Have an empty diary this weekend? there's lots going on across Dorset and the New Forest. Here are just some of the events taking place. 

The brand new Poole Harbour Festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday. There will be music and entertainment from around 30 live acts across two stages including the Stereotonics, Oasish, The Mother Ukers, Really Hot Chilli Peppers and Saints of Sin. Plus you’ll find a beer tent, children's activities, Peppa Pig and Elsa from Frozen, Mr Merlin and the Okey Dokey Dragon, circus skills, slacklining workshops, fire shows, children's fairground rides and storytelling. There will also be around 30 stalls selling street food, world cuisine, local produce and crafts. Takes place between 10.30am and 10pm on Saturday and 11.00am to 9pm on Sunday at Baiter Harbourside Park. Entry fees apply.

Bournemouth Echo: Camp Bestival

Thousands will flock to Lulworth Castle for Camp Bestival this weekend. Fatboy Slim, Tears For Fears, Jess Glynne, Katy B, KT Tunstall, Bananarama and even The Chuckle Brothers will be entertaining the crowds. Tickets are still available. 

Get ready for eight days of fun from Saturday when Swanage Carnival returns. There will be a spectacular firework display on Saturday night over the bay at dusk. The popular procession takes place at 3pm on Sunday when the streets will come alive with floats, music and dance. Most of the action will take place at Sandpit field where there will be live music, beer tent, dog shows, children’s amusements, stalls and more.

The first ever Purbeck Pirate Festival comes to Swanage from Friday. The three-day event promises pirates galore, canon and musket fire, off-shore treasure hunts, sea shanties, a run tent, BBQ and stalls. There will even be a visit from the frigate Shtandart - a replica of the Russian naval ship commissioned and sailed by Tzar Peter the Great. The festival has been organised as an event to support the Save Swanage Pier Appeal.

Thousands of people are expected at the Big Family Fun Day this weekend. The event takes place across two locations providing free activities for all the family. Bournemouth Pavilion hosts the first day on Saturday, from 10am-4pm, at its outdoor terrace overlooking the Lower Gardens. The weekend continues at Littledown on Sunday, from 11am-4pm where there will be more than 130 indoor and outdoor stalls and activities.

Bournemouth Echo: Crowds at The Great Dorset Chilli Festival

It’s the Great Dorset Chilli Festival this weekend. The event at St Giles Park in Wimborne features stalls, cooking demonstrations, talks on growing chillies, street food, beers, ice creams and more with a chilli theme. Entry is £8 for adults, £3 for children aged 11 to 16 and free for youngsters aged 10 and under.

A living history display and Viking mercenary band will entertain families at the Ancient Technology Centre in Cranborne on Saturday and Sunday. The Dark Ages-themed event runs from 10am to 4pm and will also feature Saxon and Viking crafts to view and purchase, aerial and static displays from Albion Historic Falconry and combat displays. Admission is £10 per adult and £5 for children, with under-fours and YAC members visiting free. For more information, go to Ancienttechnologycentre.co.uK

Mudeford Arts Festival comes to Mudeford Quay green this weekend. From 11am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday, there will be art and craft stalls, exhibitions, more than 15 food stands offering everything from vegetarian food to roasts and pizza plus live music, dancing and art and crafts for kids.

This weekend sees the Frogham Fair from 12.30-4.30pm. Featuring live music, terrier racing, a barbecue, bar and a range of craft stalls, the fun takes place on Saturday. See frogamfair.co.uk for more.

A fun day being held at The Bell on Christchurch Road, Pokesdown, on Saturday for the cause, UK Homes for Heroes. The event runs from 11am featuring live music, food and drink and activities for all ages for the charity which supports veterans that have fallen on hard times. For more information, call the pub on 01202 427762.

A guided walk around Knoll Gardens to look for butterflies will be held on Saturday from 11am to 12.30pm. The event will be led by Keith Powrie and it is free to attend, but places must be booked in advance. For more information, go to Knollgardens.co.uk or call 01202 873931.

The Dorset Dogs Festival 2016 takes place at Upton Country Park on Saturday. The free-entry event runs from 11am to 4pm and will feature a fun dog show, have-a-go agility, dog dancing show, group walks, stalls, face painting, hair braiding and tattoos. For more information, go to Dorsetdogs.org.uk

A summer fete is being held at St Ambrose Church on West Cliff Road on Saturday. There will be a host of entertainment for families to enjoy from 11.30am to 4pm, with Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry opening the event. It will also feature ferret racing, a falcon bird handler, The Land Girls, tower tours, pet’s corner, stalls, hot food, rock band, organ music and more at the free entry event.

The Pound Puppy Animal Rescue Bazaar is being held at The Courtyard Craft Centre on Huntick Road, Lytchett Minster, on Saturday. The event is open from 10am to 2pm featuring a table top sale of bric-a-brac and collectables, as well as cakes, books and second-hand clothing for sale. Dogs which are looking for homes will be available to see from 11am to 1pm. The charity welcomes donations of either dried or tinned Chappie dog food. For more information, go to Poundpuppy.org or call 07736 176613.

Waterstones in Bournemouth town centre is hosting a pre-midnight party to celebrate the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The eighth instalment of the Harry Potter series, a script written by Jack Thorne with input from J. K. Rowling, will be released on Sunday, July 31, which according to previous books will be Harry Potter’s 36th birthday. The festivities at the book shop in The Arcade will begin at 11pm on Saturday and will continue until 12.30am. There will be delicious themed refreshments and lots of things to do while waiting for the big reveal.

A mini Olympics will be held in the garden of the Toby Carvery at Fleetsbridge on Saturday between 12pm and 5pm to raise money for the Amelia Grace Rainbow Fund. Entry is £3.