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Wells Festival of Literature

Welcome to
our Festival


16-24 October 2026

Set up in 1992 to celebrate the written word

Tickets now on sale

  • FRI
    16th
    OCT
  • SAT
    17th
    OCT
  • SUN
    18th
    OCT
  • MON
    19th
    OCT
  • TUE
    20th
    OCT
  • WED
    21st
    OCT
  • THU
    22nd
    OCT
  • FRI
    23rd
    OCT
  • SAT
    24th
    OCT

2026 Speakers

  • Patrick Gale

    Fiction

  • Stephen Sackur

    Current Affairs

  • Katja Hoyer

    History

  • Adrian Wooldridge

    Current Affairs

  • Louisa Young

    Literature

  • Jess Venner

    History

  • Jonathan Dimbleby

    Current Affairs

  • Martin Sixsmith

    Current Affairs

  • Martin Gayford

    Art

  • Rachel Seiffert

    Literature

  • Richard Elwes

    Science

  • Rory Cormac

    Current Affairs

  • Wells Literary Quiz

    Quiz

  • International Competitions

    International Competitons

  • Damien Lewis

    History

  • Peter Ormerod

    Music

  • Elizabeth Goldring

    Art

  • Daisy Fancourt

    Health

  • Arthur Snell

    Current Affairs

  • Sophia Smith Galer

    Language

  • Sara Wheeler

    Biography

  • Florence Hazrat

    Literature

  • Oz Clarke

    Food and Drink

  • Henry Normal

    Poetry

  • Amy Jeffs

    History

  • Gavin Francis

    Health

  • Oliver Bullough

    Current Affairs

  • Kate Williams

    History

  • Rebecca Seal

    Health

  • Dan Cruickshank

    Art

  • Andrea Wulf

    Biography

  • Ping Coombes

    Food

  • Nicholas Crane

    Travel

  • Lady Hale

    Current Affairs

  • Cathy Rentzenbrink

    Health/Centenary

  • Blake Morrison

    Memoir

  • Maggie Aderin

    Memoir

Our 2026 Sponsors

Principal Festival Sponsor

2026 Brochure

Download PDF Brochure View Digital 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

  • Sam Sedgman – Year 6 Festival Event
  • St John’s visit to Waterstones
  • Enjoying their books & an ice cream to follow the Waterstones visit.
  • Launch of Make The Sunshine in Shepton Mallet supported by WFL.
  • Students from Whitstone visit Blossoms Cafe to discuss their new books from Waterstones.
  • Ashcott & West Pennard meet as part of the Small Schools Book Club
  • Books donated to Bishop Henderson Sch
  • A.F. Harrold at St Aldhelm’s
  • St Aldhelm’s visit Waterstones
  • High Sheriff of Somerset visits the Festival

  • Hugh Sexey Middle Sch visit to Waterstones
  • Emily Lloyd-Gale at St John’s
  • Dicheat School Book Club meet to discuss The Somerset Tsunami by Emma Carroll
  • Wookey Sch reading their new books
  • Fleur Hitchcock visits Longvernal Primary
  • St John’s enjoy a visit from Tracey Corderoy
  • Waterstones visit by Bishop Henderson Sch

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.

SPENT IN 2025 ON PROJECTS IN LOCAL SCHOOLS
CHILDREN INVOLVED
IN 2025
EVENTS
HAPPY FESTIVAL
VISITORS A YEAR

News


  • 2020 Festival: Not to be Missed!

    Several Festival events have already sold out, but don’t despair! You haven’t missed seeing the sell-out speakers because this year we will be live-streaming every single event. Which means you can enjoy it at home at the same time as our audience in Cedars Hall. Of course you might still prefer to come to the…

    28 September 2020
  • 2020 Festival: The Show will Go On

    You may have been concerned that our Festival in October would be affected by the Government’s most recent announcement on social gatherings. Please be assured that this is not the case. Our plans regarding putting on our 28th Festival remain the same and we will continue to adhere to the regulations that ensure venues such…

    11 September 2020
  • 2020 Festival: Heading Towards a Sell-Out

    Tickets for our 28th Festival have been on sale for a very short time and yet events are already beginning to sell out. Luckily, there are 33 events lined up over the nine days. So you still have plenty to choose from: events of such great variety that a week in Wells will feel more…

    8 September 2020
  • 2020 Festival: Full Programme Almost Available!

    As August closes, our Festival programme opens: full details will be posted here on the website on Monday 31 August, and our brochure will be hitting the streets at around the same time. Friends of the Festival qualify for Priority Booking, so if you haven’t considered joining before, now is definitely a good time to…

    25 August 2020
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Competitions
Education
Friends
  • Nick Trend with visitor
  • Physics Students meet Frank Close

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