1st-10th May 2026 The biennial Dorchester-on-Thames Festival is one of Oxfordshire’s leading Festivals, taking place over 10 action-packed Spring days, based in and around the stunning location of Dorchester Abbey. Since 2005 the Festival has regularly attracted over 5,000 people each year, from serious followers of the arts to schools, families and children of all ages and has raised significant profile and £350,000 for Dorchester Abbey and local charities. In 2026 we are partnering with local charity Be Free Young Carers. This wonderful charity enables Oxfordshire Young Carers to achieve their full potential by delivering a far-reaching developmental and emotional support network of people and resources in their daily lives, schools and communities.

Highlights in 2026 include The Kings Singers, Regents Opera, Brian Bilston, the BBC Elstree Concert Band, the now legendary abseil down the abbey’s 100ft tower, cookery and art workshops, poetry, comedy, folk and jazz nights, a gift and food fair, dog show, fun run and even a duck race. https://dorchesterfestival.com Dorchester Festival was started in 2005 following restoration of Dorchester Abbey. It was initially a way of encouraging new people into the building and showing the potential of the Abbey as a venue for booking a variety of events. Over the years it has become a major community event, offering opportunities to members of the community to perform and create and also to experience big professional arts events that would not normally be available on their doorstep in rural South Oxfordshire It is entirely run by volunteers who take roles organising events, taking tickets or simply pouring tea! We raise money across the Festival as a whole, and share our profits equally between Dorchester Abbey and a different local charity every time.