The List Summer 2026

SUMMER 2026

ISSUE 01

THE LIST WHAT’S ON MALMESBURY Malmesbury River Festival Magical History Tour Malmesbury Carnival Flying Monk Art Trail and more inside...

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

WELCOME TO

THE LIST WHATS ON MALMESBURY SUMMER 2026 We are delighted to bring you our new seasonal what’s on brochure The List.

Malmesbury offers a dynamic, year-round programme of arts and music festivals and events, art exhibitions and live performances – filling the streets that have been at the heart of English life for over a thousand years – in Malmesbury, culture isn’t an add-on, it’s everyday life.

This summer’s line-up is no exception, with the launch of a new Malmesbury River Festival, a special Magical History Tour, the ever-popular Malmesbury Carnival and Festival Month, Flying Monk Art Trail and a wide range of festivals and events in the surrounding towns and villages. More opportunities to get involved creatively or attend exhibitions, regular talks and events can be found on the websites of those local groups listed in the Take Part section.

Please go to What’s On at the Discover Malmesbury website for further event listings and booking details. discovermalmesbury.life

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Summer 2026

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

eat:Malmesbury Festival Sunday 24 May Malmesbury Town Centre 10am - 4pm

Find out more from eat:Festivals eatfestivals.org

A free to attend, family-friendly, accessible food and drink festival held in the town centre. Celebrating the great local producers in and around the town in a cracking one-day festival that is also low cost for them to attend - meaning that money goes straight back into supporting local businesses, and you experience delicious homegrown produce with lots of variety. eat:Festivals is a not-for-profit social enterprise that aims to connect communities with the productive landscape that surrounds them, which is good for local business, food producers and for families.

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Summer 2026

Shindig Festival

Way Out Westport

21 - 24 May

Weds 27 May

Charlton Park

The Three Cups

Weekend Ticket: £125 - 190

Ticket Price: £15

Tickets available at: shindigfestival.co.uk

Tickets available at: westportsound.co.uk

Shindig Festival is a glorious mash up of a gig, a house party, a circus show, a comedy night, a wellbeing retreat and a kid’s party. There are no main stages, just a beautiful arrangement of stretch marquee venues so that you can be in amongst it or sitting on the grass, relaxing and supping something cold.

In EXTRA, three of contemporary music’s most fearless improvisers collide in a sonic high-speed chase that redefines what a jazz trio can be.

Far from revisiting standards or offering tidy interplay, the group constructs an explosive, multilayered language where glitchy electronics, hardcore grooves, and unruly textures crash into one another—often within a single phrase.

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

Did King Arthur Exist?

Professor Ronald Hutton

The Mighty Soul Destroyers + Arkansaw Jukebox

Wednesday 3 June

Saturday 6 June

Rausing Building

Malmesbury Town Hall

Ticket Price: £20

Ticket Price: £15

Tickets available at: athelstanmuseum.org.uk

Tickets available at: malmesbury-live-arts.org.uk

King Arthur is probably the best known royal hero in Western tradition, and he has enjoyed this popularity for eight hundred years.

Was there, however, a genuine leader behind the legend?

More of a tribe than a band, the Mighty Soul Destroyers have been playing their mix of cheese tinged, horn driven soul since Adam was a lad – and now their spiritual leader – the Rev Phil Harmonic. A 13 piece line up, with 6 awesome horns, 2 powerhouse female singers and a rock solid rhythm section, plus the Reverend himself at the altar of sweet soul music.

This talk looks at the evidence for one in the historical texts and archaeological material, and why experts came to believe in a historical Arthur around 1970 and this turned into a general tendency not to believe in one by the 1980s.

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All you have you do is come down for a beer and a boogie with your mates all profits go to Malmesbury Live Arts.

Summer 2026

Westonbirt Arboretum Forest Live 2026 24 June - 28 June Westonbirt Arboretum

Tickets available from Forest Live forestlive.com/westonbirtarboretum

Forest Live is a major live music series held in our nation’s forest. Join us among the trees to hear the best live music, connect with nature and discover unique locations across the country. Fatboy Slim (24 June), Deacon Blue (25 June), UB40 (26 June), Rick Astley (27 June) and Richard Ashcroft (28 June).

This is the ideal concert experience taking place in beautiful natural woodland arenas every summer, with a relaxed atmosphere and an incredible soundtrack.

By buying tickets from Forestry England, you are helping to grow and protect our nation’s forests for generations to come.

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

Malmesbury River Festival 2026 12 June - 5 July

Tickets available from Caerbladon caerbladon.co.uk/tickets

Across Malmesbury A new family friendly festival featuring new site-specific works, cultural events, community engagement and participatory activities that celebrate the river's cultural and environmental importance. Highlights include: Friday 12 June – Festival Opening 5pm Caerbladon (free admission): Waterpower is a sound installation by the Malmesbury sound artist, Mike Hipwell, which uses the recorded sounds of the rivers and streams of Malmesbury.

Where Rivers Meet an exhibition of work inspired by rivers in the Malmesbury area, including new paintings by Sandra Chin, Miranda Carter, Rachel Heard, and from our In Living Memory project Charles White and others.

Malmesbury River Project - photography by Richard Harris An exhibition of selected work about the Malmesbury rivers through the seasons (Birdcage Walk) Sunday 14 June - Malmesbury River Heritage Walk A guided river walk led by local historian Campbell Ritchie and scientist Dr. Jumana Akhtar exploring how the two rivers have shaped Malmesbury’s story.

Saturday 27 June - Landscape Artist of the Year Join us at the water’s edge as we enjoy a four hour art challenge.

10am - 2pm, St. Aldhelm’s Mead £10 registration

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Summer 2026

Troubled Waters by Corinne Harrigan, storyteller.

Ivana Kupala - Midsummer Festival

Friday 19 June 7.30pm Rausing Building

Friday 26 June 6 - 9pm Cloister Gardens

Ticket Price: £15

Free admission

Ancient river legend, folklore and myth Tickets available from Caerbladon caerbladon.co.uk/tickets

Malmesbury Stands with Ukraine (see Facebook) celebrates Ivana Kupala, an ancient Slavic midsummer festival honouring the elemental forces of fire and water.

Cynefin - band concert

River - Willem Dafoe/Radiohead

Saturday 27 June 7pm

Saturday 4 July 7pm Town Hall, Malmesbury

Town Hall, Malmesbury Ticket Price: £15

Ticket Price: £10

Following the river, Cynefin unearths seasoned songs, poems and stories and gives them new life in the present.

A cinematic and musical odyssey that explores the remarkable relationship between humans and rivers. Music by Radiohead.

Tickets available from Caerbladon caerbladon.co.uk/tickets

Tickets available from Caerbladon caerbladon.co.uk/tickets

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

Carnival Midsummer Garden Festival

Joanna Miller in Conversation

Saturday 20 June

Thursday 2 July

Abbey House Manor

Malmesbury Town Hall

Ticket Price: £10 (Under 13 free)

Ticket Price: £10 (£15 with book)

Tickets available from the Carnival malmesburycarnival.co.uk/events-info

Tickets from Barn Owl Books barnowlbooks.co.uk/events-and-whats-on

Join us for a celebration of music and theatre in the beautiful gardens at Abbey House manor.

Joanna Miller’s acclaimed debut historical novel, The Eights, follows the unlikely friendship of four women in Oxford’s first female class in 1920.

It is a captivating story of sisterhood, self-determination, courage, and what it means to come of age in a world that is forever changed.

BBQ and Bar available all day

Barn Owl Books is delighted to welcome Joanna to Malmesbury as part of her UK book tour.

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Summer 2026

Minety Music Festival 2 - 5 July The Common, Minety Ticket Price: £42 - 110 Tickets available from Minety Festival minetyfestival.co.uk/buy-tickets

Sherston Boules Festival 2026 Saturday 4 July Sherston Free to spectators Tickets for fundraising events available at www.sherstonboules.org/events

RHS Badminton Flower Show 8 - 12 July Badminton Estate Ticket Price: £38 - 107 Tickets available from Royal Horticultural Society rhs.org.uk

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

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Summer 2026

Malmesbury: The First 3,000 Years.

Tony McAleavy

Malmesbury’s Greatest Rogue: The Audience Decides!

Friday 10 July

Saturday 11 July

Town Hall, Malmesbury

Town Hall, Malmesbury

Ticket Price: £10

Ticket Price: £15

Tickets from Malmesbury Town Council malmesbury.gov.uk/what-s-on/magicalhistory-tour

Tickets from Malmesbury Town Council malmesbury.gov.uk/what-s-on/magicalhistory-tour

In this brand new talk for the Malmesbury Magical Mystery Tour, historian and author Tony McAleavy will be outlining highlights and new findings that help explain Malmesbury’s incredible continuous past.

Malmesbury’s rich history has plenty of heroes and heroines – and some notable rogues. It’s time to decide who is the greatest rogue of all.

From very recent Bronze Age discoveries to the town we think we know today, it will be an enjoyable and a very special treat.

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

A Land Aflame: Second Punic War but no Hannibal?

Ben Kane

Spooky Men’s Chorale Malmesbury Live Arts Finale

Wednesday 8 July

Saturday 25 July

Rausing Building

Malmesbury Abbey

Ticket Price: £20

Ticket Price: £28

Tickets available at: athelstanmuseum.org.uk

Join waiting list for tickets at: malmesbury-live-arts.org.uk

211 BC: Hannibal’s struggle against the Romans in Italy continues, but the Carthaginians have been utterly defeated in Sicily. Fleeing the island to Spain, Hanno and Aurelia are shipwrecked, and taken prisoner by local tribesmen. Unless they escape, a life of slavery and brutal treatment awaits.

The Spooky Men’s Chorale is a magnificent, many-headed beast which has single-handedly turned the world of men’s singing upside down.

Bypassing well trodden avenues, they carve out new territories of mighty man sounds, exquisite tenderness, and charming stupidity to both celebrate masculinity and mock it.

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Summer 2026

Malmesbury Carnival and Festival 2026 1 August to 6 September Across Malmesbury

Tickets available from the Carnival malmesburycarnival.co.uk/events-info

Malmesbury Carnival & Festival is a month-long community celebration held throughout August/early September in Malmesbury, designed to bring the community together and raise funds for local charities. The full programme can be viewed at malmesburycarnival.co.uk Highlights include: 1 - 28 August – Scarecrow Trail Sunday 2 August - Open Gardens 6 - 8 August - Athelstan Players Carnival Performance 17 - 21 August - Play in a Week (The Last Baguette) Saturday 22 August - Riding Lights Theatre Company Sunday 23 August - Petticoat Lane Friday 28 August Silent Disco Saturday 29 August - Carnival Jazz with Halfway Monday 31 August - Theatre in the Cloisters - Fail, Fail, Fail, Fail, Win! Saturday 5 September - Carnival Procession

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

Open Gardens Sunday 2 August Around Malmesbury Ticket Price: £7 A rare chance to look around some of the most beautiful gardens in Malmesbury.

Petticoat Lane Sunday 23 August 10am - 3pm High Street A wide variety of stalls with incredible produce and bargains fill our wonderful High Street.

Carnival Procession Saturday 5 September 6 - 8pm Around Malmesbury Bigger and better than ever, the Carnival showpiece event returns in all its glory.

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Summer 2026

The Wild Lullaby Jackie Morris and Cathy Fisher

Marking Out the Boundaries Lizzie Ross & Co

Monday 14 September

Saturday 19 September

Town Hall, Malmesbury

Malmesbury Abbey

Ticket Price: £10 ( £20 with book)

Ticket Price: tba

Tickets from Barn Owl Books barnowlbooks.co.uk/events-and-whats-on

Details available from caerbladon.co.uk/tickets

Jackie Morris and Cathy Fisher are acclaimed collaborators in children's literature, with Fisher illustrating several of Morris's stories, including The Panda's Child, The Summer Puppy, and the new book A Wild Lullaby. Both artists are based in Wales, creating, in partnership with Otter-Barry Books, stories focused on the bond between animals and humans.

A dance performance choreographed by Lizzi Kew Ross; exploring notions of boundary making and marking into a physical language shared between all the performers. The costumes worn by the dancers will echo the palette of Day Bowman’s large canvases hanging at intervals from the clerestory.

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The List What’s On Malmesbury

Flying Monk Art Trail 2026 Saturday and Sunday 26 - 27 September 10am - 4pm Malmesbury Area caerbladon.co.uk/projects/flying-monk-art-trail

This weekend event celebrates the quality of artists and makers living and working in the Malmesbury area. It is an opportunity to meet the artists in their studios, homes and pop-up spaces, and maybe pick up an original piece to take home. Buying artwork direct from the artists and makers is an enjoyable experience, you’ll be supporting local creativity while acquiring something special and unique that you will cherish in years to come.

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Summer 2026

Take Part Regular Activities For All Caerbladon Exhibitions, classes and workshops More information: caerbladon.co.uk

Malmesbury Town Hall Exhibitions, cinema and events

The Three Cups

More information: malmesbury.gov.uk

Exhibitions,open mic, supper clubs, workshops, live music and games

Riverside Community Centre

More information: three-cups.co.uk

Classes and workshops More information: riversidecommunitycentre.org.uk

Athelstan Museum

The Kings Arms Live music, community events and House DJ parties

Exhibitions,talks and workshops

More information: thekahotel.co.uk

More information athelstanmuseum.org.uk/events

Movies @ Malmesbury

Malmesbury U3A

More information: malmesbury.gov.uk/cinema

Workshops, talks, walks, book clubs and group activities More information: malmesburyu3a.org.uk

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Communuty cinema

Whatley Manor Jazz and cinema Sundays, workshops and wellbeing More information: whatleymanor.com

Coming Soon

Malmesbury Abbey Music Society The Berkeley Ensemble Wednesday 7 October 7pm Malmesbury Abbey

Diary What’s On Malmesbury

May 24

eat:Malmesbury

Town Centre

21 - 24

Shindig Festival

Charlton Park

27

Way Out Westport: EXTRA

The Three Cups

3

Did King Arthur Exist? Ronald Hutton

Rausing Building

6

The Mighty Soul Destroyers

Town Hall

12

Malmesbury River Festival launch

Caerbladon

19

Troubled Waters by Corinne Harragin

Rausing Building

20

Midsummer Garden Festival

Abbey House Manor

26

Ivana Kupala

Cloister Gardens

27

Cynefin - Following the River

Town Hall

2

Joanna Miller in Conversation

Town Hall

2-5

Minety Festival

Minety

4

Sherston Boules Festival

Sherston

4

RIVER film (Willem Dafoe/Radiohead) Town Hall

10 - 12

Malmesbury Magical History Tour

Around Malmesbury

8

A Land Aflame: Ben Kane

Rausing Building

25

Spooky Men’s Chorale

Malmesbury Abbey

June

July

August 1 - 31

Malmesbury Carnival and Festival 2026 Around Malmesbury

September 5

Carnival Procession

Around Malmesbury

14

Jackie Morris and Cathy Fisher

Town Hall

19

Marking Out the Bloundaries

Malmesbury Abbey

26 - 27

Flying Monk Art Trail

Around Malmesbury

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