01202 887247 info@theallendale.org
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, Wimborne?
Discover a variety of live entertainment, films, markets, fairs and more on this page.
We're home to the Allendale Theatre, Allendale Studio and Allendale Café, all of which host events.
See Live Shows only. See Regular Activities for daily, weekly and monthly activities.
Wimborne Minster Market
Fridays 8am - 2pm
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!
Wimborne Gardening Club Late Summer Show
Saturday 5th September, 12pm - 4pm
Admission £1 on the door.
Strictly Murder:
A Funny Thing Happened...
Sunday 6th September, 2pm
The Allendale Café
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. It’s 1965. It is the presentation event for the forthcoming production of 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'... Read more
Meat and vegetarian meal options available. Ticket price includes delicious two course meal. Period costume welcomed.
Changing Colours Jazz Orchestra -
Music from Broadway to Hollywood
Sunday 6th September, 6pm
It’s Showtime! We welcome Changing Colours Jazz Orchestra, playing the ultimate celebration of your favourite songs from Broadway Musicals & Hollywood Films.
This 17 piece orchestra has been created from a select group of musicians, many of them professional, who will be performing a varied and exciting programme of music to get your toes tapping and be both memorable and nostalgic. Watch video
This highly acclaimed orchestra, based in Ferndown, has been performing over the past five years and will feature vocalists & soloists throughout the programme to add to your emotional musical experience. Raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Hansons Auctioneers:
FREE Antiques, Jewellery, Fine Art & Watch Valuations
Friday 11th September, 2pm - 4pm
Also Friday 9th October & Friday 13th November, 10am - 12pm
Labradors Rock 2026
Friday 18th September, doors 7.15pm, music from 8.15pm
Spinal Taff are back again at the Allendale for ‘Labradors Rock 2026’, a benefit concert in aid of The Labrador Rescue Trust; a night of big hair and even bigger riffs, as the band deliver their unique take on rock and heavy metal classics from AC/DC, Judas Priest, Van Halen etc. They’re joined this year by special guests, ‘Vesper’, a young 6-piece rock band whose influences include Royal Blood, The Killers and Paramore; a band who were finalists at last year's 'Battle of The Bands' contest organised by Poole & Parkstone Grammar Schools.
MC for the evening is Radio Wimborne’s very own Matt Fleming.
Silent Movie with Piano Accompaniment:
The General (Buster Keaton)
Friday 25th September, 7.30pm
Buster Keaton's most famous film (the one in which an entire train was sacrificed just for a stunt), is now a hundred years old. Watch a silent movie without music and it's a curiously dull affair - but watch one with live music and it becomes magical!
Pianist Mike Hatchard has a rare ability to pick up on the audience's reactions, and The General is as entertaining now as it was a century ago. Join us for this event!
Allendale Theatre Company presents
Round The Horne
Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th September, 2.30pm both days
Join us for an afternoon of bona comedy as we recreate the much-loved BBC radio show, Round The Horne! Our talented cast portray Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Kenneth Horne, Betty Marsden and Douglas Smith, script-in-hand at the mics, as it would have been on the original recordings. Also includes live musicians.
Each performance will feature a different script, with different sketches and running order. There's a small amount of intentional overlap between the two performances - approximately 10% - where selected material appears in both. Join us on both days so you don't miss out, and receive a FREE programme. Just book Saturday & Sunday tickets, present both at the first show and you'll receive your souvenir programme!
Not suitable for young children. Very suitable for anyone with a good old-fashioned (and slightly naughty) sense of humour!
DanceAway Social Dance Evening
Saturday 26th September, 7.30pm
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Ballroom/Latin American
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Popular Sequence
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All abilities welcome
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Bar open
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Admission £8 per person, on the door
High Contrast Cinema
BOGART: Crime, Chaos & Casablanca Season Ticket
Valid for three films, from Friday 2nd October
High Contrast Cinema close out 2026 by stepping into the smoke‑filled bars, back‑alley deals and fractured romances of Hollywood’s most magnetic icon. The spotlight falls on Humphrey Bogart — the hard‑boiled outsider and reluctant hero, whose mix of vulnerability and menace reshaped the language of American cinema.
The new season - Bogart: Crime, Chaos & Casablanca - opens on Friday 2nd October 2026 with Bogart caught in the brutal churn of Prohibition‑era America opposite James Cagney in Raoul Walsh’s electrifying gangster saga The Roaring Twenties (1939). Read more
Dorset Team Autumn Fair
Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th October, 10am - 4pm
Join the Dorset Team Autumn Fair, a two-day celebration of independent makers, artists and creative small businesses. This event brings together a carefully curated mix of traders; you'll find a wide range of crafts including jewellery, ceramics, art, illustration, homewares and gifts.
Come down to support and shop small. FREE ENTRY.
Accessible Venue. Wonderful Café serving hot and cold food and drinks all day. Dogs on leads are welcome. Set over two rooms.
Follow Dorset Team for trader previews and event updates Enquiries: dorsetteam@outlook.com
RiverMind Concert
Sunday 11th October. 7.30pm (9pm performance postponed)
RiverMind Concert is the premiere of a new musical work dedicated to our local rivers, by composer Karen Wimhurst.
This is a chance to be immersed in song, indigenous wisdom and the aliveness of our precious rivers. Featuring Soprano Brittany Soriano; Bass Ed Bersey; Vibes Naomi Maddick; Palida Choir and friends. The event will also feature visuals and sound recordings from the River Stour and River Allen, by Adrian Newton.
Quo Connection
Friday 23rd October, doors 7.30pm, music from 8.15pm
The authentic and approved sound of classic 70s QUO! Watch video
Formed by ex-Status Quo drummer John Coghlan, the band has existed for twenty-five years in various forms. Mick Hughes, Rick Chase and Pete Mace have reformed John Coghlan’s Quo under the name of QUO CONNECTION.
Playing many of Status Quo’s hits plus some incredible album tracks, Quo Connection are eager to bring their high-octane show to you. The band proved very popular when they played here previously and are very welcome to return in 2026! Raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
20 To 1 Big Band presents
Dance The Night Away
Saturday 24th October, 7.30pm
20 To 1 Big Band return to the Allendale with their ever-popular Dance The Night Away - an evening of LIVE music for you to get up and dance to!
Music styles include Swing, Jive, Latin, Waltz and Rock & Pop. Also featuring live vocalists.
Dorset Team October Makers Market
Saturday 31st October, 10am - 4pm
Join the Dorset Team for the October Makers Market, showcasing independent makers, artists and creatives from right across Dorset. You will find high quality stalls set across two rooms of the Allendale Centre, with over 60 stalls in total. Expect a carefully curated mix of crafts and stalls with something for everyone and every budget. FREE ENTRY.
Accessible Venue. Café overlooking the river serving hot and cold food and drink all day. Dogs on leads are welcome. Set over two rooms
Follow Dorset Team for trader previews and event updates. Enquiries dorsetteam@outlook.com
DanceAway Social Dance Evening
Saturday 31st October, 7.30pm
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Ballroom/Latin American
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Popular Sequence
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All abilities welcome
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Bar open
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Admission £8 per person, on the door
The Bossa Definitiva Trio
Sunday 1st November, 1pm
Paris-born vocalist Véronique Joly, together with Canadian saxophonist Terry Quinney and guitarist Rob Palmer, present BOSSA DEFINITIVA, a trio celebrating the cool Bossa Nova sounds of Stan Getz and Astrud & João Gilberto. Drawing inspiration from the classic Getz/Gilberto recordings, the trio's repertoire also includes songs by artists such as James Taylor and Sting, as featured on their recently released eponymous debut album.
Together, the trio brings warmth, lyricism and understated virtuosity. Their repertoire moves effortlessly between classic Bossa Nova and contemporary song, capturing the intimate, timeless appeal of Brazil's most enduring musical style. Watch video
Raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Evening with Dan Clarke
Tuesday 3rd November, 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.
Absolute U2
Saturday 7th November, 8.15pm
Absolute U2 are an authentic UK-based tribute to one of the greatest rock bands of all time.
Delivered with the energy and honesty the music deserves, Absolute U2 are four musicians who care about getting it right - from the chiming guitars, the driving rhythm section, the soaring vocals, and exciting moments that lift a room!
AUTHENTIC. HEARTFELT. UNMISTAKABLY U2.
Richard Smith UK Tour 2026
(supported by Bob Carter)
Friday 13th November, 7.30pm
We welcome Richard Smith back to the Allendale this November! If you've seen Richard here before, you'll know he's one of the world's top guitar players. Born in the UK, now resident in the US, he's back in this country for an autumn tour. If you appreciate top-level musicianship and great entertainment, don't miss this date! Watch video
Richard is very ably supported by the more-local Bob Carter, himself a consummate musician. Two excellent guitarists at a very reasonable ticket price - limited tickets available.
Raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Wimborne Musical Theatre Society presents
The Magic Behind The Curtain
Saturday 14th November, 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Join us for a heartwarming musical journey where stories awaken and the past comes alive... filled with songs you know and love, including:
Luck Be A Lady (Guys and Dolls)
Consider Yourself (Oliver!)
Pure Imagination (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Journey to the Past (Anastasia)
Seasons of Love (Rent)
Good Morning Baltimore (Hairspray)
Allendale Christmas Craft Fair
Saturday 21st November, 10am - 4pm
The ever-popular Allendale Christmas Craft Fair returns for 2026. Quality craft items and gift ideas galore! Free entry for customers.
Stallholders - stalls can now be booked at £25 for a 6ft. table and chair (supplied) or equivalent space, if you have your own stall. Spaces in Minster Hall, Quarter Jack Hall and Canford Room currently available. All spaces usually sell out for this event, so book early!
DanceAway Social Dance Evening
Saturday 28th November, 7.30pm
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Ballroom/Latin American
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Popular Sequence
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All abilities welcome
-
Bar open
-
Admission £8 per person, on the door
Grandma's Attic Antiques & Collectors Fairs
Sunday 29th November, 10am - 4pm
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Ever-popular event returns to the Allendale, admission just £2
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Around 50 traders, in two halls
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Plenty of parking in adjacent pay and display car park
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The Allendale Café open all day
Dorset Team Christmas Fair
Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th December, 10am - 4pm both days
The Dorset Team Christmas Fair brings together a curated mix of independent makers and small businesses for a festive weekend of Christmas shopping in Wimborne. The event brings 60 stalls by local makers each day set across two rooms of the Allendale Community Centre.
Expect a wide range of handmade products and different crafts including jewellery, ceramics, textiles, art, illustrations, Christmas cards and decorations and much more! FREE ENTRY.
Accessible Venue. Onsite Café overlooking the river serving hot and cold food and drink all day. Dogs on leads are welcome. Set over two rooms.
Follow Dorset Team for updates. Enquiries dorsetteam@outlook.com
Chris Hill's Dirty DC
Sunday 27th December, doors open 7pm
This isn’t just another tribute band - this is a full-throttle AC/DC experience!
Chris Hill’s Dirty DC deliver the raw power, attitude, and unmistakable sound of one of the greatest rock bands in history, with relentless precision and energy. Engineered for serious fans and live music audiences alike, this is high-voltage rock ‘n’ roll done properly.
Fronted by Chris Hill, a performer who has spent over 26 years mastering the voice, presence and grit of Brian Johnson, the band recreates both the Bon Scott swagger and the Johnson-era stadium dominance with spine-tingling accuracy. Raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Strictly Murder:
For Home and Country
Sunday 7th February 2027, 2pm
It is Wednesday, 3rd September 1924, and the women of Pucklechurch gather proudly under the banner of the Women’s Institute. What began during the war as a patriotic effort has become a cornerstone of village life — a place of recipes, remedies, and resolute opinions.
But beneath the jam jars and committee minutes, disputes over money, medicine and morality threaten to unravel the harmony of this quiet Dorset village. When tragedy strikes at the heart of the Institute, suspicion spreads quickly — and loyalty to “home and country” is tested in deadly ways. Ticket price includes a 2-course meal of Lasagne with Garlic Bread (or optional Vegetable Lasagne with Garlic Bread), followed by cheesecake and ice cream.
Allendale Theatre Company presents
The Good Life
Friday 7th, Saturday 8th &
Sunday 9th May 2027, various times
Allendale Theatre Company is delighted to present an in-house production of the classic BBC sitcom The Good Life. Join Tom, Barbara, Jerry and Margo on stage for an afternoon or evening of warm hearted, nostalgic and hilarious comedy.
Raising funds for Allendale Community Centre.
Kate Garner's Vintage Songbook
Sunday 30th May 2027, 2pm
Songs & stories at the piano with the daughter of Chas from 'Chas & Dave'.
Music Hall, 1920s & 30s, Parlour Songs & Wartime Singalong!
StevieMac
Saturday 18th September 2027, 7.30pm
Fronted by vocalist Fi Channon, StevieMac is more than a Fleetwood Mac tribute. Backed by a talented live band, the show combines the biggest Fleetwood Mac hits with songs from Stevie Nicks' remarkable solo career and celebrated collaborations, offering audiences a deeper journey through one of rock music's most enduring legacies.
From Fleetwood Mac classics such as Dreams, Rhiannon and The Chain to Stevie Nicks' solo hits including Rooms on Fire and Stand Back, plus iconic collaborations such as Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, StevieMac delivers a show that celebrates the full musical journey of one of rock's most distinctive and influential artists. Watch video