Sedbergh Music Festival — 14–26 June
Eleven days of concerts, recitals and open-air performances in venues across the town. See sedberghmusicfestival.com.
Local News and Events
From hill races and sheepdog trials to music festivals and artisan markets, there is always something happening within a short drive of our cottages. If you'd rather build your stay around peace and quiet than a packed events calendar, see our Wellness Retreats page instead. The list below highlights the biggest dates in the local calendar — for a full week-by-week listing, pick up a copy of the Sedbergh & District Lookaround magazine in the Spar shop or read it online at sedberghlookaround.org.uk. For more Sedbergh-specific listings see sedbergh.org.uk/events.
Throughout the year there are also regular exhibitions and events at Farfield Mill, the restored Victorian woollen mill on the edge of Sedbergh, and Sedbergh's much-loved Christmas late-night shopping evening rounds off the calendar each December.
Headline Dates for 2026
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Killington Sheepdog Trials — 29 May
Traditional sheepdog trials and country sports at Killington, a short drive west of Sedbergh.
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Sheepfest — 23 August
Sedbergh's much-loved celebration of the local sheep industry with painted sheep sculptures, craft stalls and family events.
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Wensleydale Show — 29 August
The biggest country show in the upper dales, held at Leyburn with livestock, crafts, food stalls and show jumping.
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Potfest in the Park — 24–26 July
Over 150 ceramicists exhibit at Hutton in the Forest for one of the UK's leading pottery events. See potfest.co.uk.
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Medieval Music in the Dales — 11–13 September
Three days of early music performances in the atmospheric setting of Bolton Castle in Wensleydale.
Sedbergh Artisan Markets
Sedbergh holds a small weekly produce market every Wednesday morning on Joss Lane. Through the summer months this is joined by a monthly artisan market on the last Saturday of the month, with craft stalls, street food and live music along Main Street.
The 2026 artisan market dates include the last Saturdays of July and August — a perfect combination with a morning's walk on Winder or a browse around Sedbergh's independent bookshops.
Dentdale Choir — Dido & Aeneas
On Saturday 11 April 2026 the Dentdale Choir performs Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas" at Dent's Memorial Hall. Dent sits on the far side of Aye Gill Pike, a scenic 26-minute drive from Garsdale over the Coal Road past Dent station — the highest mainline station in England.
Hawes and Wensleydale
Hawes has a small weekly market on Tuesday mornings along with regular craft fairs and events in the market hall. Hawes also has a regular cattle, farming and livestock auction most weeks — see the Hawes Mart sales diary for dates. The Wensleydale Show takes place on 29 August 2026 at Leyburn, and the Muker Show and Moorcock Show round out the late summer calendar in the upper dale.
Cumbria and the Lake District
Cumbria has many annual events in the nearby towns of Kendal, Ambleside, Bowness and Windermere, for example the Westmorland County Show, Barbon Sheep Show and music festivals such as Kendal Calling, and slightly further away such as Potfest in the Park 24–26 July at Hutton in the Forest and the Keswick Film Festival. For more see What's on in Cumbria.
North Yorkshire
We are on the border of North Yorkshire so we have the benefit of regular country fairs throughout the summer in towns and villages across the dales — the Muker Show, Barbon Sheep Show, Moorcock Show, Wensleydale Show, Potfest, Westmorland Show and many more besides those listed above. See country shows and festivals for listings, and Visit North Yorkshire for events across the region.
Getting Around Without a Car
From Easter until 18 October 2026 the DalesBus 832 runs a Sunday service between Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale, making it easier than ever to combine a day on the fells with lunch in a different town. The Little White Bus also links Garsdale station with Hawes, timed to meet certain Settle-Carlisle trains — see littlewhitebus.co.uk for the current timetable.
