If you are after a proper family day out this autumn, the Ringwood Carnival is hard to beat. It falls on Monday 21 September, and it is a proper Dorset tradition that has been running every year since 1950, with the very first carnival held back in the late twenties. The whole thing is run by the Ringwood Carnival Society, and it raises thousands for charity, with a target of £45,000 for 2026.
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The day is built around two processions, so it is worth knowing the timings before you set off. The afternoon assembly is at 1pm at the latest, with judging from 12:30 to 1:30, and the procession itself sets off at 2pm. In the evening, the Parkside assembly is at 6pm at the latest, judging from 5:45 to 6:45, and the second procession follows at 7:15. The night then rounds off with fireworks at 9:30.
Between the two processions, there is plenty to keep you busy. There is a fun fair, trade stands, and a collection of craft, charity and community stalls over on the Village Green, plus free events down on the Bickerley. The carnival court is a big part of it all, too: Scarlett Smith, 16, is this year's Ringwood Carnival Queen, and you will usually spot her on the Forest Forge float in the procession, accompanied by her attendants, Paige I'anson and Taylor Button. Long-standing gold sponsor Ellis Jones Solicitors has put in £500 backing again, with managing partner Nigel Smith behind it.
Because of the processions, a few roads close. The afternoon closure is at 1:30 and reopens at 4:30, and the evening closure is at 6:30 and reopens at 10:00, with signs going up the week before so you can plan around them. Ringwood sits on the edge of the New Forest, on the border of Hampshire and Dorset at the junctions of the A338 and A31, and there are plenty of car parks in and around the town, including disabled bays and both short and long stay areas, some of which are free.
If you would rather leave the car at home, the buses are a good shout. Morebus and National Express Coaches both run on carnival day, and there is a temporary bus stop on The Furlong Road, opposite the long stay car park, with Morebus running regular services in and out of Ringwood throughout the day and into the night.
It is a well-loved event for a reason, and the two-procession format gives you a full day and evening rather than a quick look and a leave. Whether you go for the floats, the stalls or the fireworks, it is a classic piece of the local calendar, and with the whole thing running to charity, it is one that is easy to get behind.
Published Date
2 September 2026
