Dorchester and the surrounding area is looking forward to an extended weekend of celebrations to mark the coronation of King Charles III.

A number of events will be staged in and around the town over this coming Bank Holiday weekend.

Friday, May 5

Kicking off celebrations, Age UK North, South and West Dorset will host the King's Cream Tea on Friday, May 5 from 2pm to 4pm at Dorchester Community Church in Poundbury, 

Tickets for this afternoon tea event are available for £6 per person by calling 01305 269444.

Saturday, May 6

The town's main celebration will be held on coronation day, Saturday, May 6, from 5pm at Salisbury Fields. 

The whole Dorchester community is invited to come together to celebrate at this free event, staged by Dorchester Town Council, which will include entertainment from The Decadents, Laura Sharley and the Prince of Wales School and guests. There will also be a beacon lighting at 8pm.

Sunday, May 7

Dorchester Lions Club is hosting a Family Fun Day on Sunday, May 7, from 12noon to 4pm at The Great Field, Poundbury.

The event will include live entertainment, fun fair rides, a story telling tent, face painting, food stands, games, stalls and coronation theme craft activities.

On Sunday, May 7 and Bank Holiday Monday, May 8, Abbey Farm at Abbotsbury will be inviting visitors to make their own coronation crown, from 110am to 3pm both days, costing £2 for all materials. Profits raised will be donated to the Prince's Trust.

In the pubs

The King's Arms in Dorchester will be celebrating its royal connections with a special programme of events over the coronation weekend.

During its 300-year history, the building has hosted monarchs and musicians. Previous guests have included Queen Victoria, King George IV, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.

Events at the hotel over the Bank Holiday weekend will include DJ sets and live music, a screening of the coronation, and special menus offering the best of British produce.

Other pubs to celebrate the coronation will include The Duchess of Cornwall in Poundbury – an extension of Dorchester led by King Charles – with owners Hall & Woodhouse planning a weekend of celebrations. 

A special, limited-edition beer named Ale to the King will be launched by Hall & Woodhouse-owned Dorset Badger Beer for guests to try during the festivities. This will be available alongside special menus to commemorate British culture and cuisine, including a coronation chicken salad and cherry Eton mess.

The Duchess of Cornwall Inn will be among Hall & Woodhouse pubs to host a 'compuptition' to crown the King and Queen of Pub Dogs. Owners can nominate their pampered pooches by posting an image of them on Instagram at their local Hall & Woodhouse pub, and tagging the relevant pub's page and #HWPubDogs. 

Entries will remain open until 9am on Wednesday, May 10 and winners will receive a two-night, dog-friendly stay at Hall & Woodhouse's Lulworth Cove Inn.

Child-friendly craft activities will also be available in pubs for young guests to colour in their own Cawston Press themed crowns to wear and be part of the celebrations.

Look out for announcements on coronation events at other Dorchester pubs and restaurants.

Coronation beer festival

Independent, family-run brewery, bottle shop and tap room, Copper Street Brewery, will be holding a coronation beer festival across the Bank Holiday weekend. 

Guests can try a selection of 14 distinct beer styles, all brewed on-site – including a specially made 'KING' beer to mark the King's coronation. Brewery Square's on-site record store, Vinyl Van and Salisbury Big Band will accompany the festivities with musical performances, with local food suppliers including Basilico Pizza Van and Dorset Pizza Company on hand to serve up the works.

Alistair Burrell, who owns and runs Copper Street Brewery with his wife, Tina Burrell, said: "Our beer festival is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the May bank holiday weekend with something a bit different. We're looking forward to tempting guests with our special range of own-brewed tipples, complemented by food and entertainment courtesy of other fantastic local businesses."

If you are holding a coronation event in the Dorchester area, please send details to [email protected] for publicity and coverage on Dorchester Nub News.