The award-winning Dorset Seafood Festival returns to Weymouth for 2026, bringing together some of Dorset's top restaurants and seafood, chefs and producers from across the South Coast. Set in Weymouth Harbour, the festival celebrates the region’s rich fishing heritage for a weekend of eating, discovery, and learning focused on the incredible fish and seafood available along this stretch of coastline.
Across two days on 4 and 5 July 2026, you can explore a spectacular line-up of food, drink and entertainment, from incredible street food vendors to workshops, live cooking demonstrations and more. Alongside fresh seafood prepared by local traders, there’ll be opportunities to watch live cooking demos, buy locally made gifts and products, hear from industry experts, and discover the journey from sea to plate.
This year, the festival will stay open until 7pm on Saturday, so you can stay a little longer and enjoy golden hour with your seafood dinner. Plus, unlike before, the 2026 Dorset Seafood Festival is totally free for all visitors, with a new layout centred around the Pavilion, harbourside, and esplanade, to improve flow and give visitors more space to explore and make the most of the coastal setting.
As usual, The Dorset Seafood Festival also helps to raise money for the Fisherman’s Mission Charity, which has been supporting fishermen across the UK for the last 145 years, and to educate attendees on sustainable fishing, seafood and the coast. To date, the festival has raised over £100,000 for the charity.
Which chefs are attending the 2026 Dorset Seafood Festival?
Taking on the Chef’s Theatre stage – where visitors can watch exciting chef demonstrations and techniques to use at home – is a chef and foodie lineup worthy of the big screen. So, who’s attending the festival this year?
Serving as compere for the festival is Steven Lamb, a curing and smoking expert, but also an award-winning author, teacher, presenter, culinary consultant and instrumental force in establishing the River Cottage Cookery School. At Dorset Seafood Festival 2026, he’ll introduce a stellar lineup of chefs and notable figures sharing their tips and tricks at the Chef’s Theatre, where you can pitch up and learn chef-level skills to use at home. Expect tutorials on fish butchery, demonstrations, alongside insights on English wine and local brews.
![chefs presenting dishes and demos for a crowd]()
The Dorset Seafood Festival always champions local chefs. This year, attendees can watch James Palmer-Snellin of The WhitePepper Chef Academy in Poole prepare some fresh crab tartlet canapes, Sarah Chourdhury of The Taj Mahal cook up her signature lime and curry leaf sea bass, and a fish filleting crash course from seafood specialist Duncan Lucas.
The award-winning chef patron of Catch at The Old Fish Market, Ben Champkin, is also taking to the stage to create two dishes: barbecue miso-glazed octopus and bluefin tuna belly with tomato and marjoram. With him, he brings star-studded experience (L’Enclume and Restaurant at Meadowood in California, to name a few). Other appearances include Kirk Gosden and Chris Davis of Rockfish cooking up their favourite dishes, and MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Chiara Tomasoni’s hot-smoked whipped roe with puffed fish skin.
![cheese and beer pairing and glass of sparking wine]()
Wine writer Susy Atkins and Louis Pommery’s Sara Hicks, meanwhile, will be leading a wine tasting session while Mark Woodhouse (AKA ‘Mr Badger’) of Hall & Woodhouse helms a beer and cheese tasting tutorial. Plus, the live fish auction with Duncan Lucas is also making a comeback, with all proceeds donated to The Fishermen’s Mission.
What food stands are coming to the 2026 Dorset Seafood Festival?
Naturally, you can expect a whole host of seafood stands, slinging all the best local produce, from oysters shucked to order to fish finger sandwiches, and fries loaded up with crab and chorizo.
Dorset Seafood Festival’s food stalls and vendors reflect the local variety, offering the chance to taste and try new things and visit longstanding favourites. Weymouth’s own, Weyfish, will be serving up barbecued lobster, scallops with salsa verde and freshly shucked oysters. Prawn Star is the place to go for seafood boils cooked to order and Cornish lobster rolls, while Brancaster Bay Shellfish is putting the focus on mussels, serving them up in six different ways, from classic moules frites to a Thai-style take with coconut cream and sriracha.
![men serving loaded fries and big wok of paella]()
You can also expect paella from Portland Paella, gluten-free fritto misto courtesy of Smoke Hut Kitchen, along with wood-fired flammlachs (wood plank salmon slow-cooked over open flame) from The Nordic Smokery.
Louis Pommery also returns for this year’s festival as a sponsor, guaranteeing an endless supply of top-class English sparkling wine for you to enjoy by the harbour.
What else can you expect at Dorset Seafood Festival?
There's SO much to see and do at Dorset Seafood Festival in July. Whether you're coming with friends to sip sparkling wine or bringing the whole family, get stuck into these awesome activities.
Alongside Louis Pommery wine pairings and Hall & Woodhouse’s beer and cheese pairing tutorial, you can expect a range of activities for adults and kids alike to join in on, from fun activities to educational events.
Dorset Seafood Festival is putting on lots of activities to keep younger visitors entertained between seafood stops. Little ones can transform into their favourite sea creatures with face painting by the talented Diamond Faces team, while Friends at Broadmayne School (FABS) will be running hands-on ocean-themed craft activities, including shell painting and fish ornament making.
Away from the festival stands, families can also enjoy a traditional crabbing session around Weymouth Harbour, one of the town's best-loved seaside pastimes. Just remember to follow the local Crabbing Code to help protect the harbour's wildlife and ensure everyone can enjoy this classic coastal pastime responsibly. You can also expect The Wine Garden to make a return, offering a leafy setting in collaboration with Goulds Garden Centre to enjoy a refreshing glass (or two) of Louis Pommery.
Who is performing at the 2026 Dorset Seafood Festival?
It's not just food and drink either; this year's music programme is set to be the best yet, thanks to the work of local legends, The Leggomen.
Don't forget about Dorset Seafood Festival's music and entertainment, either! With The Leggomen curating the music side, and plenty of bands vying to perform, you can expect a high-energy harbour atmosphere with live music throughout the weekend and other activities and entertainment.
![crowd watching musicians on stage with guitars]()
Highlights include performances from sea-shanty specialists Dorset Wrecks, energetic folk-rock singer Hamish Owen, and female-led acoustic trio Chloe, Jack & Tom, alongside The Leggomen themselves, who bring their signature twist to indie and dance classics. That’s just a taster, there’s much more to see across the weekend!
Keen to get involved? Find out more at Dorset Seafood Festival.