What’s On in Wells is brought to you by the Wells Festival of Literature — celebrating words, ideas and the art of storytelling this October.
If you’ve been wondering what to get up to in Wells between 18 and 25 September, here’s your answer: choral performances, costume displays, family‑friendly open days and more.
Whether you fancy a breakfast with business folk, a look at period costumes, or dogs and stalls at a vet hospital, there’s something for everyone without leaving town.
It all starts on Thursday 18 September with the Wells Business Forum networking breakfast, taking place at Blossoms Café from 8:30 to 10am. Tickets are £10 for members or £15 if you’re going it alone. Over in Glastonbury, the weekly Sounds Joyful music session will be in full voice from 10:30am at St John’s Hub.
Friday 19 September offers a rather cultured double-bill. In Wells, choral fans can head to Amsterdam meets Wells at St Cuthbert’s Church, where local group Wells Cantabile will be performing alongside Cantemus Dominum choir from the Netherlands. Meanwhile, for the spiritually inclined, Glastonbury is hosting session two of the Way of the Oracle introductory course, and the Glastonbury Way Pilgrimage begins its two-day trek around sacred sites and scenic routes.
Saturday 20 September is the biggest day of the lot, with more events than you can realistically get to unless you’ve mastered teleportation. In Wells, Open Day at Nurture Vet Hospital promises stalls, dog agility and vet demos — and it’s all free.
Shepton Mallet’s u3a Showcase Weekend kicks off at The Amulet, alongside a family screening of Wreck It Ralph at 2pm and an evening showing of Hot Fuzz, complete with licensed bar. If you’d prefer something outdoors and a bit more mystical, Mabon in the Meadow is running a silent disco at Vallis Farm to celebrate the autumn equinox.
Glastonbury is also doing its bit, with the second day of the Glastonbury Way Pilgrimage, plus a chance to fix everything from fridges to favourite jumpers at the Repair Café, open at the Scout Hut on Benedict’s Street. If that all sounds too worthy, Street has you covered with the Eat & Drink Arts Festival at The Victoria Club, offering local crafts, live music and a decent excuse to eat your way through the afternoon.
On Sunday 21 September, Shepton Mallet’s Live Jazz & Tacos event returns to Bar 501, pairing smooth tunes with spicy snacks. The u3a showcase also continues at The Amulet. If you’re in Street, The Loft is throwing an Over-30s Disco from 2 to 6pm — £5 on the door and probably worth it just to hear Soft Cell on a proper sound system.
On Tuesday 23 September, The Amulet in Shepton Mallet is back at it with a screening of Hitchcock’s Rear Window at 7:30pm. It’s £5 a ticket and arguably one of the best things ever made about being a nosy neighbour.
Wednesday 24 September is your one chance this week to feel like you’re on Antiques Roadshow, as Radstock Museum hosts a free valuation day from 10:30am to 3pm.
And finally, Thursday 25 September brings another round of Sounds Joyful at St John’s Hub in Glastonbury, as well as the Art Bank Introducing showcase in Shepton Mallet, which will feature young musicians from The Blue School. Over in Street, it’s your last chance of the week to get glammed up for Tom Harding’s Through the Decades show at The Loft – a £30 dinner-and-music ticket gets you everything from crooners to disco classics.
Ongoing all week are two major art events: the Somerset Open Studios showcase by Shelley Dyer-Gibbins near Shepton Mallet, and Fiona Hingston’s exhibition at Andelli Art in Wells. And if you still have time, The Bishop’s Palace is running its BBC “Wolf Hall” costume exhibition daily until the end of the month.
So yes, there really is quite a bit on — and most of it doesn’t require a second mortgage or a trek to Bristol. Just don’t try to do it all in one go, unless your idea of fun is sprinting between singing workshops and medieval cosplay.
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