01202 887247 info@theallendale.org
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Welcome to Wimborne's best and busiest venue for theatre,
music, activities, room hires and more -
we have something for everyone!
Keep up to date with events & news - join Allendale Newsletter here
What's on at the Allendale?​
Discover a variety of live shows, dances, films, markets, fairs and more on this page.
See Live Shows only. See Regular Activities for weekly and monthly activities.
Wimborne Minster Market
Fridays 8am - 1pm
Wimborne Minster Market offers stalls throughout two Halls, plus outdoor areas. You're likely to find fruit and veg, plants and flowers, local meat, eggs, cheese, olives, cakes, pies, wholefoods, antiques, Indian textiles, vintage and retro items, jewellery, homewares and so much more!
Grandma's Attic Antiques & Collectors Fairs
Sunday 19th October, 10am - 4pm
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This popular, busy fair returns for October
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Quality antiques and collectibles
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Plenty of parking in adjacent Allenview car park
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Allendale Café open all day
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Admission just £2
An afternoon with Alexander McCall Smith
Friday 24th October, 3.45pm
Join worldwide best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith for an afternoon of sheer delight!
The master storyteller will entertain you with tales from the latest 44 Scotland Street novel, Bertie's Theory of Ice Cream, and discuss In the Time of Five Pumpkins, the new novel in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. An event not to be missed!
Wimborne Craft Fair 2025
Saturday 25th October, 11am to 4pm
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The popular Wimborne Craft Fair returns on Saturday, 25 October. The Craft Fair, organised annually by Wimborne Rotary, promises an interesting and varied display of locally made arts and crafts which are all for sale. Entrance is free of charge to the public, who are invited to donate to Rotary supported charities on leaving.
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With thirty tables available in the Allendale’s Minster Hall for crafters to display their skills, bookings have been coming in thick and fast with the result that all tables have been taken up.
Chris Mogg says, “We had to turn away some local crafters last year but are again delighted that we have a full house for the day”.
20 To 1 Big Band presents
Dance The Night Away
Saturday 25th October, 7.30pm
20 To 1 Big Band will once again be returning to the Allendale, hosting an evening of live music. Whether you’d prefer to sit and listen or get up on the floor and dance your favourite routine, the choice is yours!
The band will play a variety of music styles to suit your dance or listening preferences. There will be Swing numbers suitable for dancing the Foxtrot, Quickstep and Jive. The programme will also include Latin, Waltz and Rock & Pop songs from the 50s era. Come and join us for a fun filled evening, where the Big Band will be your soundtrack for the night!
Central Southern Gauge O Group Model Railway Exhibition
Sunday 26th October, 10am - 4pm
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This very popular annual event returns on 26th October.
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Selected Finescale O Gauge & 7mm Narrow Gauge layouts
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CSGOG Test Tracks
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Specialist Railway Traders
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Bring & Buy stall
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Model engineering demo and more
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Café and ample parking
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Adults £7, accompanied children free.
Dorset Team Autumn Fair
Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd November, 10am - 4pm
Join Dorset Team, the local Etsy community, for a wonderful day celebrating creativity at the Autumn Fair! With over 60 talented makers, discover handmade jewellery, homewares, art, and seasonal gifts. Support local businesses, find unique treasures, and celebrate the changing season. A perfect day out for family and friends. Shop small, shop local!
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Dorset Team Autumn Fair on facebook
For more information, please email dorsetteam@outlook.com
High Contrast Cinema presents
Yield To The Night
Friday 7th November, 8pm
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High Contrast Cinema are pleased to bring this powerful British prison drama to the Allendale in November. It features an extraordinary turn by Diana Dors as a woman on Death Row awaiting her date with the noose. Often marketed as Britain's 'blonde bombshell' answer to Marilyn Monroe, the film and its subject matter provided Dors with an opportunity to deliver what many see as her finest performance.
Yield To The Night is rated 15 and contains psychological horror.
Explore Italy with Vivi
Sundays 9th & 23rd November and 7th December, 10am - 12pm
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Come and meet language tutor, tour leader and travel designer Vivi on one of these three dates. Vivi offers all levels Italian classes; trips to Italy including private tours and for events such as team building or weddings; Italian cooking classes and wine tasting, and can book experiences such as Venice gondola ride, Pompeii half-day, underground Naples tour and more.​
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Tap on image to enlarge, for more information.
The Little Craft Shack Christmas Craft Fair
Sunday 9th November 10am - 4pm
"The Little Craft Shack" is a wonderful community of some of the finest local independent creatives. Join us as we bring to Wimborne our first Christmas Fair at The Allendale Community Centre.
Start your Christmas shopping with us and browse over 45 curated stalls offering artwork & handmade gifts from the South Coast's finest.
Located in the 2 large halls of the Allendale, we have something for everyone including jewellery, paper-quilling, artwork, soaps, candles, fused glass, ceramics, homeware, beach art, woodwork, textiles, seasonal gifts and more. FREE ENTRY, all welcome.
Some parking. Allendale Café open all day. Email office@thelittlecraftshack.com for more information. See a selection of our creatives on Facebook ​
Richard Smith
supported by Bob Carter
Friday 14th November, 7.30pm
Due to huge demand, guitarist Richard Smith returns to the Allendale this November.
Were you here for his concert in 2024? Then we don't need to tell you what an amazing talent this man is, and we're delighted to have him back.
Richard is very ably supported by (much more local) Bob Carter, himself an extraordinary guitar player. Two superb musicians on one evening!
Event raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Wimborne Musical Theatre Society presents
West End Icons: Heroes & Villains Edition
Saturday 15th November, 2.30pm & 7.30pm
The heroes and villains of the West End's biggest shows battle it out in this ultimate musical compilation showcase!
From Miss Honey to Miss Hannigan and Joseph to Fagin, the show is packed with songs from the West End’s biggest shows, including ‘Wicked’, ‘Oliver!’, ‘Matilda’, ‘Six’, ‘Sweeney Todd’, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang', and many more! Whose side will you be on?!
Directed by Selina Rumbold. Choreography by Suzi DeVilliers.
The Polly Morris Band Album Launch
“Am I an Alien?”
Sunday 16th November, 2.30pm, in The Allendale Café
Four years in the making with twelve original songs, Polly Morris and the band will be entertaining you with songs from her brand new album “Am I an Alien?”, on the day of its release. Funny songs, heart-breaking songs and some songs never performed in public before.
Buy your tickets now, come along to The Allendale Café for a Sunday afternoon of entertainment, and to be the first to hear “Am I an Alien?”
Dorset Drama Academy presents
Little Women
Sunday 16th November, 6.30pm
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Dorset Drama Academy’s Advanced Company is proud to present a moving, family-friendly new production of Little Women.
Set during the American Civil War, Little Women follows the lives of the four March sisters - Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy - as they navigate love, loss, ambition, and growing up. Powerful themes of sisterhood, resilience, and self-discovery are brought vividly to life by Dorset Drama Academy’s next generation of performers.
Allendale Christmas Craft Fair 2025
Saturday 22nd November, 10am - 4pm
A popular annual fixture, Allendale Christmas Craft Fair returns in 2025. With halls full of hand picked, handcrafted items especially for Christmas, it's the ideal opportunity to pick up quality Christmas gifts you may not find anywhere else. Free entry for customers ​- a date to remember!
Stallholders: Book a 6ft. table (or equivalent space if you have your own stand) for just £25. Spaces available in Minster Hall, Quarter Jack Hall and Canford Room. Book while they're available! Stallholder information
DanceAway Social Dance
Saturday 22nd November, 7.30pm
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All abilities welcome
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Entry £8 on the door
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Bar open
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Read more at DanceAway
Little Pickles Markets
Sunday 23rd November, 10am - 12pm
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Baby and Children's nearly new sales.
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Christmas Wreath Making Workshops
sponsored by Poole & Wimborne Woodland Burial Ground
Wednesday 26th November, 2pm - 4pm & Friday 28th November, 6pm - 8pm
Join us for a seasonal Wreath Making Workshop. Includes wreath to take home, plus festive nibbles and a soft drink. Bar open for festive cocktails.
All proceeds support Allendale Community Centre. Limited places available - advance booking recommended!
Event raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
The Sounds of Simon
Saturday 29th November, 7.30pm
The Sounds of Simon is a tribute to the wonderful music of Simon & Garfunkel.
Lose yourself to nostalgia with such classics as Mrs Robinson, The Boxer, The Sound of Silence and Bridge Over Troubled Water, as well as all the others that have established Paul Simon as one of the most successful songwriters of all time.
Paul and Art are played to perfection, bringing in elements of their famously fractious relationship, as well as replicating the beautiful harmonies flawlessly. This is a wonderful show filled with excellent music, nostalgia and a genuine love for some great musicians. www.soundsofsimon.co.uk
Event raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Grandma's Attic Antiques & Collectors Fairs
Sunday 30th November, 10am - 4pm
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This popular, busy fair pays a visit at the end of November
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Quality antiques and collectibles
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Plenty of parking in adjacent Allenview car park
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Allendale Café open all day
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Admission just £2
Some Voices presents
A Christmas Choral
Monday 1st December, 8pm
Hold on to your hats, this Dickens classic is getting the full Some Voices rework, with a wild line-up of songs taking us on the ultimate Christmas nostalgia deep dive. Swooning in the past, belting out the present, and rocking into the future: expect stunning harmonies and epic mash-ups, all with the SV festive flair you know and love.
High Contrast Cinema presents
Scrooge
Friday 5th December, 8pm
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High Contrast Cinema conclude their 'Made in Britain' season with the acclaimed 1951 adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Scrooge. Starring the incomparable Alastair Sim as miserly curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge, it is widely considered to be the most faithful and cherished version of the much-filmed Christmas classic. Featuring a veritable who's who of famous British actors of the 20th century (including Michael Horden, Hattie Jacques, Jack Warner and George Cole) a big screen outing of the film will be a welcome kickstart to the festive season. Altogether now: "HUMBUG!"
Scrooge is rated U for very mild horror.
Dorset Team Christmas Fair
Saturday 6th - Sunday 7th December, 10am - 4pm
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Get into the festive spirit with the Dorset Team Christmas Fair! Explore over 60 stalls each day filled with handcrafted gifts, unique decorations, and festive treats from talented local makers. Find perfect presents, soak up the festive atmosphere and support artists and makers this Christmas.
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​Dorset Team Christmas Fair on facebook
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For more information, please email dorsetteam@outlook.com
Best Ever Christmas Panto
Friday 12th - Wednesday 24th December,
various times
Bring your family along for an unforgettable Christmas experience filled with joy, laughter, and the importance of believing in the magic of Christmas. Don’t miss BEST EVER CHRISTMAS PANTO, a show that promises to warm your heart and put a smile on every face! Join Jingle and Jangle, two cheeky elves, as they embark on a quest to save Christmas from the mischievous Jack Frost. This heart warming pantomime is filled with songs, laughter, fun and a sprinkle of fairy magic! Read more
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Christmas Jazz at the Allendale
Bob Barter Quintet with Jenny Howe
Monday 15th December, 1pm
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Merry Christmas! It will be on 15th December when the Bob Barter Quintet with Jenny Howe play the Quarter Jack Hall at the Allendale. Offering superb musicianship, this band are always popular and leave the audience wanting more!
Tickets £15, advance booking recommended.
Dirty/DC
Saturday 27th December, doors 7pm
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One of our favourite nights of the year - AC/DC tribute Dirty/DC play the Allendale on Saturday 27th December. Always an excellent show and always very busy - buy your tickets in good time to guarantee entry!
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Event raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Artemis Performance Arts Drama Course
Starts 4th January 2026
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A professionally led drama training course aimed at developing performance skills for local actors. Please tap on image to enlarge, for more detail.
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For more info and to book your place, please email christina@artemistheatre.com​​
Ratrace
Saturday 24th January, 8pm
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An annual treat - Ratrace return to the Allendale in January 2026!
It's always busy, with a brilliant atmosphere and a great night guaranteed. Ratrace will be supported by Lewis and Sound of the Suburbs. Buy your tickets early so you don't miss out!
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Event raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Strictly Murder: Murder at Martiniques
Sunday 1st March, 2pm
​The Allendale Café
It is 1926 and the grand opening of 'Martiniques', a new nightclub in the centre of town owned by the mysterious Lady Martinique. But there is consternation among the staff when Basil Kane, the gossip columnist for the local newspaper, is found dead. DI Foote has his work cut out as everyone seems to have a motive for Basil’s murder. This popular interactive murder mystery puts you in the centre of the action as you assist Detective Inspector Foote of the Yard to catch the killer...
Ticket price includes a 2-course meal, with a choice of Beef Lasagne or Vegetarian Lasagne, both served with garlic bread, and followed by Lemon Cheesecake with cream or ice cream.
Phoenix Rock ‘N’ Roll
Saturday 7th March, 7.30pm
Phoenix Rock ‘N’ Roll are a Dorset based 6 piece party band with a passion for resurrecting the inspirational sound of classic 1950s to 1980s rock and roll music. Dance along to lively hits covering four decades, from Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Shakin’ Stevens and many more.
Evening with Dan Clarke
Tuesday 5th May, 7pm
The incredible Spiritual medium Dan Clarke presents an evening of readings from spirit delivered in the compassionate and yet entertaining way that only he can. Join us and see why Dan Clarke is known for being the most accurate medium touring the UK today. Over 16s please.
Cydonia Knights
Saturday 16th May, 7.30pm
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Cydonia Knights are a regular favourite at the Allendale, following superb performances in recent years. A tribute to one of the world's biggest rock bands, 'MUSE', Cydonia Knights are a band formed by Muse fans, for Muse fans, performing an unparalleled Muse experience as close to the real thing as possible. The band take pride in their meticulous attention to detail. Supermassive Black Hole, Uprising, Algorithm, Reapers, Compliance and many, many more of the very best Muse tracks are performed with unprecedented accuracy. A night to look forward to!
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Event raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
