Festivals in Somerset come in all shapes and sizes.
SOMERSET’S LARGEST FESTIVAL
At the top end of the scale is the world famous Glastonbury Music Festival. Here, up to 250,000 music lovers gather at Worthy Farm. It’s hard to believe that this incredible music festival has been in existence for over 50 years!
Even prior to the pandemic, this festival didn’t take place every year. The land and local residents are given a break every 5 years or so. (Festival founder Michael Eavis usually has a herd of cows grazing on the land.) While a festival took place in 2025, 2026 will be a fallow year (no festival).
Somerset is home to a huge array of music, food, art, literary and comedy festivals which take place throughout the year.
Music FESTIVALS IN SOMERSET
Below is a selection of Somerset music festivals scheduled to take place in 2025 & 2026.
Home Farm Fest (Chilthorne Domer) 12 – 14 June 2026
The Petherton Folk Festival takes place on 20 June 2026. 10am – 6.30pm.
Somerstock Arts and Music festival took place on 11 & 12 July 2025. 2026 date TBC.
Priddy Folk Festival is on 10 -12 July 2026
Godney Gathering (Garslade Farm, Glastonbury) 17 & 18 July 2026
Valley Fest (by Chew Valley Lake) will be back 31 July – 2 August 2026.
Chard Rock Festival 8-9 August 2026.
ArcTanGent (one for heavy metal lovers) 19 – 22 August 2026 on Fernhill Farm near Bristol.
MORE festivals in Somerset
JANUARY
Wassail in early to mid January at various farms across Somerset. Give thanks for the harvest. Drink cider, sing songs and perhaps fire a shotgun!
Eat festivals – various location across Somerset. Locally focused food and drinks festivals from a multi award-winning organisation.
FEBRUARY & MARCH
Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival 20 – 21 February 2026. Special stalls at the Sunday Market, talks, a snowdrop trail, a procession, arts and crafts and book signings.
A Festival of Snowdrops takes place at East Lambrook Manor Gardens during February.
February is also a great time to see snowdrops at The Bishop’s Palace in Wells.
For a comprehensive list of snowdrop festivals in Somerset, take a look at my blog.
Snowdrops in the gardens of the Bishop’s Palace
Bath & West Food and Drink Festival is usually on in March and features the British Cheese Awards!
APRIL & MAY
Cheddar Arts Fringe Festival is going to be held 2 – 4 May 2026. Enjoy a walking trail around Cheddar and view the work of various artists. Workshops and stalls.
Somerscience Festival also takes place in early May. In 2026 the date is 4 May. 90+ activities in lots of different locations. Free!
Wedmore Festival runs 9 – 17 May 2026.
May 11 is Somerset Day. Lots of events take place around the county to celebrate this special day.
Wells Comedy Festival is now a regular fixture. In 2026, the festival celebrates its 10th year! Performances take place in Cedars Hall and Wells Little Theatre. In 2026, the festival takes place from 22-24 May. Catch a big name for a small price. Acts who are due to perform in 2026 include James Acaster, Jessica Fostekew, Lou Sanders, Nish Kumar and Edinburgh Comedy Award winners Bridget Christie and Tim Key. Other comedy events take place in Wells throughout the year. Some tickets go on sale in November!
JUNE
The National Trust’s Top of the Gorge festival took place 6- 8 June 2025 at Cheddar Gorge. 2026 date TBC.
Open Farm Sunday takes place on 7 June 2026. Lots of farms in the South West take part.
Wells Theatre Festival usually happens in mid June. In 2026 the event will be spread out over the whole year. The usual format of a 4 day festival will return in 2027.
JULY & AUGUST FESTIVALS
In 2026, the Frome Festival will run from 3-12 July. There are always lots of events, exhibitions and workshops to enjoy. Comedy, music, walks, art trails and much more.
The Somerset Food Trail Festival usually takes place in July 2025. Tours, open days, picnics and more! 2026 dates TBC.
Bristol International Balloon Fiesta lifts off 7 – 9 August 2026.
Mid-Somerset Show in the Showfields, Shepton Mallet is on 16 August 2026. There is usually free admission for pedestrians! Gates open 9am.
Wells Moat Boat Races take place on Bank Holiday Monday in late August. The first race gets underway at 12.30!
The Wells Moat Boat Races
SOMERSET FESTIVALS IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
Foodies Festival in Bath. A celebration of food and drink with music too. 4 – 6 September 2026.
Wedmore Real Ale Festival takes place in mid September. 2026 date TBC.
Somerset Art Weeks (Open Studios) runs from 19 September until 4 October 2026.
Yeo Valley garden festival takes place 17 – 19 September 2026. The inaugural 2025 event was a sell-out. Talks and discussions, workshops and demonstrations and a few garden celebs in attendance.
The gardens at Yeo Valley
OCTOBER FESTIVALS IN SOMERSET
Chew Valley Beer Festival runs in the middle of October.
Mendip Rocks! runs through October and celebrates the 450 million year geology of the Mendip Hills. Family events and workshops across the Mendips.
Wells Food Festival is on the second Sunday in October. Free entry. 200+ stalls! 10.30am-4.30pm.
Chew Valley Arts Trail took place on 11 & 12 October 2025. 10am – 6pm. Painting, photography, sculpture, jewellery and a range of other crafts. 2026 date TBC.
Wells Art Contemporary exhibited pieces from 8 October until 1 November 2025 in Wells Cathedral. It’s the only open international art competition to take place in a UK cathedral! The theme in 2025 was, Flowing Light. This featured 93 gallery works, 22 installations and 4 community projects! 2026 dates TBC.
Valley Arts Fringe Festival is on from 16 October until 29 November. Live music, theatre, dance and comedy in venues across the Chew Valley.
Yeovil Literary Festival takes place over 4 days in late October. 2026 dates TBC.
Wells Festival of Literature takes place 17 – 25 October 2025. Speakers include Prue Leith, Carol Klein and Lyse Doucet. Tickets go on general sale on 4 August.
Wells Festival of Literature at Cedars Hall
NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER SOMERSET FESTIVALS
There are too many to list here. Read about the special Christmas events that take place in Somerset.
After delving into a few great festivals in Somerset, perhaps it’s worth remembering that there is more to a festival than first meets the eye.
the origin of festivals
Throughout history, festivals have usually centred around communities to celebrate religion, traditions or seasons and are often marked by national holidays. (Interestingly, the UK is among the nations with the fewest public holidays in Europe. Finland has 15!)
The word, ‘festival’ comes from the word feast, first used in the 12th century, while the Spanish word, ‘fiesta’ is usually associated with a religious feast to honour a patron saint. (Spanish residents enjoy 14 public holidays a year.)
Seasonal festivals are determined by the solar and lunar calendars and by the cycle of the seasons – especially the affect on crops. This has ensured that many festivals centre around and celebrate food.
Somerset is steeped in these traditions. We love festivals in Somerset. It’s an excuse to gather and have some fun.
the more unusual FESTIVALS
Beltane is a pagan festival held at the beginning of May. It promotes abundance and is commonly associated with fertility. (Originally, couples used to frolic in the woods while the Beltaine fire raged.) Glastonbury is the place to be with colourful celebrations taking place in the market square. (Just a word of warning. Don’t frolic too much or you might get arrested…)
The Summer Solstice (celebrated just over the border at Stonehenge in Wiltshire) is world famous and attracts a real mix of people.
Harvest Festival usually occurs around the Autumn equinox and the Harvest Moon. This is an especially important time in rural Somerset when we gather in the crops. This is also the time when the market traders of London don their wonderful Pearly King & Queen outfits and celebrate.
The Winter Solstice also attracts the crowds to Stonehenge. When the sun rises at around 8am on 21 December the shortest day in the northern hemisphere is underway. However, the burning of logs ‘ Yule’ has become better known for that lovely dessert we eat at Christmas.
Nowadays festivals come in many different guises, but the principle of gathering people, celebrating a product or skill, sharing experiences and having fun has not changed. We have many wonderful festivals in Somerset to enjoy.
The award-winning The Cross at Croscombe B&B lies in the heart of Somerset making it a great base from which to explore. Whatever you plan to celebrate – have fun!