What's On Wells is sponsored by Wells Festival of Literature, celebrating the written word in the heart of Wells. The festival returns to Cedars Hall from 16 to 24 October 2026, with another programme bringing writers, readers and ideas together.

There is no need to declare the summer holidays finished just yet in Wells. Mythical creatures are still hiding around Wells Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace summer programme is continuing, and the Palace is opening late again on Friday evening for anyone who prefers their summer outings after the fiercest part of the afternoon has packed up and gone home.

On Wednesday, 19 August, children aged five to ten can head to the Somerset Earth Science Centre at Stoke St Michael for Wild Wednesdays!. The summer holiday club follows a forest school ethos, with den building, natural arts and crafts and campfire cooking among the activities. Sessions run from 10am to 3pm for £25, or 10am to 12.30pm for £16, with concessions available on a sliding scale. There is another session on Wednesday, 26 August, so there is still another chance for anyone whose summer holiday planning has reached the "something involving fresh air, please" stage.

Also continuing through the week is Shepton Mallet Men's Shed at Unit 8, Charlton Estate. The information supplied for the group gives opening times of 9am to noon on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 9am to 4pm on Thursdays. The Shed was established in 2017 and provides companionship, practical activities and opportunities to learn and share skills. There is, reassuringly, rather more to it than simply standing around discussing the correct size of screwdriver.

In Wells, families can continue tackling Mythical Creatures at Wells Cathedral. The interactive trail runs until Tuesday, 1 September, between 9am and 4.30pm, with visitors searching for dragons, griffins and other creatures inspired by stories from the Cathedral's medieval library. Entry is included with standard Cathedral admission or a valid admission pass. Medieval beasts hiding around a cathedral certainly beats another afternoon of asking what everyone wants to do.

The School Summer Holidays at The Bishop's Palace programme is also continuing in Wells until Wednesday, 2 September. Activities include the Splash Play Zone, a family trail, crafting workshops and the Cabinet of Curiosity, with summer holiday activities included with admission. Discounted day tickets and reduced-price children's meals are also being offered under the Great British Summer Savings scheme.

Over in Glastonbury, Summer Fun on the Farm at Somerset Rural Life Museum continues during the school holidays. Visitors can explore the galleries, take part in crafts and meet visiting animals, with some activities inspired by the museum's Harry Brockway exhibition. Drop-in activities are free with a Museum Unlimited Annual Pass unless otherwise stated, and the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Crafts, animals and local history is a fairly efficient way of covering several summer-holiday bases at once.

Visitors to the museum can also see Harry Brockway: Ways With Wood Exhibition, celebrating the life and work of Glastonbury-based artist Harry Brockway, who lived from 1958 to 2024. The exhibition includes wood engravings, woodcuts and wooden sculpture, alongside work connected with his career as a printmaker, sculptor, illustrator and stone carver. Normal museum admission applies, while admission is free with a Museum Unlimited pass.

On Thursday, 20 August, Shepton Mallet Men's Shed is open from 9am to 4pm according to the supplied schedule, while the continuing family activities in Wells and Glastonbury remain available during their stated opening days and times.

On Friday, 21 August, Summer Late Openings at The Bishop's Palace gives visitors another chance to spend an evening in the Palace grounds. The gardens are open from 6pm to 8pm, with last entry at 7.30pm, and visitors are invited to bring a picnic and relax on the lawns. Tickets are £8.75 for adults and £4.40 for children. Apparently summer evenings do occasionally come with an activity beyond moving your chair to whichever part of the garden still has sun.

The late openings continue again on Friday, 28 August.

The summer trail at Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum is another option during the holidays. Old MacDonald's Farm Trail runs until Tuesday, 1 September. Children are invited to find the farm animals hidden around the museum, work out where they live and claim a small free prize after completing the trail. The activity is included with museum admission, and tickets act as annual passes. Opening times and admission prices were not included in the supplied event details and should be checked with the museum before visiting.

On Tuesday, 25 August, Fun Singing in The Park! continues its run of Tuesday evening sessions during August. The supplied information places the sessions at Collett Park in Shepton Mallet from 7pm to 8.15pm, with Helena leading a range of music taught by ear, so reading music is not required. The first visit costs £5. There is no audition mentioned, which removes at least one potential source of Tuesday-night drama.

Then, on Wednesday, 26 August, Wild Wednesdays returns to the Somerset Earth Science Centre for its final listed summer session, again offering either the five-hour or two-and-a-half-hour option for children aged five to ten.

Looking a little further ahead, the next listed Secret Supper Club at The Bishop's Palace is on Thursday, 10 September. The three-course evening costs £40 per person, with food available from 7.30pm and last orders at 9pm. Guests receive a password giving access across the drawbridge, which is considerably more theatrical than telling the person on the door your surname. Booking is essential and a non-refundable £5 deposit per person is required.

To add your own upcoming event to Nub News, organisers can list it for free through Wells Nub News, Shepton Mallet Nub News or Glastonbury and Street Nub News.