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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Pre-Festival orders at Waterstones
Pop up to Waterstones in Wells High Street to pre-order copies of books by any of the speakers you look forward to hearing at the Festival. Waterstones will also be running its Cedars Hall Festival Bookshop during the Festival, and all available copies of the featured books will be displayed in the pop-up, and not…
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The Lost Girls of Autism
Why is the history of autism male? This is a question asked by neuroscientist Gina Rippon whose eponymous book delves into the emerging science of female autism. Autistic girls are often misdiagnosed with anxiety, depression or personality disorders because they are more likely to camouflage or hide autistic traits to fit in. Gina points to…
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Collision of destinies
Troubled minds and dysfunctional families meet head on in Edward St Aubyn’s latest book Parallel Lines, a sequel to his 2021 novel Double Blind. It picks up the story of Sebastian, now in treatment following a breakdown that has left him with a fragile hold on reality and a desire to connect with his birth…
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Passion in Love and Art
Artists through the ages have been inspired by love, whether in the throes of an affair or the pain of unrequited desire. Now art historian Nick Trend has produced a guide to understanding art through the passions that inspired some of the world’s greatest masterpieces. What Art Can Tell Us About Love explores how the…
