Since 2005 the Festival has regularly attracted over 5,000 people each year, from serious followers of the arts to schools, families and children of all ages and has raised significant profile and £350,000 for Dorchester Abbey and local charities.

In 2026 they are partnering with local charity Be Free Young Carers, who enable Oxfordshire Young Carers to achieve their full potential by delivering a far-reaching developmental and emotional support network of people and resources in their daily lives, schools and communities.

Dorchester Festival was started in 2005 following a major restoration of Dorchester Abbey.

It was initially a way of encouraging new people into the building and showing the potential of the Abbey as a venue for booking a variety of events.

Over the years it has become a major community event, offering opportunities to members of the community to perform and create and also to experience big professional arts events that would not normally be available on their doorstep in rural South Oxfordshire.

It is entirely run by volunteers who take roles organising events, taking tickets or simply pouring tea!

They share their profits equally between Dorchester Abbey and a different local charity every time.

Accessibility

The vast majority of our events are held in Dorchester Abbey or in the Festival Tent.

The Abbey has wide doors, a ramp and a disabled toilet in the Cloister Gallery (through the door half way down the Nave)

The Tent is behind the Abbey on grass with matting ensuring access in wet weather. 

There is a disabled toilet behind the Abbey Guest House (the building next to the Abbey) at the back of the courtyard.

They have limited parking next to the Abbey tower & tent, further parking in the Abbey grounds down a gravel path and more just across the road from the Lych Gate.

Event wheelchair spaces and seats with good access

They have specific areas in the Abbey for wheelchair users and are happy to reserve these with nearby seats for other members of your party. 

They can also reserve seats with good access if you need an aisle seat, for example. 

If you are booking seats for The Kings Singers there are specific seats on the seating plan annotated for wheelchair use. 

At all other Abbey seated events spaces can be reserved in advance and Festival helpers will show you to your seats when you arrive