Our Story
Our Journey from Fete to Festival
DorsetFest has been a weekend of family fun since 2014. Each year we have learnt and grown to bring you one of the best weekends of the year. Looking across the site it is easy to forget where it all started. Before we found our place as a family music festival, we were a village fete which raised money for the local communities . The Three Churches Fete showcased some of the most beautiful homes in the area to raise money for the churches in Hilton, Cheselbourne and Melcombe Horsey. We all loved the fete, however after a particularly wet year in 2013, we decided that we were ready to do something a little different; a festival.
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Fast forward 12 years and a lot has changed. We have found our permanent home at Warren Farm, have two stages and an ever growing gang of smiling faces filling our dance floor. Nevertheless, while our event might be bigger, there are some things that remain at the center.
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DorsetFest is still run entirely by local volunteers. Throughout the year we plan the event and then all role up our sleeves to build the site, staff the weekend and then take it all back down again. We also continue to donate all of the money raised to our local communities and a rotating charity.
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The collective and welcoming spirit remains at the heart of our event. We may have grown, but our roots remain the same.
The Three Churches
Hilton is a rural village nestled in the chalk downland beyond the mighty Milton Abbey. The church which is thought to have been erected in the fifteenth century is found at the centre of the village. This beautiful little building is the centre of the community as is used to bring everyone together for countless occasions.
St Martin's, Cheselbourne
Just over the hill, Cheselbourne boasts an attractive church which has provided a space for people to worship for around a thousand years. The church looks out over the village and remains integral to the community.
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St Andrews, Melcombe Horsey
This delightful little country church rests in the grounds of a great house in what must be described as an exquisitely beautiful setting. There was certainly an earlier church on the site, the records of which go back to 1150 and are held in the County Museum Library.
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The money raised by DorsetFest is essential to maintain these beautiful buildings and the communities that they support.
Welmare Hospicecare
DorsetFest is delighted to support Weldmar Hospicecare for 2026. This charity specialises in end of life care for adults with a life limiting illness. They also work to support the loved ones of their patients.
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Find out more about their work.
