Welcome to
our Festival
Save the Date
16-24 October 2026
Set up in 1992 to celebrate the written word
Wells Festival of Literature
Celebrating its 34th Year in 2026
Wells Festival of Literature is a registered charity entirely run by a committee of volunteers, funded by ticket sales, competition entries and generous local sponsors and Friends.
IN 2025
VISITORS A YEAR
Education projects
Fleur Hitchcock visits Longvernal Primary
Dicheat School Book Club meet to discuss The Somerset Tsunami by Emma Carroll
St John’s enjoy a visit from Tracey Corderoy
Wookey Sch reading their new books
Waterstones visit by Bishop Henderson Sch
Emily Lloyd-Gale at St John’s
Following a visit from A.F. Harrold:
“It was an enriching session that enhanced our pupils’ appreciation and understanding of poetry. Huge thanks to the Education Team at The Wells Festival of Literature for organising and funding this visit!”
Fairlands Middle School – Cheddar
News
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The numbers say it all
As a Festival of Literature our chief passion, obviously, is for words! But there are occasions when figures speak louder and, as the countdown to the opening of the Festival gathers momentum, we thought we would share some of those numbers: 1 venue, 35 events, 36 speakers, 12 interviewers, 15 Competition Prizewinners, 18 sponsors, 5738…
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Enjoy a prize Festival
Tania Branigan has now been shortlisted for two of the most prestigious prizes in the business: the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction and the equally influential Cundill History Prize. This is a magnificent achievement, particularly for a debut work, and we are looking forward to Tania’s event with renewed anticipation! But Red Memory is by…
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Caught out by the former Governor of Hong Kong!
When the speakers were announced a few months ago the Festival seemed a long way off. Even when tickets went on sale in July it seemed too easy to ‘wait until summer was over’. Summer is well and truly over and sadly there are too many would-be ticket-buyers who are now regretting those moments of…
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Watch this space
The programme is confirmed and made public; the brochure has appeared and can be picked up almost anywhere; ticket sales have got off to a racing start. What more is there to say? A brilliant addition to the line-up – that’s what! Richard Mainwaring, the ‘frequency guy’ who made an unforgettable impact with Everybody Hertz at last year’s…