October Events 2025
Welcome to the 37th year of Bewdley Festival’s annual celebration of the Arts, which get under way on the 10th of October.
As ever the Bewdley Festival team has brought together an exciting and varied range of performers, artists, experts and comedians to the people of Bewdley and North Worcestershire.
Over the years quality musicians have played an important role in the Bewdley Festival programme and 2025 is no exception
Opening the Festival on Friday 10th is the very exciting young blues guitarist: Toby Lee, still only 20 years old and hailed as “one of the best guitarists in Britain”. A multi award winner performing on the biggest stages including alongside Jools Holland, Toby and his band are sure to bring some high energy blues and soul to Bewdley.
We host a true legend of the music world on Tuesday evening when world-renowned Joe Boyd talks about his new book ‘And the Roots of Rhythm Remain’. Joe’s name may not be immediately recognised by everyone, but there is no doubt that you’ll know his extraordinary canon of work as a producer, writer and record label boss over a 60-year career. This will be one of those special Festival evenings when you will be exposed to insights, anecdotes and stories from deep inside the global music business.
Bewdley Festival has seen some legendary folk performances over its 37-year history and this year The Urban Folk Quartet come to town on Friday 17th. This exciting band fuses folk melodies with musical influences from around the globe. This heady mixture from four very fine musicians will make for a high-octane evening – expect St. George’s Hall to be bouncing all night long!
We are delighted to welcome back the fine singer Roland Gift, frontman of the Fine Young Cannibals. Many will remember his sold out electrifying appearance at the festival in 2018, and we’re delighted that he is returning with this new show as a duo. This is indeed a rare chance to see Roland in such an intimate venue.
Finally on the music front, Saturday 25th October brings another Festival returnee – Mark Bebbington. Mark is one of the UK’s leading pianists with many recordings to his name – especially focused on the music of English composers. His programme this year includes English music from John Ireland as well as blockbuster works from Beethoven and Liszt.
We have a literary feast for you on Saturday 11th. In the afternoon a titan of English Literature, author Jonathan Coe, will be in conversation with Adrian Goldberg on stage at St. George’s Hall. Later that evening in the same venue we are delighted to welcome performance poet extraordinaire Brian Bilston. This is a rare opportunity to see and hear from both a pre-eminent author and one of the country’s leading poets – why not make a day of it!
Broadcaster Adrian Goldberg is a long-term supporter of Bewdley Festival, and this year he is especially busy. Fresh from his conversation with Jonathan Coe, on Sunday 12th he will be talking with one of the nations’ favourite soap stars, Mikey North about his time on Coronation Street as Gary Windass, from a child actor to the present day.
And Adrian isn’t finished there; on Thursday 16th he will be discussing his new book ‘Where’s the Money Gone’ a deep dive into the finances of modern-day football and the impact on the traditions of the game and the supporters.
On Monday evening top comedian Ria Lina brings her unique observations to Bewdley Festival. Expect a relentless stream of hilarity as Ria explores the state of the world, the eternal battle of the sexes, and the delight of throwing life up in the air after years of following the rules.
The laughs continue on Thursday evening when top comedian and podcaster Richard Herring brings his RHLSTP (Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast) podcast to town. In each podcast Richard interviews another comedian, and he will be recording two episodes of the show in front of a live audience – you! Anticipate a lot of laughter!!
On Tuesday 14th Bewdley Festival features a double helping of nature-related events from two local experts. Matthew Terry, chair of the Worcestershire Bat Group, reveals the latest research on the Bats of Bewdley and he is followed by Rosemary Winnall who will be drawing on her long experience and knowledge of The Wyre Forest to bring you ‘Nature in Focus’.
Bewdley Festival would seem incomplete without history and historical figures being brought to life by Max Keen, who will be exploring the life and legacy of Clive of India, and the incomparable Lesley Smith. Lesley will be portraying Anne Hathaway as she breaks down the mysteries surrounding Shakespeare’s wife.
On the subject of playwrights, an adaptation of Orwell’s classic Animal Farm by Guy Masterson has been reprised to mark the 70th anniversary of its first publication. This one-man play, featuring Sam Blythe, comes at a time when the message of the piece seems as apposite as ever!
Art Events are well represented at Bewdley Festival this year. The Festival Exhibition runs from the 6th to the 27th October in Bewdley Museum and features works by two artists from the Royal Birmingham Society of Arts, Colin Simmonds RBSA and Peter Sheard RBSA, both renowned landscape artists.
We have teamed up with artist Sarah Stokes and the talented team at Olive and Plum Art Retreats to bring you three hands-on creative workshops under the banner Pencil & Paint – read more and book your place here. Please note, these workshops have a maximum of 30 participants.
Our ‘Exhibition on Film’ on the big screen at St. George’s Hall on Thursday 16th October promises to be a real treat. ‘Van Gogh – Poets & Lovers’ was made in close collaboration with the National Gallery and covers their sold-out exhibition of Van Gogh’s work, the largest ever in the UK.
Finally on 26th October our community art project ‘Paint the Day’ is being organised in conjunction with Sarah Stokes for the second year running. Artists of all ages and abilities are invited to enter the competition, and you can read all about it, and register, by clicking here.
See the online brochure below.
