Welcome to
our Festival
Save the Date
16-24 October 2026
Set up in 1992 to celebrate the written word
Our 2026 Sponsors
Principal Festival Sponsor
Become A Friend – Enjoy Priority Booking 17 August
General Sales Open 24 August
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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2020 Festival: From a Speaker’s Perspective
Professor Helen Taylor was a speaker and an interviewer in Wells this year. She describes the experience: As I struggled into a pair of sleek satin tights on a Tuesday morning, I realised I hadn’t worn a skirt or dressed smartly for over eight months. It was a wet October day and I was off…
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2020 Festival: In England’s Smallest City Life goes on
Iain Dale, opening our 28th Festival on Friday 16 October, related how delighted he was to be in Wells – live. Out of some 36 or more literary festivals throughout the country this year, a mere handful were running any live events, Wells being one of the fearless few! By the time it ends on…
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2020 Festival: The Latest on Gina Miller’s Event
We are very sad to report that, in view of the new Covid restrictions announced for London, Gina Miller has decided it would be imprudent to travel to Wells. She will now be speaking to the Festival ‘virtually’, and we are confident that her talk will be as inspirational and entertaining as originally planned for Friday…
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2020 Festival: There’s a Change to the Crime!
The countdown to the first event of the Festival has begun and with it a last-minute change to the programme which might make you shudder with fear, especially if you are a novelist! Elly Griffiths, who was due to be discussing dangerous women in crime with fellow author Lucy Atkins, will be appearing completely alone…
