The Frome Festival is a community/arts festival which takes place over 10 days every July.

From Friday 5th – Sunday 14th July, Frome will come alive with music, art and culture as the Frome Festival returns for its 23rd year. With over 200 events taking place across 10 days, the Festival aims to celebrate the best of Frome, with events and activities taking place in so many places and spaces across the town – from venues and galleries to pubs and parks.

Frome Festival is gearing up for its biggest ever programme and this year’s theme celebrates 60 years of Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie & the Chocolate Factory’, featuring artwork by celebrated illustrator Sholto Walker depicting Willy Wonka striding down the streets of Frome. To celebrate this theme, five Golden Tickets will be hidden at various Festival events with winners receiving a scrumdiddlyumptious spending spree at Frome’s local chocolatier and café, Choc et al.

The community arts festival has been a popular fixture in the town since 2001 and aims to offer something for everyone, young and old, including different types of music, theatre, comedy, spoken word, art, dance, film, workshops, children’s events, and food or drink experiences. Expect a dash of Frome’s signature quirkiness!

Children can enjoy bouldering workshops, comic art masterclasses, science exploration of pondlife, theatre productions, a Willy Wonka Rave, outdoor shows and so much more.

Frome Festival is teaming up with the popular Frome Independent Market on Sunday 7^th July, taking over their entertainment stages with music, street theatre, and dance.

Popular fixtures of the Festival return including the Hidden Gardens, Open Art Trail and the famous Festival Food Feast which returns for a celebration of amazing international street food, live music and entertainment. Sponsored by local Frome company Lilley’s Cider.

At the heart of the Festival is a programme of free and low-cost events generously supported by the National Lottery Community Fund. With accessible activity taking place every day of the Festival, more people than ever before will be able to experience the joys of live music, art, literature and theatre, as well as busy programme for families and younger children.

Festival highlights, not to be missed!

Alberta Cross plays anthemic Americana-tinged songs and have toured with Johnny Marr, Oasis, Neil Young and many others. Frontman Petter Ericson Stakee now calls Frome home.

The hilarious stand-up comic Jenny Eclair was the first woman to win the coveted Perrier Award at Edinburgh Festival in 1995 and hasn’t stopped banging on about it since.

Raghu Dixit returns to the Frome Festival after his triumphant debut last year. Often hailed as India’s biggest cultural & musical export, their unique brand of infectious, happy music transcends age, genre, and even language.

The spectacular Swinging at the Cotton Club is a visual and musical feast paying homage to legends such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Count Basie with breath-taking dance routines.

In the atmospheric setting of Holy Trinity Church, renowned organ virtuoso David Bednall will provide an improvised soundtrack to the classic 1922 horror movie, Nosferatu.

The raucous Old Time Sailors will take you back in time with an immersive experience of traditional seafaring music. Fancy dress encouraged!

Former economics editor of Newsnight and Channel 4 and a regular Guardian contributor, Paul Mason presents this year’s Bob Morris Lecture, a keynote speech that is an annual highlight of the Festival programme.

In his much-anticipated return to stand-up, legendary comic Richard Herring presents his brand-new tour show where he talks bollocks about his recent experience with testicular cancer.

Scottish trailblazers Peatbog Faeries have created a glorious mixture of traditional sounds and dance-floor grooves creating a hypnotic sound that no-one can resist dancing to.

Take a look at the events below or download the programme on the festival website – www.fromefestival.co.uk