What’s on in Dorset: September

Well, another summer seems to have whizzed by; the local children are back at school, and September has heralded its arrival with a bit of a nip in the air. We hope you enjoyed your summer.

Our thoughts are now turning to autumn and, while we might have seen the best of the summer weather, there are still plenty of fine autumn days to come, and plenty of things to do in Dorset in September. Here’s our pick of some of the many events and attractions for this month.

The 8th to 16th September sees the annual event, Dorset Architectural Heritage Week. Dorset has a rich architectural and cultural heritage and during Architectural Heritage Week the public have free access to many properties that are normally closed to the public or that charge for entry. Properties you’ll be able to explore include a Wesley Memorial Church, a rare example of a 17th century Quaker Meeting House, the magnificent Grade 1 Listed cliff-top Highcliffe Castle, a WWII Pillbox overlooking the River Stour, and the 300 year old Sturminster Newton Mill which is still in full working order.

The Lyme Regis Arts Fest starts on the 25th September and finishes on the 3rd October. A packed programme offers open studios where you can meet artists and find out about their work; art exhibitions; street theatre; busking; drama, film and dance. And if you fancy learning a new skill there are workshops where you can learn or develop skills in mixed media, stained glass, poetry, photography and painting. It promises to be a fantastic programme of events for all the family and well worth a visit.

This is just a small sample of what’s on offer and if you plan to visit Dorset in September for any of these events, don’t forget to book accommodation in Dorset as soon as possible.