Welcome to
our Festival
16-24 October 2026
Set up in 1992 to celebrate the written word
Tickets now on sale
2026 Speakers
Our 2026 Sponsors
Principal Festival Sponsor
2026 Brochure
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
Education projects
Wells Festival of Literature
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
News
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The 2024 Wells Festival of Literature starts here!
With only a few months left until this year’s Festival gets under way, activity behind the scenes is already evident. For a start, entries are flying into our International Competitions. The closing date for all four categories is 30 June – so get creating as soon as you can. The prize money is extremely generous!…
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2023 Festival Highlights
The 31st Wells Festival of Literature is now over but it has left us some wonderful memories, every one of them different. Wes Streeting, who led the way with the opening event, featured on many ‘Top Ten’ lists. So did Robin Ince, Chris Patten and Emily Kenway – all of them appearing on that first…
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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…
