Dilton Marsh to host new free festival this summer

A new festival is set to take place in Dilton Marsh this month, with organisers hoping it will become an annual free event in the village. 

The village playing field will be transformed into the Dilton Festival site with two stages, stalls, food vendors, a beer tent and a range of entertainment on Saturday 11th July from 2pm to 10.30pm. 

The event, organised by the Dilton Marsh Community Group, will be free to attend and feature live performances by local acts including Brakelight, Sparkplug, Landlocked, Fink Nottle, The Full Motley, Eddie Dean, DJ Griff and Jude Kinzett. 

There will also be free activities for children from 2pm to 5.30pm, including face painting and circus skills workshops. Young leaders from Gaia Gymnastics and Wellness will organise traditional races, including three-legged races, wheelbarrow races and egg and spoon races. There will also be inflatables, a human fruit machine and games of tug of war. 

“The main aim of the event is to provide a day for the local community to come together and enjoy being part of the community that is Dilton Marsh,” said Suzanne McGee, one of the organisers. 

“The Dilton Marsh Community Group was formed in order to organise a party in the park for the late Queen’s Jubilee. The event was a success and in subsequent years there have been queries in relation to ‘Will there be another one?’. 

“In 2025, Dan Hillman and Alex Bush decided that 2026 would be the year! The idea being that it would be great to have an annual event in Dilton Marsh for the community involving the community, a combination of a village fete and a festival. 

“Thank you to Richard Harding of Quality Vans, John Martin of EG Martin, Neil Large of Dilton Motors, Dilton Marsh Parish Council and KJ Pay Limited for their sponsorship of the event.” 

There is no parking at the event and organisers are encouraging attendees to use public transport where possible.  

For more information about the event, visit the Dilton Festival Facebook. 

Pictured: Brakelight