Consider the Wondrous launches in Frome this month

A new festival is taking place in Frome this month, focusing on reconnection, nature and our place in the world.

‘Consider the Wondrous’ will take place at Rise on Whittox Lane on 19th and 20th September. The festival is a collaboration between Tina Gaisford-Waller of Winstone’s Hunting Raven Books in Frome and Gareth Howell-Jones, who is the official bookseller at Hay Festival.

Also an author, Gareth visited Frome last year for a book event and was captivated by the town’s vibrancy and unique character.

He said, “The festival itself has been growing in my mind for some years but I was looking for the perfect location to make it happen. As soon as I came to Frome, I just knew it had to be here.”

The full programme can be found online at considerthewondrous.com and features authors including Cal Flyn, Horatio Clare, Stephen Moss, Dara McAnulty and Michael Malay, as well as local favourites Julian Hight, Iain Ballamy and actor and ecologist David Oakes.

As part of the festival, two of Frome’s acclaimed performers will join forces for We Are Nature, an evening of words and music. Actor and ecologist David Oakes, known for The Pillars of the Earth, Vikings: Valhalla and the podcast Trees A Crowd, and jazz musician Iain Ballamy will be joined by London-based keyboardist Elliot Galvin for the one-off celebration of the living world.

The event will take place on Saturday 19th September at Rise from 7.45pm. Tickets cost £20 and include a donation to Friends of River Frome.

Gareth said, “What a privilege to have such talent on the doorstep! This is the perfect gig for an early autumn evening – colourful but mellow with truly thought-provoking writing within this amazing aura of sound.”

Pictured: l-r Tina and Gareth