Festivals celebrating culture and the arts will be taking place in autumn throughout The Malverns.

Over the years, some of the world’s most creative minds have used the area as a place to think, invent, write, paint, and play. 

The Area of Natural Beauty has been inspiration for such greats as the composer Edward Elgar, writers JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis, as well as landscape artist Dame Laura Knight.

Upcoming festivals include:

• Heritage Open Days (September 8-17): This year’s theme is ‘Creativity Unwrapped’ and the festival will highlight the creative people and places that give the UK’s heritage its X Factor. 

• The Regal Comedy Festival (September 9-23): The festival promises to bring hilarious stand-up comedy, classic comedic cinema and comedy workshops to Tenbury Wells.

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• Worcestershire Living History Show (September 16-17): A family-friendly re-enactment at Upton’s Fish meadow, promising an action-packed weekend of battles, displays, and history.

• Malvern Autumn Show (September 22-24): With record-breaking giant vegetables, show-stopping floral displays, delicious food, shopping galore and plenty of fun family entertainment, celebrate the very best of the season at the Malvern Autumn Show.

• Autumn in Malvern Festival (September 23 to October 29): The festival offers concerts, historical and artistic exhibitions, and talks in a variety of venues across Malvern.

• Tenbury Applefest (October 7): This is a celebration of apples and apple growing in Tenbury Wells.

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• Festival of Innovation Family Day (October 7): This year the free family day is aimed at giving young people hands-on experiences with practical science and technology.

• Great Malvern Festival of Stories for Children (October 24-29): This six-day festival has a mixture of free storytelling, ticketed events, puppet shows, author talks and workshops.

• Shakespeare Folio 400 (November 5-12): A brand new festival to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first folio – the first time that all Shakespeare’s plays were collated into one book. There will be a programme of plays, films, workshops and talks to celebrate at the Coach House Theatre in Great Malvern.

• FEAST (November 6-12): FEAST (Festival of Equality in Arts and Society through Theatre) is a week-long festival of theatre, dance, clowning, circus, workshops, and a community ‘Feast of Thought’.

• Tenbury Mistletoe Festival (December 1): This is the annual celebration of the UK’s largest mistletoe harvest in and around Tenbury Wells. Tenbury Mistletoe Festival will be hosted on December 1 with a new Mistletoe Eve event on December 2 at The Regal in Tenbury Wells.

Beverley Nielsen, portfolio holder for economic development and tourism at Malvern Hills District Council, said: “We are so lucky that our wonderful district has such a rich cultural history with passionate residents ready and keen to celebrate this fact.

“We are spoiled for choice with the number of events and festivals to enjoy this autumn. It is a great opportunity to support our local businesses and organisations.”

Visit www.visitthemalverns.org/cultural to find out more about the festivals and how to book.