ARTS and LITERARY FESTIVALS 2023
Please check the festivals’ websites for the latest information.
Updated 11th May 2023
Events and festivals that are scheduled, but have not yet announced dates for 2023, are marked with an asterisk, and the year date 2022 is marked
JANUARY
Bradford (on Avon) Roots Music Festival www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk/whats-on/bradford-roots-music-festival-day-2023 21st January 2023
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FEBRUARY
Bristol Slapstick Festival, www.slapstick.org.uk 14th to 19th February 2023
Bath Bach Festival, www.bathbachfest.co.uk 16th to 18th February 2023
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MARCH
Swanage Blues Festival www.swanage-blues.org 2nd to 5th March 2023
Bath Comedy Festival www.bathcomedy.com 26th March to 16th April 2023
Teignmouth Poetry Festival, www.poetryteignmouth.com 31st March to 2 April 2023
Shaftesbury Book Festival, www.shaftesburybookfestival.com Back in 2024
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APRIL
Bristol Bluegrass and Americana Festival, www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk. 1 April 2023
From Page to Screen, Bridport, www.frompagetoscreen.org.uk 26th to 30th April 2023
Sherborne Abbey Festival, www.sherborneabbeyfestival.org 27th April to 4th May 2023
Bristol Folk Festival www.bristolfolkfestival.co.uk. 28th to 30th April 2023
Lyme Regis Fossil Festival, www.fossilfestival.co.uk 28th to 30th April 2023
Minehead Victorian Steampunk Festival www.visit-exmoor.co.uk 29th April to 1st May 2023
Wylye Valley Art Trail, biennial event, open studios, workshops etc www.wvat.co.uk 29th April to 8th May 2023
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MAY
Swindon Festival of Literature, www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk 1st to 7th May 2023
Wedmore Arts Festival, www.wedmoreartsfestival.co.uk. 7th to 14th May 2023
The Bath Festival, www.bathfestivals.org.uk. 12th to 21st May 2023
Dart Music Festival, www.dartmusicfestival.co.uk 19th to 21st May 2023
Salisbury International Arts Festival, www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk 24th May to 8th July
Shindig Weekender, Dillington Estate near Ilminster, music and comedy, www.shindigfestival.co.uk 25th to 28th May 2023
Sidmouth Jazz and Blues Festival, www.sidmouthjazz.com 25th to 29th May 2023
The Cursus Cider and Music Festival, Canada Farm Sixpenny Handley www.cursusfestival.com 26th to 28th May 2023
Od Arts Festival, West Coker www.odartsfestival.co.uk 26th to 28th May 2023
Chippenham Folk Festival, www.chippfolk.co.uk 26th to 29th May 2023
Bath Fringe Festival, inc Bedlam fair www.bathfringe.co.uk 26th May to 11th June 2023
Purbeck Art Weeks, open studios, music, literature: www.purbeckartweeks.co.uk 27th May to 11th June 2023
Dorset Art Weeks, www.dorsetartweeks.co.uk Back in 2024
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JUNE
Ilminster Literary Festival, ilminsterliteraryfestival.org 1st to 8th June
Devizes Arts Festival, multi arts festival, www.devizesartsfestival.org.uk 2nd to 17th June 2023
Wessex Folk Festival, Weymouth, www.wessexfolkfestival.com 3rd and 4th June 2023
North Curry Music Festival,folk, classical, jazz northcurrymusicfestival.org 9th to 11th June
Wimborne Minster Folk Festival, www.wimbornefolk.co.uk 9th to 11th June 2023
Chilthorne Domer Home Farm Fest, fund-raiser for Piers Simon Appeal, www.homefarmfest.co.uk 9th to 11th June 2023
Blue Sky Festival, Corsham, Pound Arts, www.blueskyfestival.org.uk 12th to 17th June 2023
Farley Music Festival, www.farleymusic.co.uk 13th to 18th June 2023
Wimborne Literary Festival, www.wimborneliteraryfestival.co.uk 13th to 25th May 2023
Lyme Crime, festival of crime fiction, www.lymecrime.co.uk 15th to 17th June 2023
Isle of Wight Festival, www.isleofwightfestival.com 15th to 18th June 2023
Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe www.b-e-a-f.co.uk 15th to 26th June 2023
Bath Pub in the Park Food and Music Festival, Royal Victoria Park, www.pubintheparkuk.com/bath 16th to 8th June 2023
Petherton Folk Fest, South Petherton, www.pethertonfolkfest.org.uk 17th June 2023
Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk 21st to 25th June 2023
Beaminster Festival, www.beaminsterfestival.com 25th June to 2nd July 2023
Chalke Valley History Festival, talks, discussions, debates, living history encampment, air show, celebration of history, writing, www.cvhf.org.uk 26th June to 2nd July 2023
Budleigh Salterton Music Festival, www.budleighmusicfestival.co.uk 30th June to 8th July 2023
Somerton Music and Arts Festival includes Somerstock Weekend www.somertonartsfestival.co.uk 30th June to 8th July 2023
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JULY
New Forest Folk Festival, Plaitford nr Romsey, Powells Farm, www.newforestfolkfestival.co.uk 5th to 9th July 2023
Upton Country Park Festival, www.uptoncountrypark.com 7th & 8th July 2023
Priddy Folk Festival, 30th anniversary www.priddyfolk.org 7th to 9th July 2023
Swanage Jazz Festival www.swanagejazzfestival.co.uk 7th to 9th July 2023
Frome Festival, includes world food feast, open studios, bands, opera etc www.fromefestival.co.uk 7th to 16th July 2023
Bridgwater Quayside Festival, music, street and indoor theatre, carnival, circus, puppetry, dance, etc, www.bridgwaterquaysidefestival.uk 8th July 2023
Godney Gathering, music, etc, www.thegodneygathering.com 14th and 15th July 2023
Southern Cathedrals Festival, Chichester Cathedral, music, www.southerncathedralsfestival.org.uk 14th to 16th July 2023
Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival, music, theatre, talks, debates, processions www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk 14th to 16th July 2023 Jurassic Fields Music Festival, Bridport, www.jurassicfields.com 14th to 16th July 2023
Bristol Harbour Festival, street theatre, music, circus, food, historic ships, etc www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk 15th and 16th July 2023
BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall, London www.bbc.co.uk/proms 15th July to 10th September 2023
Cerne Abbas Music Festival, Gaudier Ensemble www.cerneabbasmusicfestival.co.uk 20th to 23rd July 2023
Chagstock Music Festival, Chagford, www.chagstock.info 21st and 22nd July 2023
Bridport Folk Festival, www.bridportfolkfestival.co.uk 21st to 23rd July 2023
Shaftesbury Fringe Festival, www.shaftesburyfringe.co.uk 21st to 23rd July 2023
Dorset Opera Festival, Coade Hall, Bryanston, www.dorsetopera.com Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Massenet’s The King of Lahore, 25th to 29th July 2023
Womad, Marlborough, Charlton Park. www.womad.co.uk 27th to 30th July 2023
Camp Bestival, Lulworth Castle, www.campbestival.net 27th to 30th July 2023
Exmouth Festival, www.exmouthfestival.org.uk 28th to 31st July 2023
* Garden Theatre Festival, Holburne Museum Gardens, Bath, www.gardentheatrefest.co.uk, 2022
Dillington Classical Guitar Festival, www.dillington.com 30th July to 5th August 2023
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AUGUST
FarmFest, Gilcombe Farm, Bruton. www.farmfestival.co.uk 3rd to 5th August 2023
Valley Fest, Chew Magna, music and food, www.valleyfest.co.uk 3rd to 6th August 2023
Sidmouth Folk Week, www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk 4th to 11th August 2023
Weston-super-Mare Sea Shanty and Folk Music Festival www.wsmshantyfest.com 4th to 6th August 2023
Dorset Food and Arts Festival, Great Field, Poundbury, Dorchester, www.dorsetfestival.org 5th August 2023
Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza, www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/glastonbury-abbey-extravaganza 5th August 2023
International Balloon Fiesta, balloons, music, food etc www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk 10th to 13th August 2023
Burton Bradstock Festival of Music and Art www.burtonbradstockfestival.com 12th to 20th August 2023
Purbeck Valley Folk Festival www.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk 17th to 20th August 2023
Beautiful Days, Escot Park, Ottery St Mary, www.beautifuldays.org 18th to 20th August 2023
Edington Festival of Music within the Liturgy, choral and sacred music from 16th to 21st century, www.edingtonfestival.org 21st to 28th August 2023
IfOpera Festival, (formerly Iford Arts) www.ifoperas.org.uk 24th August to 16th September 2023
Victorious Festival, Portsmouth, indie rock fest, www.victoriousfestival.co.uk 25th to 27th August 2023
Lyme Regis Folk Weekend, www.lymefolk.com 25th to 28th August 2023
End of the Road Festival, www.endoftheroadfestival.com 31st August to 3rd September 2023
Watchet Music Festival, www.watchetfestival.co.uk Back in 2024
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SEPTEMBER
Didmarton Bluegrass Festival, www.didmarton-bluegrass.co.uk 1st to 3rd September 2023
Bridport Hat Festival, www.bridporthatfest.org 2nd September 2023
*Once Upon a Time in the West, (deepest Wiltshire near Trowbridge) music, local beers and cider, www.outwestfestival.co.uk 2022
Purbeck Chamber Music Festival, www.purbeck-chambermusic.org.uk 7th to 10th September 2023
B-Side, Portland, multi media arts festival, www.b-side.org.uk 7th to 10th September 2023
Swanage Folk Festival www.swanagefolkfestival.com 8th to 10th September 2023
Jane Austen Festival, Bath, www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk 8th to 17th September 2023
International Agatha Christie Festival, Torbay, www.iacf-uk.org 9th to 17th September 2023
*Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival, www.budlitfest.org.uk 2022
* Priston Music Festival, www.priston.org.uk 2022
Somerset Open Studios, www.somersetartworks.org.uk 26th September to 1st October 2023
Marlborough Literature Festival, www.marlboroughlitfest.org 28th September to 1st October 2023
Bath Children’s Literature Festival www.bathfestivals.org.uk/childrens-literature 29th September to 8th October 2023
* Arts by the Sea, various venues, www.artsbournemouth.org.uk 2022
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OCTOBER
Swanage Blues Festival www.swanage-blues.org 5th to 8th October 2023
Two Moors Festival, www.thetwomoorsfestival.co.uk 5th to 8th and 12th to 15th October 2023
* Mere Literary Festival. www.mereliteraryfestival.com 2022
* Wells Festival of Literature, www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk 2022
Dorchester Literary Festival, www.dorchesterliteraryfestival.com 14th to 21st October 2023
Celebrate Voice, Salisbury, www.celebratevoice.co.uk 19th to 28th October 2023
Yeovil Literary Festival, www.yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk 26th to 30th October 2023
Purbeck Film Festival, Rex Cinema and other Purbeck venues, www.purbeckfilm.com October dates to be announced
Salisbury Literary Festival, www.salisburyliteraryfestival.co.uk No information
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NOVEMBER
Bath Film Festival, various venues, www.filmbath.org.uk No information
Bridport Literary Festival www.bridlit.com 5th to 11th November 2023
Bath Mozart Festival, www.bathmozartfest.org.uk 10th to 18th November 2023
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DECEMBER
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