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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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…
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First off the mark!
The 2023 Festival starts on 27 October but on 4 July guests in a packed Cedars Hall enjoyed a foretaste of what lies ahead. Friends and supporters of the Festival were treated to a wonderfully inspiring conversation between Mariella Frostrup and Sarah LeFanu which covered a huge range of topics – from leaving school at…
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Mariella to launch our 2023 Festival
Somerset resident and one of the UK’s most recognised cultural critics, Mariella Frostrup is the natural choice to launch our 31st Festival! Having spent 20 years presenting Open Book on BBC Radio 4, she now helms a current affairs and culture show on @TimesRadio which airs at lunchtime on Monday to Thursday. Mariella has also…
