04/01/2026
Two major events are set to return in the Shaftesbury area in 2026 along with a new major event at Turnpike showground. Reading the Land, the biennial book festival focusing on nature, wildlife and landscape writing, returns from the 20th to the 22nd of March at the Grosvenor Arms Hotel.
The festival brings together expert speakers and authors to explore how people understand and write about the land. It runs every other year.
Listen: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thealfreddaily/301225.mp3 =50:47
There’s also a brand-new event at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Showground. Dorset Tractor Fest takes place from the 5th to the 7th of June. The Wurzels are headlining, with guest star Kaleb Cooper from Clarkson’s Farm.
The event will feature two stages of live music, along with steam engines, tractors, wrestling, fair rides and competitions. Organisers say it’s a new addition to the local events calendar.
Looking further ahead, the Berwick St John Fayre returns on the 19th and 20th of September. Last time it ran, the volunteer-led event raised £100,000 for Salisbury District Hospital’s Stars Appeal.
