Folk musicians Alastair Braidwood and Tim Laycock play Dorchester Corn Exchange at 1pm on Sunday 15 November; £25 buys a ploughman's lunch and a drink.

Dorset folk musicians Alastair Braidwood and Tim Laycock are playing a Sunday lunch at Dorchester Corn Exchange on 15 November, and the £25 ticket includes a ploughman’s lunch and a welcome drink. The afternoon, called A Dorset Autumn Afternoon, starts at 1pm and raises money for Dorchester Arts, the charity that runs the Corn Exchange programme.

Dorchester Arts says the event is modelled on “a traditional rural Dorset harvest home”, with Braidwood and Laycock playing “traditional music and songs celebrating the county’s rich cultural heritage”. The charity describes the pair as “much-loved Dorset folk musicians”.

Tickets and times

  • When: Sunday 15 November 2026, 1pm. Doors open at 12.45pm.
  • Where: Dorchester Corn Exchange, High East Street, Dorchester DT1 1HF.
  • Price: £25, which covers the lunch, a welcome drink and the music. Dorchester Arts says a £1 Future Fund levy is included in most of its published ticket prices.
  • Seating: seated.
  • Book: through the Dorchester Arts event page or on 01305 266926. The box office phone is staffed 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday; at other times, leave your name, number and what you want and the team calls back.

The price and times were read on the Dorchester Arts website on 14 October 2026.

What the afternoon is

The event listing promises “two glorious hours of autumnal celebration”, which puts the finish at around 3pm. Guests get “a hearty ploughman’s lunch, accompanied by plenty of liquid refreshment”, the charity says, with “plenty of opportunity to relax and enjoy the music”.

In its own words, the afternoon is “a golden afternoon of delicious food, traditional entertainment, and warm Dorset hospitality”, and a chance to spend time “surrounded by the colours, flavours, and traditions of the harvest season, before the year gently turns towards a cosy winter.”

A wicker basket of cabbage, carrots, potatoes and onions on a wooden table with pumpkins, squash and autumn leaves
A harvest basket of vegetables with pumpkins and autumn leaves, the picture Dorchester Arts uses for the event. Picture: supplied by Dorchester Arts

Where the money goes

This is a fundraiser for Dorchester Arts, registered charity number 1015546. The charity says the afternoon is also a chance to support its Creative Health programme, which it says “brings creative opportunities to people across Dorchester and the wider Dorset community”.

What it means for you

  • Book ahead. Tickets are sold in advance, online or by phone, and every seat comes with lunch.
  • Parking: there is none at the Corn Exchange. Dorchester Arts points visitors to the town centre car parks; our Dorset parking page covers Dorchester charges.
  • Access: the Corn Exchange has wheelchair access and accessible toilets. Dorchester Arts asks you to mention any specific needs when you book.
  • The bar opens half an hour before the start.

The same venue hosts Liza Pulman’s Streisand show on Friday 30 October. For everything else on across the county, see What’s On in Dorset this month.