When
August Bank Holiday run
Ten days, anchored on the late-August Bank Holiday weekend. Check the 2025 programme page for the latest day-by-day schedule.
Visiting this August
Ten days of art on the Dorset coast.
Plan your trip to Lyme Regis — a working harbour, a Jurassic coastline and a free-entry open-air gallery, all in walking distance of each other.
Visitor essentials
Everything you need before you arrive.
The Lyme Regis Arts Festival has been free to enter since 2007 — eighteen consecutive Augusts on the Dorset coast. Here is the quick orientation, so you can pack, book and plan with confidence.
Where
A working harbour town
The Cobb breakwater, Marine Parade, Broad Street, Town Mill Studios and the surrounding Dorset lanes form one walkable, coastal open-air gallery.
Cost
Free entry throughout
No ticket has ever been needed to enter the festival. Some workshops carry a small materials fee — these are clearly marked in the programme.
What to expect
Contemporary craft, not a music crowd
184 exhibiting artists in 2024 across 27 venues: painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, poetry and live performance — quiet, considered and family-friendly.
Where the art lives
A preview of Lyme Regis in August.
The town is the venue. Each spot below hosts a different strand of the festival — from the curved stones of the Cobb to the tucked-away studios of the Town Mill.
Getting here
Four ways to reach Lyme Regis.
You don't need a car to enjoy the festival. The town is well-served by rail links, regional coaches and the National Cycle Network — and parking is easier if you arrive by 10am.
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By train & connecting bus
The nearest mainline stations are Axminster (direct from London Waterloo, ~2h 40m) and Dorchester West. From either, the First X53 Jurassic Coastliner bus runs through Lyme Regis roughly hourly across the festival week — a scenic ride along the coast.
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By car
Lyme is reached via the A35 from Dorchester and the A3052 from Exeter. Three car parks sit within five minutes' walk of the harbour — Cobb Gate, Broad Street and Holmbush. Arrive before 10am on Bank Holiday weekend and you'll find a space without circling.
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By bicycle
National Cycle Network Route 2 runs along the seafront into town. Secure cycle parking is provided at the festival hub on Marine Parade, and several accommodation partners offer bike storage for guests staying two nights or more.
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By coach
National Express coaches serve Axminster, from where the X53 connects directly. Several Dorset and Devon operators add extra festival-week services — see the programme page for live links closer to August.
Where to stay
Sleep within the festival community.
These independent partners support the Lyme Regis Arts Festival — and a two-or-three-night stay lets you see the programme at its full, unhurried pace.
Independent B&B
Cobb Hill House
A six-room Georgian B&B two minutes from the harbour. Full Dorset breakfast, drying space for walking gear, and the owner keeps a printed map of every festival venue at reception.
View details →
Camping & campervans
Ware Cliff Meadows
A 10-minute coastal walk from the festival hub. Grass pitches, hot showers, a quiet field policy after 10pm, and a free shuttle bus to the harbour on Bank Holiday weekend morning.
View details →
Boutique hotel
The Mariners' Quarter
A fourteen-room hotel overlooking Marine Parade. Sea-view rooms book out months ahead for the festival — reserve early. Their lobby hosts one of the festival's poetry readings on the final evening.
View details →Want a longer list? Our partner directory of more than thirty B&Bs, inns and self-catering cottages is included in the 2025 programme.
Practical questions
The quiet worries, answered plainly.
A few things visitors most often ask in the week before they travel. If your question isn't here, write to us — we read every email.
Is the festival accessible?
Yes — most venues are step-free or ramped, including the Town Mill Studios ground floor and the Marine Parade performance tent. A printed large-print programme and a quiet hour on Saturday morning are part of the standard festival offer. Our accessibility page lists every venue with step counts, accessible toilets and seating.
Can I bring my dog?
Well-behaved dogs on short leads are very welcome across most outdoor festival spaces, including the Cobb and Marine Parade. Indoor venues — Town Mill Studios, the small galleries on Broad Street — ask that dogs stay at home unless assisting. A water bowl is kept outside every indoor venue.
Is it suitable for families?
Yes — the festival is a deliberately quiet, walkable event. Each year we run a free children's printmaking workshop on the Marine Parade lawn, plus storytelling mornings in the library and a family-friendly sculpture trail that takes about 45 minutes at toddler pace.
Cash, card, weather — what should I pack?
Card and contactless are taken at every venue; a few market stalls still prefer cash, so bring a tenner. Lyme in late August averages 21°C and a brief shower — pack a light layer, comfortable shoes for the shingle, and sunscreen for the afternoon on the cliffs.
Ready to plan the rest of your visit? The 2025 programme has every venue, performance time and workshop — all free to download.
Get the 2025 Programme