ORGANISERS of this year’s Dunster Winter Festival are hoping the weather does not dampen the sparkle of the event as it returns bigger, brighter, and filled with festive medieval charm.

Last year’s inaugural festival was all but wiped out when Storm Darragh ravaged West Somerset and much of the rest of the country.

This year’s festival runs over three days from Friday to Sunday, December 5 to 7, offering a weekend of music, history, crafts, food, and family fun.

It launches on Friday evening with a sumptuous medieval banquet in the village’s Tithe Barn, created by the award-winning team from Reeves Restaurant.

Guests can enjoy live entertainment, including jousting displays, jesters, singers, and lyre players, and try their hand at medieval gambling or the stocks.

The barn will have straw on the floor, hanging Medieval pennants made by Dunster’s Knit and Natter group, and art provided by The Medieval Gallery.

Across the weekend, Dunster will become a living medieval experience as the Tithe Barn hosts historical displays and demonstrations, with fighting, archery, and weapon skills from Wessex Medieval Alliance, Historic England Martial Arts, and Bowlore.

Children can join supervised ‘battles’ with knights in armour, and on Saturday, historian Brian Hoggard will deliver an illustrated talk, ‘Medieval Beliefs in Villages like Dunster,’ exploring the hidden charms, marks, and rituals found in historic homes.

Families can enjoy a packed schedule of free children’s activities in the Exmoor National Park Centre, organised by Homestart, plus there are craft sessions, make-your-own marshmallow snowmen, reindeer food, a village treasure trail with a winner’s prize of an Amazon Fire Kids Pro edition, and pre-bookable timed visits to see Santa.

Dunster Castle will be open and dressed for Christmas, offering visitors an opportunity to explore its rooms and grounds in festive splendour, and meet Santa’s reindeer.

St George’s Church and the Yarn Market Hotel will host a strong musical line-up including the West Somerset Brass Band, Dunster Carollers, and the Ivor Novello Award-winning Mediaeval Baebes, whose Twelfth Moon concert takes place on Sunday afternoon with tickets separately available from the group’s website.

The Mediaeval Baebes will lead a torch-lit procession at 2 pm on Sunday from the Yarn Market to St George’s Church, accompanied by the Wessex Medieval Alliance with visitors invited to join in.

Dunster’s independent shops will be open throughout the weekend, with many hosting special events, including festive menus, live music and a hog roast in the Yarn Market Hotel, music in the Stags Head pub, and an art exhibition in Ashleigh Bishop’s gallery.

Dunster Community Orchard will also be selling its popular mulled apple juice in High Street.

The village will be dressed for Christmas with natural foliage and medieval shields made by Minehead Shed and decorated by the older children of Dunster First School, and a Christmas tree for High Street will be provided by the Dunster Estate.

The village and car parks will operate as normal, but visitors are encouraged to arrive early as the festival is expected to be busy.

A cash-only shuttle bus between Minehead’s railway station and Dunster will run from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm.

Festival director David Noad said: “We are really excited about the line-up for this year’s Dunster Winter Festival, which brings together so many people from our wonderful community.

“It is going to be a fantastic weekend, with a wide range of events and activities for all ages and interests, raising much-needed funds for local charities and groups.

“We have learnt from last year’s bad weather, and the 2025 festival is far more weather-resilient.

“We hope as many people as possible will come and support us, we look forward to seeing you there.

“Please remember the events take place during the daytime and that there is no road closure.”

Tickets for festival events are available from its website.