Morag Stuart & Emma Warren

You coming in? Love your nails” say the crowd of smiling drag queens ushering us past the giant glitter ball hanging outside the pub. We’re strolling along the canal on a gorgeous spring evening. We feel underdressed by some margin, full of admiration and slightly envious of the freedom of styling it up in the city’s iconic gay village. We smile and walk on, sad to leave Manchester so soon.

Is there anything better than listening to the chatter and laughter of people having a good time? Public houses are a home for everyone. Brilliant staff know our names, our families, our lives. It doesn’t matter what kind of day you’ve had, what your friends think of your latest partner, the difficult conversations you’ve had with your counsellor or bank manager this week. It’s somewhere to escape from the world, play skittles, read a book, dance into the darkness.

Almost 400 pubs in England and Wales closed their doors in 2022 as landlords struggled with rising energy costs and food prices. We can’t have a town with no pubs!

Frome is fortunate to have new life breathed into old institutions. From the Flow Bar to the Lamb & Fountain, the Ship to the South Parade Club, there is something for everyone. You can play poker at the Football Club, dance till 2.30am at 23 Bath Street and sing karaoke at the Blue Boar. The Granary is hosting a Film Festival, you can watch the footie at Palmer Street, the six nations at the Rugby Club, discover new bands at the Tree House, take home locally brewed beers from the Griffin and indulge in boozy brunches at the Crown. Village pubs are really upping their game too, with live music, quiz nights and more community events. Have you reserved your table at the Three Horseshoes in Batcombe yet?

So, here’s to our magnificent pubs. They all need your support, now more than ever. Bank holidays are here. Get your DIY done, tidy your garden, invite your neighbours to toast our new King and then get yourselves down your local pub!

Design: blackinkstudio.co.uk Front

Frome Local History Festival

12th - 20th May, various venues

The theme of this year’s nine-day extravaganza is Woven in Time, reflecting the town’s early prosperity through its connection to the woollen industry. The Festival will include themed workshops, guided walks, open days and talks, along with highlighting other aspects of the town’s history and the surrounding area. There will be events during the week representing other features of the town’s history, including a play about wartime evacuees, a local history charity quiz night and a heritage café. More info: Facebook/Frome Local History Festival

Somerset Lavender Farm

Horsepond Farm, Faulkland BA3 5WA

Wednesdays - Sundays, 10am - 5pm, incl all May Bank holidays, Free

This beautiful working lavender farm is a local gem in the heart of Somerset. You are free to roam through acres of landscaped purple lavender fields and enjoy the farm shop and delicious café. Lots of different varieties of lavender and many other interesting plants and hanging baskets are available to buy. Donations help with the upkeep and future development of the farm and its facilities for visitors. www.somersetlavender.com

Mayday Dawning

Silk Mill, 1st May, 5.45am - 10am, Free

Welcome Spring with a mass singing event in Saxonvale to symbolise new beginnings. Singing at dawn on May Day is a tradition that dates back over 500 years, an experience that is definitely worth getting out of bed for! This beautiful celebration will be followed by other traditional May activities including Morris dancing, garland making, refreshments, music, and other May merriment. Everyone is welcome - come on your own, or as a group. www.maydaysaxonvale.co.uk/dawn

Frome International Climate Film Festival

George Hotel & Granary, 13th May, 11am - 11pm, Free

The Climates is in its second year and has attracted over thirty-five entries from more than six countries. The festival provides wonderfully diverse, engaging and thought-provoking films, as well as workshops, an art exhibition, awards ceremony and evening party. The award-winning films will be showcased at the Little Theatre in Bath on the 20th May, a red carpet event for the award-winning directors, family, friends and the public. www.climatefilmfestival.co.uk

May Bank Holiday Opening:

Monday 1st May CLOSED

Monday 8th May

Monday 29th May OPEN

9-10 Cheap St. 01373 473111 https://shop .winstonebooks.co.uk

BOX OFFICE

01373 455420

BUFFALO GALS PRESENT BLUEGRASS STRING-BAND SUNDAY SOCIAL SUNDAY 14 MAY - 2PM (FOOD+BAR FROM 1PM)

ILLYRIA PRESENTS ROBIN HOOD

SUNDAY 21 MAY - 4PM

OCTOPUS DREAM THEATRE PRESENTS I LOVE YOU, MUM – I PROMISE I WON’T DIE

THURSDAY 25 MAY - 7PM

01373 465949 merlintheatre.co.uk

Bath Rd . Frome . BA11 2HG

HOTHOUSE FLOWERS

THURSDAY 4TH MAY £39 ADV (+ SC)

JAH WOBBLE & THE INVADERS OF THE HEART SATURDAY 6TH MAY £22 ADV (+ SC)

THE PRETENDERS

TUESDAY 16TH MAY SOLD OUT!

KATE RUSBY

WEDNESDAY 17TH MAY £31.50 ADV (+ SC)

THE SOUTH

FRIDAY 19TH MAY £26.50 ADV (+ SC)

BIG COUNTRY & SPEAR OF DESTINY

SATURDAY 20TH MAY £33.50 ADV (+ SC)

LINDISFARNE

SATURDAY 27TH MAY £27.50 ADV (+ SC)

MONO

MONDAY 29TH MAY £17.50 ADV (+SC)

Wells Comedy Festival

26th - 28th May, various venues, tickets from £9

The Wells Comedy Festival returns for a seventh year, bringing a weekend-long comedy jamboree with dozens of comedians descending on the city across the bank holiday weekend. Shows this year include a live recording of Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast, Never Mind the Buzzcocks regular Jamali Maddix, triple threat Rosie Jones and Britain’s Got Talent finalist Nabil Abdulrashid.

School of Rock

Memorial Theatre, 2nd - 6th May

7.00pm, £18

Based on the hilarious hit movie, this musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn a few extra bucks by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band – sensationally performed live by the production’s young actors every night with roofraising energy!

Bar Lotte live music

Wednesdays 7.30pm and Sundays 5.30pm, Free

Bar Lotte hosts an incredible array of free music and boasts an impressive line-up, including some of Britain’s finest musicians. With regular gigs from renowned British saxophonist, Ian Ballamy, to some of England’s best singer-songwriters including Izzie Yardley, Alan Power and Blues outfit Rosco Shakes. On the menu is fine French cooking and an amazing selection of cocktails from the bar. If you’ve not been yet…you should.

Ma Y

WED 3 MA POLAINE

SUN 7 MADLOX

WED 10 IAIN BALLAMY

SUN 14 ALAN POWER

WED 17 ROSCO SHAKES

SUN 21 MĀSA

WED 24 IAIN BALLAMY

SUN 28 IZZIE YARDLEY’S SONG CLUB

WED 31 MARK LEWIS HEAVENOR

SPRING SUPPER CLUB

SAT 20 MAY | FROM 6:15PM

THE CLOISTERS AT THE BENNETT CENTRE, VICARAGE ST. FROME

FRI 28 & SAT 29 JULY

FROM 6:15PM

IRON MILL COTTAGE, OLDFORD

5 COURSES & A GLASS OF SOMERSET POMONA

£55 PER PERSON

TO BOOK CALL LUCY ON 07500484845

OR: POMONASUPPERCLUB@YAHOO.COM

Frome Festival

Friday 7th - Sunday 16th July

Frome will come alive with music, art and culture as the Frome Festival returns for its 22nd year. With over 200 events taking place across ten days, the Festival aims to celebrate the best of Frome, with events and activities happening in many places and spaces across the town - from venues and galleries to pubs and parks.

Early headliners will include a stellar comedy lineup starring Miles Jupp and Sophie Duker, big music acts including Asian Dub Foundation and Newton Faulkner, and fascinating talks by John Hegley, who presents Biscuits of Destiny, and celebrated historian William Dalrymple, who will give this year’s annual Bob Morris lecture. Alongside regular fixtures of the Festival such as the Food Feast, Hidden Gardens and Open Art Trail, this year’s programme celebrates the creative life of local poet Crysse Morrison with the inaugural Festival Poetry Competition, presented by world renowned stand-up poet and comedian Elvis McGonagall.

The Frome Independent

7th May, 10am - 3pm, Free

Frome has a long history as a market town, proudly continued by all our present-day markets, but have you ever wanted to know a bit more? From this month, visitors to the Frome Independent can join free guided walks led by Frome Heritage. Learn a brief history of the town, discover more about some of our historic buildings and the people who’ve shaped our town. thefromeindependent.org.uk

At the heart of the Festival is a programme of free and low-cost events generously supported by the National Lottery Community Fund. With accessible activities taking place every day of the Festival, more people than ever before will be able to experience the joys of live music, art, literature and theatre, as well as a busy programme for families and younger children.

Cheese & Grain, 17th May, 7pm, £31.50 adv

Currently celebrating 30 years of touring, Kate is England’s best-selling female folk artist and enjoys a wide and mainstream appeal. Her new album 30: Happy Returns reached number 1 in the Official Folk Chart and is a joyous celebration of her impressive career featuring artists such as Richard Hawley, KT Tunstall, Darlingside, Sarah Jarosz, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Sam Kelly and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION/ Newton Faulkner

Miles Jupp/Sophie

Duker/John Hegley/ London Gala

Orchestra/ Clare

Hammond/ Ian

Ballamy/William Dalrymple

Music / Theatre / Dance

Comedy / Spoken Word & Literature / Exhibitions

Visual Arts and Crafts

Family Friendly Activities

Walks / Talks and Lectures

Late Night EVENTS + so much more www.fromefestival.co.uk

SCULPTURE

CERAMICS

TEXTILES

INSTALLATION

GILDING

PRINTMAKING

RECYCLED ART

PAINTING

JEWELLERY

MOSAIC

LEATHER

PHOTOGRAPHY

WOOD

ILLUSTRATION

DIGITAL ART

ARTIST’S BOOKS

FURNITURE

METALWORK

GLASS

MIXED MEDIA

DRAWING wvat.co.uk

Sat 29 April - Mon 8 May

73 VENUES / 240+ ARTISTS EXHIBITIONS / OPEN STUDIOS WORKSHOPS / GALLERIES

WYLYE VALLEY ART TRAIL 29 April - 8 May

A celebration of visual art in south west Wiltshire

Free trail brochures available at tourist information centres, libraries, arts centres & lots of other places from mid- March. Download the App at wvat.co.uk

#WVAT’23

Hunting Raven Books

Frome’s award-winning independent bookshop

Winstone’s Hunting Raven Books is located in the medieval heart of Frome, on beautiful Cheap Street. Established over 30 years ago, our marvellous bookshop was the 2020 winner of British Independent Bookshop of the Year for the South West. With thousands of titles in stock, and a further half-a-million titles available to order overnight (for orders placed before 5pm), there truly is something for everyone. Literary events run throughout the year, with lots of new exciting things coming soon, such as subscription services, more book groups and bookish experiences and also a monthly pre-publication book review club called the Proof Pudding Club. t: 01373 473111 | www.winstonebooks.co.uk

Coronation Community Flags

Local artists Mel Day and Aliss Vaas are working with the Town Council and community groups to design and make beautiful flags. They will be hung across the town centre this month in place of bunting and be a welcome and colourful addition to the town during the Coronation. On Monday 8th May members of the public are also invited to take part in The Big Help Out. This will encourage people to try volunteering and to celebrate the amazing impact of volunteers in our town.

Best Of Enemies

National Theatre Live at Merlin Theatre, 18th May, 7pm, £16

David Harewood (Homeland) and Zachary Quinto (Star Trek) play feuding political rivals in James Graham’s (Sherwood) multiple award-winning new drama. In 1968 America, as two men fight to become the next president, all eyes are on the battle between two others: the cunningly conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and the unruly liberal Gore Vidal. As beliefs are challenged and slurs slung, a new frontier in American politics is opening and television news is about to be transformed forever.

Frome First Fridays

Black Swan Arts, 5th May, 6-8pm, Free

Frome is long-overdue a regular date to explore our fabulous venues after hours. Art galleries often host late night openings and private views, but it can sometimes be intimidating walking into an unknown space. As Frome’s community arts centre, Black Swan Arts wanted to throw open its doors to everyone in a friendly, fun and informal way. The awesome River House café will have a wide selection of soft and alcoholic drinks available, all the craft studios and the shop will open late too - and future months will see more venues join in with food, music and drinks along the walking trail throughout town.