Just when you thought the nights were drawing in, there are still plenty of outdoor celebrations to enjoy this weekend along with the usual indoor entertainment highlights.

FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY

*A FOUR day festival at Sculpture By the Lakes at Pallington, near Dorchester, continues until Sunday.

Wellbeing by the Lakes is a four-day festival exploring what it means to be mindful and live well in this fast-paced modern world.

Enjoy a curated blend of expert talks, live performance, meditation, movement sessions, wholesome food and healing therapies.

At the heart of the festival will be the unique opportunity to witness the Tashi Lhunpo monks creating an intricate sand mandala which will be washed away on the final day in the River Frome. See wellbeingbythelakes.co.uk for more information.

*DON'T forget, a number of interesting buildings are open once again this weekend as part of the national Heritage Open Days. Among the local buildings worth taking a peek at are St Laurence Church, Upwey, Weymouth, Briantspuddle Village Hall, Bridport Town Hall and Bridport LSi, Mapperton House in Beaminster, Melbury House near Dorchester and Dunshay Manor near Swanage. See heritageopendays.org.uk for full details.

*CELEBRATE 60 years since almost half of Dorset became an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with the Landscapes for Life Festival.

Join artists, story-tellers, wildlife experts, geologists, farmers and archaeologists to uncover what makes the landscapes they love so outstanding with a packed programme of walks, talks and have-a-go sessions. Tomorrow you can gather at the Cerne Giant at Cerne Abbas and help create a giant human heart. Enjoy a mass picnic before the heart formation at 2pm. On Sunday from 10.30am take part in a two hour guided walk exploring the folklore of the South Dorset Ridgeway. Meet at Hardy's Monument. Booking is essential at dorsetaonb.org.uk/landscapes-for-life-festival/

Events continue through to September 29. See the website for full details.

FRIDAY

*A BRIT Award winner who first shot to fame in 1991 is making a welcome return to the Dorchester Arts stage for a sold-out gig.

Beverley Craven is bringing her intimate tour, Strings Attached, to the county town on Friday, September 20. Featuring special guest star Judie Tzuke, the show will include stories and songs from Beverley's career as a singer-songwriter and performer, as she nears three decades in the spotlight.

Beverley's eponymous debut album became a worldwide hit in the early 1990s, selling more than two million copies and reaching number three in the UK album charts. The single Promise Me went on to become hugely popular across Europe and was followed by equally successful tracks such as Memories, Holding On, Woman to Woman and Love Scenes.

*HEAD to Bridport for a spot of comedy with Griff Rhys-Jones. Griff presents All Over the Place at the Electric Palace tonight from 8pm.

It's guaranteed to be packed with wicked insights into the pains of celebrity, the vicissitudes of parenthood and encounters with the great, the good and even the royal. Contact the box office for tickets.

SATURDAY

*AN EXHIBITION on same-sex love and desire and gender diversity opens at the Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum in Dorchester tomorrow.

Exploring LGBTQ identities offers glimpses into LGBTQ experience through the British Museum's collection. See modern and contemporary works by artists such as Augusta Kaiser and David Hockney. The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 5pm and continues until November 17.

SUNDAY

*CHEER on athletes at a prestigious triathlon event on Sunday.

The Ironman 70.3 Weymouth is a mammoth sporting event with hundreds of contestants taking part.

You can cheer on the participants as they cross the finish line on Weymouth Esplanade on Sunday morning. Be aware of road closures which include Weymouth Esplanade (King Statue to Pavilion) and Custom House Quay which will be closed from 6am to 7pm and Preston Beach Road, which will be closed from 4am to 6pm from Melcombe Avenue to Overcombe roundabout.

Various road closures will be in place for brief periods of the day along the cycle route. This route heads north from Weymouth towards Puddletown. It goes to Holwell on the B3143 before heading back down towards Dorchester via Cerne Abbas then to Whitcombe, Preston and Weymouth.