Lyme Regis will be hosting a weekend of science and discovery at this year's fossil festival. 

The Lyme Regis Fossil Festival returns to the seafront for its 15th year on April 29 and 30. 

The festival will provide a whole host of free and engaging family-friendly talks, shows, walks, exhibitions and activities over the course of the weekend, celebrating the rich fossil heritage of the Jurassic Coast.

The Lyme Regis area is one of the most famous fossil sites in the world and was the place that one of the most famous palaeontologists, Mary Anning, made many of her ground-breaking discoveries.

The event, which is organised by Lyme Regis Museum and supported by a number of key partners and Lyme Regis Town Council, will host some the country’s top palaeontological and geological organisations and experts over the course of the weekend.

Alongside the Festival’s programme of entertaining expert talks and guided walks, visitors will be able to see incredible exhibitions including fossil collections from The Natural History Museum, the Etches Collection and Dinosaur Isle, meet famous authors including Ian Whybrow (Author of ‘Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs’), watch live performances such as A Wonderful Adventure’s ‘Mary Anning and the Sands of Time’ show which has recently been hosted at the Lyric Theatre in London and meet the awe-inspiring ‘Rock Showman’ who will be taking visitors on an edutaining journey deep within our planet.

Little visitors can also look forward to meeting real-life dinosaur ‘Rexy’ as well as ‘Mary Anning’ who will be accompanying visitors to view her new statue on the seafront.

Throughout the weekend, visits to Lyme Regis Museum will be free-of-charge and the Museum will host craft activities, book signings and storytelling alongside its fantastic collection of exhibits including the celebrated Geology Gallery.

The weekend will also see the launch of ‘Mary Anning’s Thunderbolts’, a brand new exhibition installed in the Museum for 2023.

Museum Director, Bridget Houseago, looks forward to welcoming visitors to this year’s event.

She said: “The Fossil Festival partners and supporters have helped us create a fascinating programme of talks and demonstrations, as well as living history, storytelling, craft activities and trade stands and we are delighted to welcome it back to Lyme – the perfect place for a Fossil Festival!”

Sir David Attenborough, a celebrated Natural History enthusiast and long term Patron and supporter of the Lyme Regis Museum, also welcomes the return of this year’s Festival.

He said: “I am so glad that the Fossil Festival is happening again. I hope that it will, once again, be a great success.”

Entry to the Fossil Festival is free. For full details of exhibitors and the 2023 programme, please visit the Fossil Festival website: www.fossilfestival.com