2020 Festival: It Promises to be Quite a Year!

After an extremely tough year, we can reassure you of some bright spots ahead. Still committed to putting on a Festival in October, whilst adhering to government guidelines and advice, we have an excellent programme planned. And to illustrate our commitment to 2020 we have several ‘anniversary’ events to reveal.

Most relevant to Somerset will be Michael Eavis talking about the inspiring story of his own festival which should have celebrated its 50th year in June. It’s not too late to enjoy some of the tales along the way – and Michael guarantees some entertaining anecdotes!

900 years ago, the fastest ship afloat sank during drunken revelries aboard. It took with it the only legitimate heir to King Henry 1 and gave rise to decades of anarchy as a bloody scrum for power followed throughout the land. Charles Spencer will explain the riveting story.

Gilbert White, ‘the first ecologist’, was born 300 years ago. This year we introduce a special event arranged by the Somerset Wildlife Trust. Featuring its President Stephen Moss, alongside Rootbound author Alice Vincent and dynamic young blogger Mya-Rose Craig (aka Birdgirl), this promises to be an inspiring discussion.

And, as a powerful comment on 2020 itself, Adam Kucharski will be exploring why things spread and, more hopefully, why they stop. His fascinating book The Rules of Contagion is in all respects a book of the year.

Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, we intend to stage a ‘hybrid’ Festival consisting chiefly of live events in Cedars Hall which will also be live-streamed to allow a wider audience to enjoy them than would be the case with social distancing.