What's on in Ulverston: festivals and events
Ulverston is a friendly market town that loves a festival, and there is something happening through most of the year. Here are the main ones, with the usual timing and a few thoughts on staying with us. Dates move from year to year, so please check each organiser before you plan.
Check availability and book directFor the full, up-to-date list of what's on, see Choose Ulverston's What's On pages. It is the town's own visitor site, with a page for every month.
Spring: walks, prints and a bank holiday weekend
Walkfest
Around 40 guided walks over ten days, with something for every pace, around Ulverston and the South Lakes. The organisers are planning Saturday 24 April to Monday 3 May 2027, with the programme due by the end of the first week of March. See the Ulverston Walkfest website and its Choose Ulverston listing. Our apartments have full kitchens and a boot room for wet boots, and four are dog-friendly. Our best walks guide is a good place to start, and our dog-friendly apartments are there for four-legged walkers.
Printfest
An artist-led printmaking festival at the Coro, with prints to buy, artists to meet and workshops to try. It ran 30 April to 3 May in 2026. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet. See the Printfest website and Choose Ulverston's Printfest page. It makes a lovely long weekend away, and bank holiday weekends book up early.
Late spring and summer: music, racing and village-green fun
Ulverston International Music Festival
Concerts and events at venues around the town. In 2026 it ran from 29 May to 6 June. The 2027 dates are not confirmed. See Choose Ulverston's festival page.
Velo Retro and Retro Rendezvous
Vintage cycling and a retro weekend, both held at the end of May in 2026. 2027 dates not yet confirmed. See Velo Retro and Retro Rendezvous on Choose Ulverston.
Cartmel races
Cartmel Racecourse's 2027 fixtures are listed on the racecourse website: Saturday 29 May, Monday 31 May, Wednesday 2 June, Friday 25 June, Sunday 27 June, Saturday 17 July, Monday 19 July, Saturday 28 August and Monday 30 August. Race times are still to be added, so please check with the racecourse. It is a short drive from Ulverston, and race days book up early.
Furness Tradition folk festival
Folk music and dance in and around the town. It ran from 10 to 12 July in 2026. The 2027 dates are not confirmed. See the Furness Tradition website and its Choose Ulverston listing.
Autumn: the town at its best
Ulverston Charter Free Family Fun Day
A free family day in the town, on Saturday 12 September in 2026. 2027 date not yet confirmed. See Choose Ulverston's listing. Our family apartments are a comfortable base.
Lantern Festival
A parade of handmade lanterns through the town. It took place on 19 September in 2026, and the organisers say the town centre is closed to traffic between 7pm and 10pm, so staying in town is easier than driving home. 2027 date not yet confirmed. See the Lantern Festival website and Choose Ulverston's page.
Dickensian Festival
A Christmas weekend of costumed parades, stalls and entertainment through the town centre, almost all of it free. This year it is on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November 2026, confirmed on the festival website and Choose Ulverston. We expect the last full weekend of November again in 2027 (27 and 28 November), but that is not yet confirmed. It is one of our busiest weekends, so please book early.
More to look for
The Flag Fortnight (late April to early May), the Ulverston Open Gardens (June) and Apple Day (usually October) are on the Annual Festivals and Events list. Our things to do in Ulverston page has the year-round favourites.
Stay in the middle of it all
Lonsdale House has 13 self-catering apartments in a Grade II listed Georgian townhouse, right in the centre of Ulverston. You get a full kitchen, high-speed Wi-Fi, new mattresses and our private walled garden, and four apartments are dog-friendly. Public car parks are a 90-second walk away, free in the evenings from 6pm to 8am (parking details on Choose Ulverston).
Read more about self-catering in Ulverston, or look at the whole house if you are coming as a group.
Book direct for our best price
Book direct for our best price, or call us and we will happily help you pick a weekend.
Book directAny questions, call us on 01229 265217 or email [email protected].