 24th June
Isle of Wight Festival, www.isleofwightfestival.com
Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk Taking a fallow year,
23rd June to 1st July
Beaminster Festival, www.beaminsterfestival.com
25th June to 1st July
Chalke Valley History Festival, talks, discussions, debates, living history encampment, air show, celebration of history, writing, www.cvhf.org.uk
29th June to 8th July
Gillingham Festival, www.gillfest.org
JULY
1st to 21st July
Taunton Live, music, theatre, exhibitions, etc www.tauntonlive.co.uk
4th to 8th July
New Forest Folk Festival, Plaitford nr Romsey, Powells Farm, www.newforestfolkfestival.co.uk
6th to 8th July
Priddy Folk Festival www.priddyfolk.org
UK Boogie Woogie Festival, Sturminster Newton, www.ukboogiewoogiefestival.co.uk
6th to 15th July
Frome Festival, includes world food feast, open studios, bands, opera etc www.fromefestival.co.uk
Somerton Festival, www.somertonartsfestival.co.uk
7th July
Coker Festival, East Coker, music, local bands www.cokerfestivalofmusic.co.uk
13th to 15th July
Once Upon a Time in the West, (deepest Wiltshire near Trowbridge) music with roots, local beers and cider, www.outwestfestival.co.uk
Swanage Jazz Festival www.swanagejazzfestival.co.uk
Live in Somerset, Vivary Park, Taunton, with Paloma Faith, Kaiser Cheifs, etc, to Sun.
13th to 21st July
Budleigh Salterton Music Festival, classical music, www.budleighmusicfestival.co.uk
July, Galhampton, Party in the Park, www.galhampton.com, date to be arranged
13th July to 8th September
BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall, www.bbc.co.uk/proms
Grooves on the Green, Ashley Cross Parkstone, in aid of Diverse Abilities Plus, www.groovesonthegreen.co.uk date to be confirmed
18th to 21st July
Southern Cathedrals Festival, Salisbury Cathedral, music, www.southerncathedralsfestival.org.uk
19th to 22nd July
Larmer Tree Festival, Tollard Royal, www.larmertreefestival.co.uk
20th to 22nd July
Harbourside Festival, free festival, street theatre, music, circus, food, historic ships, etc www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk
Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival, music, theatre, talks, debates, processions www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk
The Curious Arts Festival, Pylewell Park, www.curiousartsfestival.com
21st July
Bridgwater Quayside Festival, music, street and indoor theatre, carnival, circus, puppetry, dance, etc, www.bridgwaterquaysidefestival.uk
Godney Gathering, music, etc, www.thegodneygathering.com
24th to 28th July
Dorset Opera Festival at Bryanston Coade Hall, www.dorsetopera.com
26th to 29th July
Camp Bestival, Lulworth Castle, www.campbestival.net
Cerne Abbas Music Festival, Gaudier Ensemble wwww.cerneabbasmusicfestival.co.uk
Womad, Marlborough Charlton Park. www.womad.co.uk
27th and 28th July
Poole Beer and Bluegrass Festival, Victoria School and Gardens, www.beerandbluegrass.co.uk
27th to 29th July
Bridport Folk Festival, www.bridportfolkfestival.co.uk
FarmFest, Gilcombe Farm, Bruton. Taking a break in 2018
28th to 30th July
UpFest, Bristol, celebration of urban arts www.upfest.co.uk
29th July to 2nd August
Dillington Classical Guitar Festival, www.dillington.com
AUGUST
3rd to 6th August, 14th to 16th September
Plush Festival, www.plushfestival.com
3rd to 10th August
Sidmouth Folk Week, www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk
4th August
Dorset Food and Arts Festival, Poundbury, Dorchester, www.dorsetfestival.org
Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza, with Paloma Faith, etc
9th to 12th August
International Balloon Fiesta, balloons, music, food etc www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk
The Wessex Festival, Wimborne, www.thewessexfestival.co.uk
11th to 19th August
Bath Folk Festival, www.bathfolkfestival.org
Burton Bradstock Festival of Music and Art www.burtonbradstockfestival.com
16th to 19th August
Purbeck Valley Folk Festival www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk
17th to 19th August
Beautiful Days, Escot Park Ottery St Mary, www.beautifuldays.org
19th to 26th August
Edington Festival of Music within the Liturgy, choral and sacred music from 16th to 21st century www.edingtonfestival.org
25th to 27th August
Victorious Festival, Portsmouth, Brian Wilson, Paloma Faith etc
30th August to 2nd September
Purbeck Chamber Music Festival, www.purbeck-chambermusic.org.uk
End of the Road Festival, www.endoftheroadfestival.com
31st August and 1st September
Bridport Hat Festival, www.bridporthatfest.org
31st August to 2nd September
Lyme Regis Folk Weekend, www.lymefolk.com dates to be announced
SEPTEMBER
7th to 9th September
Stogumber Festival, classical, folk music etc www.stogumberfestival.com
Swanage Folk Festival www.swanagefolkfestival.com
8th to 16th September
B-Side, Portland, multi media arts festival, www.b-side.org.uk
13th to 17th September
International Agatha Christie Festival, Torbay, www.agathachristiefestival.co.uk
14th to 23rd September
Jane Austen Festival, Bath, www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk
15th to 30th September
Somerset Open Studios, www.somersetartworks.org.uk
19th to 23rd September
Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival, www.budlitfest.org.uk
28th September to 7th October
Bath Children’s Literature Festival www.bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature
29th September to 6th October
Arts by the Sea, various venues, www.artsbournemouth.org.uk
OCTOBER
4th to 7th October
Swanage Blues Festival www.swanage-blues.org
10th to 14th October
Sherborne Literary Festival, www.sherborneliterarysociety.com/festival
12th to 20th October
Two Moors Festival www.thetwomoorsfestival.co.uk
12th to 27th October
Purbeck Film Festival, Rex Cinema and other Purbeck venues, www.purbeckfilm.com
17th to 22nd October
Dorchester Literary Festival, www.dorchesterliteraryfestival.com
19th to 27th October
Wells Festival of Literature, www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk
25th to 28th October
Yeovil Literary Festival, www.yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk
NOVEMBER
1st to 11th November
Bath Film Festival, various venues, www.bathfilmfestival.org.uk
3rd to 24th November
Taunton Literary Festival www.tauntonliteraryfestival.co.uk
4th to 11th November
Bridport Literary Festival, www.bridlit.com
9th to 17th November
Bath Mozart Festival, www.bathmozartfest.org.uk
DECEMBER
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