Big State Theatre present ‘The Fire Starter’ at Dorchester’s Corn Exchange on Friday 7th November.

A gloriously irreverent romp through the extraordinary life of the nineteenth century Welsh Arch Druid and Doctor, William Price.  A Pagan, he lived in sin, had children out of wedlock, played his flute naked and shocked the Victorians by cremating his dead relatives.

This hilarious comedy features over 25 characters including a sheep, a parrot, a spectacularly incompetent vicar, rampant twins and the lovesick Smelly Gwennie, all performed by three stunningly versatile actors.

Corn Exchange • 8pm • £9 / £7 members and concessions / £5 under 18s (age 14 plus)

Thespis present ‘Chetwode, Sandy & Co’, a hilarious comedy written by David Conville, as part of ArtsReach at Studland Village Hall on Sunday 16th November.

A trio of ex-ENSA entertainers escape from the realities of modern life into their own world where in a series of playlets they act out their fantasies as heroes, politicians, murderers, gamblers and clowns.

Studland Village Hall: Sun 16 Nov 7.30pm: Box Office: 01929 450514

Dorset Food Week continues into the weekend and there are a number of events that should keep your stomach full or give you some mouth watering inspiration. For a full list of events visit their website or download the event listing.

Friday 31 October

As part of the Screen Bites series, Winfrith Village Hall hosts local food tastings followed by the Hungarian film The Lumnitzer Sisters which takes a leftfield look at relationships, cooking, the politics of food and the battle between the authentic and the commercial. Starts at 7pm, adults £7, children £5. Booking essential.

Wareham Food Festival is on at the Quay from 12.30-4pm

‘Flavours of Dorset’ Food Fair at Studland Village Hall from 10am to 5pm.

Sat 1 November

Dorchester Food Festival takes place from 12.30-4pm with a wide variety of locally produced goods on sale in South Street.

Goldy’s Farm Shop in Lytchett Matravers will also be conducting guided tours of it’s award winning and eco-friendly farm shop at 10.30am or 2.30pm.

Sun 2 November

Sunday is Great Dorset Sunday Lunch day and is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a relaxing Sunday meal at one of Dorset’s many fine eateries - or if the credit crunch is biting why not purchase the produce from a local supplier and rustle up a sumptuous home-cooked Sunday lunch.

Find out how the National Trust are reducing their impact on the environment through the recycling of waste, use of recycled materials, and eco-friendly building design.

The 2 hour walk will include a fair-trade beverage and a 2 course locally sourced organic lunch.

Booking Essential on  01929 450259. Meet at the Visitor Centre, Knoll, Studland.

Studland: Wed 5 Nov 10.30am-12.30pm, £13

The Tank Museum in Bovington, in association with the BBC, is holding a free event on Saturday November 8th to commemorate 90 years since the end of World War 1.

As well as free entrance to the Museum, there will be an opportunity for visitors to connect with, and commemorate, the events of WW1. The day’s events will include:

• A special remembrance family activity trail.
• Demonstrations of WW1 equipment.
• Take part in WW1 era drill sessions.
• A series of WW1 themed talks and lectures from experts.
• Research your family tree and find out more about service records, and your own family members contribution to WW1.
• Share family artefacts, photographs and memories with others on the on-line BBC Remembrance Wall.
• Learn more from experts about your WW1 family artefacts.
• Screening of the final poignant episode of the BBC Comedy Blackadder Goes Forth.

The Tank Museum will also be hosting the official remembrance service on behalf of Bovington Camp on Sunday 9th November. Visitors are welcome to join the service which commences at 10am. Entry to the Tank Museum will be free all day.

The Tank Musuem: Sat 8 Nov 10.30am-4pm, FREE

If you are a runner or jogger or someone who would like to start, and you would like to be involved in starting a club/group for all ages and abilities, contact Roger on 01929 423235 or email or call in at Purbeck Sports, Tilly Mead, Commercial Road, Swanage.

The Fireworks season is almost upon us and there are plenty of opportunities to light up your life at displays in Purbeck and further afield.

Wednesday 5th November

Kingston Maurward Lakeside fireworks. Gates open at 6pm, display begins at 7.30pm. Entry price, adults and children (age over 5): £5.

2CR’s fireworks display at Canford Park, Magna Road, Poole. Fireworks, bonfire plus fairground and live music. Family tickets available through the BIC in advance only (not available on the night), two adults and two kids £15. Tickets on the night £5 per person.

Poole Quay Fireworks live music, steet performers, children’s entertainement from 4.30pm. Fireworks from 7.45pm. FREE 

Friday 7 November

Bonfire, Tank Display and Fireworks at Bovington Garrison. Gates open at 6pm and bonefire at 7pm, tanks at 7.30pm and fireworks at 7.45 (finish 9pm). £3 adults Children £1.50

Saturday 8th November

Bere Regis School is holding its annual bonfire and fireworks from 6.00pm. A bar and hot food are available on the night. Adults £5, Under 16s FREE. (rescheduled from 1 Nov due to bad weather).

Fireworks on Wareham Quay, organised by Wareham Round Table in conjunction with the Granary, The Quay Inn and La Trottolina. Music in the Quay Inn featuring Steve D Neil Diamond Tribute starts 7pm.

Fireworks at Kimmeridge. Gates open at 6.30pm with fireworks at 7.30pm

Bournemouth Fireworks at Littledown Centre. There is a family funfair and live music. Gates open at 5.30pm, with firework displays at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm. Adult £6, Child £3.

Southhill fireworks display in Weymouth, 7pm. BBQ, entertainment, Dorset Fire Service pump display. Free Entry .

Entry to Monkey World is free on 31 October for anyone dressed in a full Halloween outfit.

Not only will you save on the entrance fee but the apes will have a good laugh at your expense too!

You will also get the chance to see the recently erected bronze statue of the late Jim Cronin and Charlie, one of the first chimps he rescued and brought to the centre.

Monkey World: 31 Oct, Free Entry for Halloween Fancy Dressers

Dorset Scrapstore is holding an Open Day on Tuesday 28 October.

The Scrapstore, located at Three Lanes End in Puddletown, collects materials donated by industry, commerce, individuals and makes these materials available to the community as a valuable, low cost resource.

The Open Day is a great opportunity to search this veritable Aladdin’s Cave - if you are feeling creative some ideas include materials for a witch’s costume for Halloween, a shepherd’s cloak for the Nativity Play, or materials to make decorations or cards for Christmas.

Dorset Scrapstore: Tue 28 Oct, 10:00am-8pm, Tel: 01305 849444

Dorchester Arts Centre is holding a series of workshop for children during the half-term break.

The workshops are for children aged 7 to 14 and run from 9am - 4pm. 

Prices are £18 per day (£80 for the week) and you can place a booking on 01305 266926.

Monday 27 October
Play in a Day
Create a story board, make props and costumes, and perform a play (at 3.30pm, family members invited!) under the guidance of TOM PRIOR, Assistant Leader with Dorchester Youth Theatre.

Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 October
Marketing Campaign
What are the most successful ways of getting a big audience to a gig, event or show? Come and learn the ins and outs of putting together a marketing campaign for a future show or event. Help write exciting press releases and design eye-catching posters and flyers with Arts Centre Marketing Officer Simon Barber. The posters will be displayed throughout the town between Wednesday and Saturday.

Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 October
Stop Frame Animation
Join Alastair Nisbet to create your own animation, from storyboard to DVD, and see the results screened before Flipron’s matinee show on Saturday. Here’s a film from a previous workshop.

Thursday 30 October
Spooky Accessories
Join Kathy Webb to create a collection of unique Halloween-inspired accessories, using fimo, beads, fabric and much more.

Friday 31 October
Halloween Lanterns
Join our Artistic Director Sharon Hayden to create spectacularly spooky halloween lanterns to decorate the Arts Centre for Flipron’s matinee show on Saturday.

Saturday 1 November
Family matinee show
Flipron
Dorchester Arts Centre • 6pm • £5 • Free to all workshop students
Come and see this fantastic band play a specially spooked-up set of songs.

ArtsReach, the Arts Development Agency for Rural Dorset, present two theatre treats for you and the kids during the the half-term holiday.

Hand to Mouth Theatre present an original and whimsical reinterpretation of George and the Dragon, told in a series of flashbacks by the ageing Dragon himself, and his troupe of glove puppets.

Children will love the knockabout nonsense and adults will appreciate the hidden layer about growing old together!

Angel Heart Theatre return for only the second time to ArtsReach with their beautiful show adapted from the famous Hans Christian Andersen fairytale ‘The Nightingale’. Beautifully crafted puppets, shadow theatre, captivating storytelling and original live music and dance bring this classic story to life. Another show that the whole family will enjoy!

The Dragons Tale
West Lulworth Tues 28 Oct, 10:30am 01929 400321

The Nightingale
Winfrith Wed 29 Oct, 10:30am 01305 852117
Bere Regis Thurs 30 Oct, 10:30am 01929 471342

Lytchett Minster school follow up their successful summer Arts Festival with the sensational music of the Kokoro String Quartet on Friday November 21.

As the contemporary ensemble of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Kokoro String Quartet has received much acclaim in recent years for its edgy take on classical music. Last year, they wowed audiences throughout Dorset with their comedic music theatre piece “Strip Jack Naked”, and this year they return with a show that combines four contrasting works by minimalist composers and a 20th century masterwork.

The show begins with a representative work by the high priest of minimalism, Phillip Glass, and moves towards the devout spiritualism of Arvo Part.

Also included are works by the Cornish composer Graham Fitkin and the venerable Joby Talbot who is well known for providing the music to TV series such as the League of Gentlemen. As if this wasn’t enough, after the interval the quartet will perform Shostakovich’s powerful and highly personal Eighth Quartet. Don’t miss out!

The show will take place at 7.00 pm in the school theatre (Gainsford).For more information, please contact the school on 01202 622413.

Lytchett Minster School: Fri 21 Nov 7pm, £6, £3 concessions

The Square and Compass pub in Worth Matravers is holding a Cider Festival on Saturday 1st November.

The Cider Festival is a celebration for recently being crowned National Cider Pub of the year by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra). One CAMRA judge found it to be:

a characterful pub with beautiful vistas over the channel and an excellent array of cider and perry.

As well as their own award winning cider there will be a selection of ciders from all over the country, a pig roast, an apple pressing, stalls and live music.

Square & Compass: Sat 1st November

Dorset Food Week starts on Saturday (25th October) and runs until Sunday 2nd November.

There are hundreds of mouth-watering events all over Dorset so check out their website to search for events near you or download the event listing.

Purbeck highlights include the Flavours of Dorset Food Fair at Studland Village Hall, Purbeck Farmers’ Market at Putlake Adventure Farm, Langton Matravers and the Wareham Food Festival at Wareham Quay, which all take place on Friday 31 October.

The final day (2nd November) has been designated Great Dorset Sunday Lunch day and is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a relaxing Sunday meal at one of Dorset’s many fine eateries - or why not purchase the produce from a local supplier and rustle up a sumptuous home-cooked Sunday lunch.

The RSPB is running its annual Feed the Birds Day this weekend and you can join in at Arne this Saturday (25th October).

There will be a number of stalls selling the RSPB bird care range and gifts, as well as other information on helping birds in your garden and fun family activities.

Arne: Sat 25 Oct 10am-3pm