Great Dorset Steam Fair Canceled for 2025 After Unsuccessful Search for Buyer

The Great Dorset Steam fair will not proceed in 2025, marking its third consecutive year of cancellation, following its failure to secure a buyer. This event typically takes place on a 600-acre showground situated at Tarrant Hinton, near Blandford Forum, during the August bank holiday weekend. It has been suspended since 2023 due to escalating costs and was made available for sale a year ago. Organisers stated that it “remains unviable for us to run it again ourselves,” with the estimated expenditure for staging the fair projected at £5 million. Martin Oliver, the event’s managing director, commented: “It’s a great shame but we have been unable to find a way forward.” He further added, “We had hoped someone would be willing to take it on after being up for sale for over a year but sadly we have been unable to find a committed buyer willing to take the financial risk of staging this enormous event.” The five-day fair, which commenced over 50 years ago, consistently attracted up to 200,000 visitors. Its initial cancellation occurred in 2020, marking the first time in its history, attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.