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Somerset Accommodation

The Spirit of Carnival at Bridgwater, the finale to all the Somerset Illuminated Carnivals

The Jane Austen Festival in Bath takes the city back in time to the Regency period

Frome has several festivals including the Frome Cheese Festival

For Exmoor Festivals try Dunster by Candlelight and the Festive Farmers Markets

You'll find all sorts of Food Fairs and Farmers Markets all over Somerset

Somerset Carnivals Food Festivals Somerset

Somerset is renowned for its carnivals. The biggest events aren't the summer carnivals although these are also worth a look. The big carnival events are the Somerset Guy Fawkes Illuminated Carnivals that take place between October to November. Carnival Clubs work all year round fundraising and putting together fantastic illuminated themed floats. Come Autumn and a round of carnivals take place all over Somerset. It is a fantastic, lively event with brilliantly decorated floats and costumes and lots of music and dance to get your feet tapping.

Other Somerset festivals range from the world famous Glastonbury Festival that showcases contemporary arts and big name bands, to food and drink festivals. These are always popular with Somerset having a huge variety of fresh locally grown produce, cider and cheeses including Cheddar cheese which can still be seen maturing in Cheddar Caves.

Featured Somerset Accommodation

Sunnybank Holiday Park - Watchet

A 5 star luxury caravan park set close to Exmoor and the Quantocks. Nearby Watchet with award winning cuisine and shopping. Close to beaches. Pets welcome

£200 to £480 Per week (seasonal)

Somerset Illuminated Guy Fawkes Carnivals

Somerset is renowned for its Guy Fawkes Illuminated Carnivals. These are usually held between September and November. It's well worth timing your visit to coincide with one of the carnivals that are held at a whole host of towns throughout the county. The Somerset Carnival tradition dates back to the 1600s when many places in Somerset commemorated the Gunpowder Plot. Street entertainment, fireworks and special events throughout the town add to the fun and carnival atmosphere.

Processions gradually make their way round a predetermined route from around 7pm at night. The floats are illuminated with coloured lighting which makes a welcome splash of colour in the dark autumn nights. A huge amount of effort is put into creating carnival entries. Some are created by Carnival Clubs; some by keen individuals or groups, all work throughout the year raising the money themselves to create spectacular themed floats which are judged prior to the procession begins. Prizes are hotly contested and ensure the standards are raised year-on-year. It is a fantastic, lively event with brilliantly decorated floats and costumes and lots of music and dance to get your feet tapping. Bridgwater hosts the biggest winter carnival in the world! It is the finale to all the Somerset Carnivals.

It's a fun night out for all the family and you can help raise funds for charities or the clubs for the next year's entry. Thousands attend carnivals, so watch out as parking can get very limited on carnival nights and town centres can often be cut off to traffic during the carnival.

Check the weblinks right for this year's carnivals and past carnival photographs. If you search YouTube for the different Somerset Carnivals you'll some dazzling footage of past carnivals.

Jane Austen Festival Bath

In September an annual Jane Austen Festival is held in Bath that includes Europe's largest Regency Promenade - where participants stroll around Bath dolled up in period dress - The Jane Austen Festival Regency Ball and dance workshop in The Assembly Rooms - where you can learn how to take part in the dances of the period - as well as a host of activities relating to film, music, lectures, walking tours and outdoor entertainment.

Check the Festival website for up-to-date information on the latest Festival, link right.

Frome Cheese Festival and Mendip Food Festival

The Frome Festival is an annual event usually lasting around ten days in July. The Festival is packed with all sorts of events including music, comedy, drama, dance, film, literature, walks, talks, workshops and exhibitions suitable for all ages. The annual Frome Literary Festival, Words@FromeFestival, is held at the same time with competitions, readings, and open-mike poetry nights. Check the website links right for more information on the next Frome Festival.

Frome also hosts an annual Cheese Festival. The one day Frome Agricultural and Cheese Show is held in September at the West Woodland Showground just on the outskirts of Frome. It's been running for over 100 years and includes a variety of events for all the family including horse jousting, stunt shows, cattle competitions, dog agility competitions as well as a whole host of stalls selling locally crafted items and gifts. The piece de resistance is the Cheese Pavillion which houses over 500 cheeses. Entrants come from all over the UK. Check the weblink right for more information.

More food based events culminate in the Mendip Food and Drink Festival. This is usually held in October in various towns across the Mendip area of North Somerset including Frome, Wells, Shepton Mallet and Glastonbury. Check the link right for more information on events and venues.

Glastonbury Festival of Music and Contemporary Arts

Glastonbury Festival is actually held on Michael Eavis's land at Pilton which is nearer Shepton Mallet to the north east of Glastonbury. The Festival started life as the Pilton Festival in 1970 after Eavis was inspired to hold his own festival after attending the Blues Festival at the Bath and West Showground.

Not only has the Festival aimed to draw in big name bands such as David Bowie, Oasis, PJ Harvey, Massive Attack, Radiohead, Muse, Coldplay as well as some surprises over the years like Rolf Harris, Paul McCartney and Johnny Cash in 1994, but it's had the reputation of breaking up and coming acts. More recently the Unsigned Performer's Competition was launched and is held every year to give unsigned acts an opportunity to play on major stages.

It's not all contemporary music though the multitude of stages also showcases dance, comedy, theatre, circus and cabaret acts.

The Royal Bath & West Showground Shepton Mallet

Just three miles outside Shepton Mallet is The Royal Bath and West Showground. It is the centre for a wide range of events throughout the year including agricultural, bike, gardening and flower shows and horse trials. The showground has a good range of facilities including restaurants and conference facilities.

The most popular event is the huge annual Bath and West Show. It runs for four days over late May and early June. It's a great family day out with competitions exhibiting the best of British livestock and stalls with local produce including food, flowers, and crafts. There are also horse competitions and arena displays. Check the links right for more information.

If you fancy something with a bit more street, try Westfest, a huge indoor dance music event with arenas showcasing the very best DJ's, MC's and live acts from all over the country. It has been held annually at The Royal Bath and West. Check out the Slammin Vinyl link right for information on Westfest.

Accommodation can get quite scarce when the big events are on so book well in advance. Down the road at Pilton is where the world famous Glastonbury Festival is held. For more information check our Glastonbury pages, link right.

Minehead Hobby Horse

The origin of the Minehead Hobby Horse Festival has been lost in history although it's thought to have started as warding off evil Vikings or is a commemoration of the wreck of a vessel at Minehead, or a phantom ship which entered the harbour without Captain or crew.

Either way the tradition continues today and can be traced back to at least 1792 when it was recorded in Dunster Castle's ledger.

On 1 May Minehead is woken by the beating of a drum. The Hobby Horse dances its way around Minehead and on up to Dunster Castle. As it makes its way back to Minehead it collects donations.

The culmination of the festival is the "booty" on 3 May where tight fisted spectators can expect to be laid down in front of the horse and has to escape before the horse turns his tail on them!

Dunster Events - Dunster by Candlelight Festive Farmers Markets

Dunster is the focal point for Exmoor themed events throughout the year.

Dunster by Candlelight is an annual winter festival that usually takes place on the first Friday and Saturday in December. The village is lit by candlelight only. A costumed procession weaves through the village lighting it by candle and lantern. All proceeds go to charity and many of Dunster's shops are also open for Christmas shopping. Parking is restricted during the evenings of the festival; park and ride services are laid on, check the link right for more information.

Farmers markets are also popular throughout the year particularly the Festive Farmers Market held in December in the Castle grounds selling local Somerset produce.

Wellington Food Town Fair and Festival - Wellington Farmers Market

Wellington is becoming something of a food capital in the area. There are lots of farms and producers of quality food and drink in and around Wellington. Wellington has started hosting an annual Food Fair and Festival to bring together these producers and widen the appeal for locally produced, quality food and drink including honey, organic meat and vegetables, cheeses, cakes, jams, chutneys, locally brewed beer and, of course, cider.

This is intended to be an annual event so check the link right for the latest dates for this year's Festival. This is an initiative that can only gain in popularity as more people become aware of the benefits of supporting local businesses and eating the seasonal food available on their doorstep.

If you don't catch that check out the Farmers Market that is held every third Saturday of the month.