THREE days of bank holiday weekend ‘fantastic music’ starts on Saturday (May 23) as the Dunster Festival returns for its 2026 season.

The festival runs until Monday and has events for all ages, including family concerts, choral workshops, evening recitals, and live music and entertainment in Dunster Village Garden, off Church Street.

Festivities actually kick-off on the Saturday a few miles away in Watchet, where an interactive family-friendly concert for all ages will take place at 11 am on the East Quay.

Returning to Dunster, at 3 pm there is a cream tea concert with Ensemble Hesperi in the village’s historic Tithe Barn, celebrating all things horticultural in music.

Award-winning vocal ensemble The Marian Consort round off the day at 7.30 pm as they return to the Priory Church of St George with a programme showcasing past and present English choral music.

Sunday sees a morning festival service in the church followed by an afternoon choral workshop in the Tithe Barn led by festival artistic co-director Rory McCleery, an evening concert by Kensington Brass, and a 9 pm candlelight concert with tenor Thomas Elwin accompanied on the harp by Rachel Wick.

Moving into bank holiday Monday and visitors are invited to enjoy the forecast warm weather by taking a picnic to the village garden for ‘Music in the Gardens’, between 12 noon and 3 pm, featuring Kensington Brass and Thomas Elwin, while there will also be children’s entertainments and face painting, food trucks, an ice-cream van, tea and cakes, and a bar.

The festival finale will follow at 3.30 pm, a rousing English baroque spectacular in the church with The Marian Consort and Ensemble Hesperi performing some of the finest works by Henry Purcell, the ‘British Orpheus’, and his contemporary John Blow.

Tickets can be booked online.