Somerstock: Somerset's Biggest Summer Music Festival
Issue #9 | Wednesday 1 July 2026
Good morning, Mendips! It's the first of July — and today Freedom Leisure formally takes over five of our local leisure centres across Somerset, from Wells to Glastonbury, Shepton to Street. There's also the Wells Italian Festival on Sunday, a remarkable charity climb up Glastonbury Tor, and Somerstock filling the diary for next weekend.
🎪 Somerstock 2026 — Featured event
📅 What's On This Week — across the Mendips
🏊 Freedom Leisure takes over Somerset leisure centres today
🍕 Wells Italian Festival this Sunday
📺 Shepton Mallet on BBC TV
🦾 Double amputee rapper climbs Glastonbury Tor for charity
🌡️ Weather — Wells BA5 forecast
🎪 Somerstock 2026 — 10 & 11 July, Somerton
Somerstock is back — and this year's festival takes over Somerton Sports Ground on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 July, bringing two days of live music to the heart of Somerset. Now firmly established as one of the county's favourite summer music events, Somerstock draws big crowds from across Mendip for an outdoor festival feel without the trek to Glastonbury.
The festival has grown steadily and now offers a diverse lineup across multiple stages, with a warm community atmosphere that's become a highlight of the Somerset summer calendar. Somerton is an easy 25-minute drive from Wells — or hop on the bus if you fancy a drink or two.
If you can't make Somerstock, don't forget Priddy Folk Festival also runs 10–12 July up on the Mendip hills — two great musical weekends happening at the same time. Tickets for Somerstock are on sale now.
All week (1–10 Jul)
Frome Festival 2026 — various venues, Frome. Thu 2 – Sun 12 July. 25th anniversary with 300+ events spanning music, comedy, film, food and arts. fromefestival.co.uk
Hilliard Society Miniaturists Exhibition — Wells Town Hall. Sat 4 – Fri 11 July. Free admission. hilliard-society.com
WOWFest — various Wells venues. On through Sun 13 July; headline event: Carmina Burana, Sat 11 July. wellswowfest.org.uk
Wednesday 1 Jul
Super Dogs: Super Training — Shepton Mallet Prison Museum, 6–8pm. £10. Local discount: 15% off with code SMPEVBB. sheptonmalletprison.com
Friday 3 – Saturday 4 Jul
Ambient & Immersive Weekender — Assembly Rooms, Glastonbury. Two days of atmospheric music and arts. More info
Saturday 4 Jul
Strode Theatre Summer Serenade — Strode Theatre, Street. strodetheatre.co.uk
Kirsty & The River Rats — Kings Head, Wells, 8:30pm.
Live Music: The Tracks Band — Unity Club, Street.
Sunday 5 Jul
Wells Italian Festival — Palace Farm, Wells, from 12:30pm. Italian food, wine and live music in a walled garden setting.
🗓️ Coming Up
Somerstock 2026 — Somerton Sports Ground. Fri 10 – Sat 11 July. somerstock.co.uk
Priddy Folk Festival — Priddy village. Thu 10 – Sat 12 July. priddyfolk.org.uk
🎬 This Week at Wells Film Centre
Toy Story 5 [PG]
Minions & Monsters [TBC] — new from Wednesday 1 July
Supergirl [12A]
Moana [TBC]
Spider-Man: Brand New Day [TBC]
🎟️ Children’s tickets £4.38 all summer (until 1 September).
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📰 In Other News . . .
🏊 Freedom Leisure takes over Somerset leisure centres today
Wells Leisure Centre
From today, Freedom Leisure officially takes the keys at five Somerset leisure facilities: Wells Leisure Centre, Strode Swimming & Fitness in Street, Tor Leisure in Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet Lido, and Frome Leisure Centre. The handover follows the collapse of previous operator Fusion Lifestyle, which went into administration in March after running the sites since 2015. Somerset Council has agreed a two-year deal to keep the centres open while longer-term plans are drawn up for 2029 and beyond.
🍕 Wells Italian Festival: buon appetito this Sunday
Palace Farm in Wells hosts its Italian Festival this Sunday 5 July from 12:30pm — with food stalls, wine, live music and a proper continental atmosphere right in the heart of the city. Over 291 people have already said they’re going on Facebook. Palace Farm is just off the cathedral green, making it a perfect spot for a leisurely Sunday afternoon.
📺 Shepton Mallet park filmed for BBC Escape to the Country
A park in Shepton Mallet has been used as a filming location for BBC One’s long-running lifestyle programme Escape to the Country, which follows house-hunters looking to swap city life for something more peaceful. The broadcast date for the Shepton episode hasn’t yet been announced, but the choice of location is another nod to Mendip’s enduring appeal for those dreaming of a quieter life.
🦾 Double amputee rapper crawls up Glastonbury Tor for charity
Kray-Z Legs — a double amputee rapper — completed a remarkable fundraising feat by crawling up Glastonbury Tor to raise money for disabled people in live music. Supporters cheered him on along the steep climb to the famous hilltop landmark. The challenge shines a light on accessibility in the arts and the determination of performers who refuse to let disability limit their impact.
🌡️ Wells BA5 Weather — Week of 1 July 2026
Wednesday brings sunny intervals and a gentle NW breeze with a high of 21°C — a pleasant start to July. Thursday sees some light drizzle before sunshine returns on Friday, and the weekend looks warm and largely sunny with temperatures climbing to 25°C by Sunday. High pollen count through the week — hay fever sufferers take note.
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Paul Branston, Editor
Hi, I’m Paul Branston and I publish the Mendiplodocus every morning, Monday to Saturday. Each issue goes out to a growing base of thousands of local residents who want to keep up to date with events and local news. If you have events or news to share or you have a local business to promote, please get in touch.
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