Bridport Hat Festival returned on Saturday 5 September 2026, filling Bridport town centre with colourful hats, live entertainment and a huge crowd for one of the town’s most distinctive annual events.
Now in its sixteenth year, the volunteer-run festival has grown into a major community celebration and raises money for head-related charities, including Brain Tumour Research. Haturday brings together hat makers, performers, musicians, traders and visitors from near and far. You can find out more on the official Bridport Hat Festival website.
Bridport Hat Festival from the air
I photographed the festival from the air during the afternoon, capturing the crowds around Bucky Doo Square, South Street and Bridport Arts Centre. With Bridport Market taking place at the same time and the town centre exceptionally busy, the flight positions had to be carefully chosen so the main crowd was not flown over.
From street level it can be difficult to appreciate the scale of Hat Festival. From above, the mass of colourful hats, bunting and packed streets give a completely different view of Haturday in Bridport.
The view towards Bridport Town Hall shows just how busy the centre of town became during the afternoon, with festival visitors filling the streets beneath the clock tower.
Outside Bridport Arts Centre, the hats, bunting and festival signage make this one of my favourite views from the day.
Haturday 2026
Among the day’s attractions were the Fun Hat Competition, street entertainment and live music, the traditional mass hat-wearing photograph in Bucky Doo Square, and the HatFest Garden Party at Millennium Green. The official festival programme and information about the event, its supporters and fundraising can be found at bridporthatfest.org.
About Bridport Hat Festival
Bridport Hat Festival is a volunteer-run celebration of hats and the people who make and wear them. It has become a much-loved fixture in Bridport’s calendar while helping to raise awareness and funds for head-related charities.
For future dates, festival information and ways to support the event, visit the official Bridport Hat Festival website.
Photographs by Daryl Gill, West Bay Photography®.