Wimborne Food Festival fills the town, Kingston is next

Wimborne Food Festival filled the market town's centre on Sunday 20 September 2026, and the Purbeck village of Kingston is preparing its first food festival for Saturday 3 October. Both are small, local events built around Dorset producers, and both are within reach of Bournemouth for a day out.

How did Wimborne Food Festival go?

The festival ran from 10am to 4pm across Willow Walk, Minster Green, East Street, Church Street and the Allendale Community Centre, the Bournemouth Echo reported. It was organised by Wimborne BID, the town's business improvement district, sponsored by Ellis Jones Solicitors and free to attend.

The centre of the day was a demonstration stage on Willow Walk run with Dacombes of Wimborne, where chefs, producers and food experts cooked and talked through the afternoon. Visit Wimborne's preview of the programme listed chef Colin Nash, former Bake Off contestant Maggie Richardson, Dorset Oysters on farming in Poole Harbour and a cheese board session from the Renoufs team, alongside the Dorset Farmers' Market and a chocolate cake competition raising money for the mayor's charities.

The sponsor's partner Richard Tombs told the Echo there was a good atmosphere across the town centre all day. The firm ran a stall on East Street with an hourly free prize draw for hampers.

What is happening in Kingston?

Kingston is a small village on the hill above Corfe Castle, known for St James' Church, often called the Cathedral of Purbeck for its size. Its first food festival is based at the church from 1pm to 5pm on Saturday 3 October, according to the Echo.

Villagers are making cakes and hand-carved serving platters, and Purbeck producers will run stalls. The Echo lists sheep shearing by a local farming family, The Salt Pig, truffle hunter Sacha Dorey, tastings, live music, a raffle, traditional games for children and hourly tours up the church tower. Entry is £2 for adults and free for under-12s, with the proceeds going to the village fund.

We could not find a separate listing from the organisers online, so check the village's own channels closer to the day before you travel.

What it means for visitors

Both places are easier with a car than from a car-free Bournemouth base: Wimborne is around half an hour inland by road, and Kingston is in the Isle of Purbeck, reached by the Sandbanks chain ferry or the longer road round via Wareham. The Bournemouth Guide's travel information covers the options, and our guide to Wimborne Minster has what to see once you are there.

If you prefer to eat closer to your apartment, the guide's food and drink section and its resident's list of where locals eat cover Bournemouth's own kitchens, and our look at the Bournemouth food scene and the Bournemouth Food and Drink Festival show how the town does its own version.

Guests on a self-catering stay can bring the festival haul home: the Help Centre lists what is included in your apartment, kitchen and all. Wimborne's business community had its own night recently too, covered in our report on the Wimborne Business Awards 2026.