Dorset Geologist’s Association Group (DGAG) is hosting a GEOFEST on the Saturday 24 October 2025.
Theme: A festival celebrating Geoscience: Fossils, Rocks and Earth Science. A DGAG annual event that is a small part of October’s two global events:
– International Geodiversity Day with 2026 year’s theme yet to be revealed
– Earth Science week organized by The Geological Society – theme yet to be revealed
Selected DGAG members and invited guests will exhibit their collections/displays and share their Geoscience/Earth Science knowledge.
Event Description: A list of contributors and their displays and will be updated on the DGAG website nearer the date of the event. If you would like a flavour, please look at our two previous events and their write ups.
Anyone is welcome to come and see what is on show. In addition, we welcome any Geoscience questions or puzzling rocks/fossils that people want advice on.
Time: The GEOFEST will start at 10.00 am finish 3.00 pm
Entry Cost: Free
Booking: There is no need to book.
Event Contact: DGAG events at email: events@dorsetgeologistsassociation.org
Note: Food or drink is not being supplied at the venue, but there are plenty of nearby cafés etc.
Venue: The main Hall at the United Church, 49/51 Charles Street, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1EE (postal address and rear entrance to church buildings). South Street, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1BY (front entrance to church 29 South St, Dorchester DT1 1BY)
Entrance can be from either of the 2 entrances:
– Perhaps easiest for pedestrians will be from the alleyway entrance on the South Street pedestrian zone where we will have a colourful advertising board (image below) pointing the way to the GEOFEST. Exact location using what 3 words: ///whips.cooked.denser
(link to free app https://what3words.com/about).
– Otherwise make your way around to the Dorchester Library and enter from Charles Street opposite to the Dorchester Library and car parks.
References & Website links:
1. Previous event GEOFEST October 2024
https://dorsetgeologistsassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1.18-Writeup-for-DGAG-Geofest-26OCT_2024.pdf
2. Previous GEOFEST 18 Oct 2025
https://dorsetgeologistsassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1.39-Writeup-for-DGAG-Geofest-18OCT_2025_draft4.pdf
3. Dorset Geologists Association Group (DGAG) website
https://dorsetgeologistsassociation.org/
4. DGAG Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1706340262955772
5. International Geodiversity Day website
https://www.geodiversityday.org/post/theme-announced-for-international-geodiversity-day-2025
6. Earth Science week website
https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/events/earth-science-week-family-film-and-fun-day/
Dorset Geologist’s Association Group (DGAG) will host a talk on the Tuesday 20th January 2026.
Title: Managing Coastal Risk in Dorset
Speaker: Alan Frampton Strategy, Policy & Environment Manager (Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole (BCP) council, SW Flood and Coastal division)
Time: Talk will start at 7pm; finish approximately 8pm
Venue: Activity Meeting Room: Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, DT1 1RR
Lecture Entry Cost: All welcome: £6 non-members (£5 DGAG members), cash please.
Booking a seat: contact Chris Webb at email: events@dorsetgeologistsassociation.org
Talk Description: This promises to be a timely and valuable review of the coastal areas that we spend considerable effort in exploring. Likely allowing us to put into context the deep time view of the geology with the modern-day challenges.
The speaker has provided below a summary of topics to be covered.
• What are the risks of coastal flooding & erosion in Dorset?
• How do we manage those risks?
• What are some of the challenges for the future and how are we responding to them?
Photo: -Provisional (Courtesy of Dorset Coast Forum email) till a better one from the speaker.
Additional Links:
1. Link to Dorset Coast forum and future projects, one of many references
https://www.dorsetcoasthaveyoursay.co.uk
2. Link to Southwest Flood & Coastal is a centre (hosted by the Bournemouth Christchurch Poole Council) for flood and coastal erosion risk management, addressing the challenges of flooding and coast change.
https://swfloodandcoastal.org.uk/about-swfac/
Dorset Geologist’s Association Group (DGAG) will host a talk on the Tuesday 19th November 2024.
Title: Revisiting the Stone Circles of Dorset: An Archaeologist’s Perspective of Sarsen Stones
Speaker: Dr. Anne Teather
Time: Talk will start at 7pm; finish approximately 8pm
Venue: Activity Meeting Room: Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, DT1 1RR Lecture
Entry Cost: £6 (£5 for DGAG members) collected on room entry
Booking a seat: Contact DGAG events at email: cwebb48578@aol.com
Talk Description: A summary provided by the speaker: In prehistory, sarsen was a popular material used by people to construct monuments and stone circles. Until our recent work, the stone circles of Dorset were last examined in depth by Stuart and Peggy Piggott in 1939. In this presentation we will start with the Kingston Russell Stone Circle, the largest preserved stone circle in Dorset, and what we have learned about it. We will also provide an introduction to a new catalogue of stone circles across the county, that occur in historic accounts but are no longer preserved, demonstrating the importance of Dorset in the late Neolithic and Bronze Age (c.2500-1500 BC). We will also look at what else sarsen stone was used for in prehistory within the South Dorset landscape, and briefly discuss ways in which people can become involved in helping us to learn more.
Past Participate are a community archaeology company who have been researching the use of sarsen stones in the South Dorset Landscape. We are passionate about making archaeology accessible and providing volunteers with high quality engagement in high quality archaeological practice. Since 2018 we have been working with local volunteers to undertake a programme of excavation and survey on Tenants Hill (near Abbotsbury) and the surrounding landscape. Thanks to National Lottery Players we have recently received a grant to enable us to undertake a new 4 year project Living amongst the Sarsens: Revealing the Hidden Heritage of the Valley of Stones.
Photo: A Stone Circle (KR) : Courtesy of the speaker : KR stone circle Copyright Jim Rylatt
Additional Links:
1. Archaeology website
https://www.pastparticipate.co.uk/
2. Archaeology blog site
https://www.pastparticipate.co.uk/blog
Dorset Geologist’s Association Group (DGAG) will host a talk on the Tuesday 20 February 2024.
Title: A Geological Tour of Namibia
Speaker: Alan Driscole (DGAG member) – forty years in the oil & gas business including the Atlantic margin from the Barents Sea south to …… Namibia
Time: Talk will start at 7pm; finish approximately 8pm
Venue: Activity Meeting Room: Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, DT1 1RR
Lecture Entry Cost: £6 (£5 for DGAG members) collected on room entry
Booking a seat: Contact DGAG events at email: cwebb48578@aol.com
Talk Description: From some of the oldest fossils and highest dunes in the world to the largest meteorite, Namibia is a geological treasure house. In this talk we’ll explore the history of Namibia; from the Precambrian to the present day, making a diversion offshore to see how this history has been controlled by the formation and dismemberment of Gondwanaland. We’ll also discuss Namibia’s emerging important for both “old” energy and the energy transition.
Photos A & B: Courtesy of the speaker
A: Dunes at Sossusvlei
B: The Hoba meteorite (with the speaker for scale)
