Wells, Somerset, England: Major Events in North Somerset

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The features on this page are some of the main events in our area. You can carefully time your stay to catch one of these events as well as spending several days in Wells to explore the city and surrounding area. All of these events are less than 25 miles from Wells with a maximum journey time by car of up to 45 minutes. Our Touring Map which you can print out, shows where some of these features are located.

Wells & North Somerset Touring Map (240Kb)

more info	Somerset Art Works (18 September - 3 October 2010) SAW Ltd, The Old Town Hall, Bow Street, Langport, Somerset, TA10 9QR, Tel: 01458 253800 Somerset Art Works 2010 will take place across Somerset from 18 September to 3 October and will focus on open studios. Look inside the artist’s studio and uncover their gems, as Art Weeks returns to its roots. This important event in Somerset’s calendar delights art lovers near and far. This year roam the county and explore what Somerset’s artists have to offer with chances to even have a go yourself! Web Site: www.somersetartworks.org.uk

more info	Wells Festival of Literature (8 - 15 October 2010) 25 Chamberlain Street, Wells, Somerset, BA5 2PQ, Tel: 01749 670929 The Wells Festival of Literature 2010 will run from Friday 8th to Friday 15th of October in this glorious city. It offers talks by well known authors, poetry, film, literary lunches, theatre, and - to feed back to the local community - a free event for children from many local primary schools. The festival's core is Saturday and Sunday in the Bishop's Palace, of which Pevsner wrote “the most memorable of all Bishop’s Palaces in England”. Past speakers - in no particular order - have included Ian Rankin, John Carey, Melvyn Bragg, Libby Purves, John le Carré, Douglas Hurd, Fiona Walker, Gavin Esler, Iain Banks, Mark Urban, and Paddy Ashdown. Web Site: www.wlitf.co.uk

more info	Wells Carnival (12 November 2010) The Wells Carnival is a spectacle not to be missed. It is said be the biggest illuminated carnival in the world. These huge floats make their way slowly through the medieval streets intertwined with street performers with highly inventive and stunning costumes. As it is dark at this time of year the blaze of colourful lights, music, dancing and beautifully tailored costumes on these floats creates a unique and exciting atmosphere. The tableau floats usually depict a scene with all the performers in a fixed pose effectively creating a living picture. The carnival is Free to see and all these floats are created by enthusiasts who are raising money for Charity. The 2010 Wells carnival is scheduled to take place on Friday 12th November at 7.00pm and is a must see for anyone planning to come to the area. If you miss the Wells carnival then you can find it touring a number of other towns around Somerset for a couple of weeks. There is also a fun fair in the market place. All images & videos © Black Dog of Wells. click on More Info for a couple of videos which really help to show just how fabulous these floats are. Web Site: www.southwestcarnivals.com

more info	Somerset Starlings Spectacular (winter months) Shapwick Heath Natural England National Nature Reserve, Somerset Wildlife Trust's Westhay Moor Nature Reserve & Ham Wall RSPB Nature Reserve The Somerset Levels plays host to several million starlings each autumn/winter. They start to arrive in the late summer but the flocks are at their most numerous during the winter months. They migrate from the far north to roost and survive in our relatively milder climate. These stunning images that have been photographed by Lynne Newton over many years show the amazing aerial formations that take place at dawn and dusk. Lynne lives in Street and is very close to these roosting sites. She is fanatical about these birds and keeps a log of where they can be found during the winter season. Prints of these images are available from her website. You can read more about Lynne on Local Craftmakers page. All images © Lynne Newton www.foxybiddy.com Web Site: www.foxybiddy.com

more info	Helicopter Museum - Flight Simulator Convention (14 & 15 May 2011) The Helicopter Museum, Locking Moor Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS24 8PP, Tel: 01934 635227 Throughout the weekend of the 14th and 15th May 2011 the hangars and display buildings of The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare will be brimming with over 50 flight simulators of various shapes and sizes demonstrating the controls and manoeuvrability of a myriad aircraft including helicopters, fighter jets and passenger airliners. Visitors will be able to test fly all these aircraft at no extra cost. Theme and additional entertainment/displays TBA. Web Site: www.fscweston.co.uk

more info	The Royal Bath & West Show (1 - 4 June 2011) near Shepton Mallet, Somerset This is Somerset's premier show ground which holds the annual agricultural Bath & West Show. This not only features livestock judging, but also there are many stalls selling produce and crafts as well as motorcycle display teams and show jumping just to mention a few. Many other shows and exhibitions regularly come to the grounds including flower shows, car shows, antique and collectors fairs, gardening shows, a beer festival and many more. All images © Bath & West Showground. Web Site: www.bathandwest.com

more info	Glastonbury Music Festival (22 June - 26 June 2011) This festival needs little introduction - it is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world and a template for all the festivals that have come after it. The difference is that Glastonbury has all the best aspects of being at a Festival in one astonishing bundle. It is run by Michael Evis on his land at Worthy Farm. There are many stages playing many types of music in a relaxed and casual atmosphere and this year the festival basked in sunshine. Web Site: www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

more info	Priddy Folk Festival (8 - 11 July 2011) This three day Folk Festival is a friendly community run festival in one of the most beautiful settings in the country. We do all this to raise funds for village projects, especially promoting the arts, and we try to have fun doing it! For 2010 we had a fantastic line-up of artists which included displays from belly & flamenco dancers, different Morris teams and our local school. Our artists and festival goers all tell us we have a unique atmosphere. Whether visiting for the whole festival or just a single day, Priddy Folk Festival is fun for the whole family. Come and see for yourself. For tickets or further information see our website. All images © Duncan Simey Web Site: www.priddyfolk.org

more info	Wells Visitor Information Service Wells Visitor Information Service, Wells Museum, 8 Cathedral Green, Wells, BA5 2UE, Tel: 07745 782747 (temporary number) Wells Visitor Information Service offer a wide range of services to both visitors and local residents alike, and a warm welcome will always be assured. Members of staff at the Visitor Information Service will be pleased to help you with a wide range of services and enquiries, including: -Local Accommodation Booking Service for Inspected Properties. -Advice and guidance on what to see and do in the area including details of local attractions, opening times and entrance charges. -Tickets and Discount vouchers for local events and attractions. -Local “Access” information for attractions and the city of Wells. -Public transport details, including train and bus timetables. The Wells Visitor Information Service moved from the Market Place to the Wells Museum at the end of July 2010.