The annual Wellington Midsummer Fayre will return to the town on Saturday 13 June 2026, bringing together thousands of residents to celebrate two major local milestones. The event, which runs from 10am to 3pm around Market Square, All Saints Church and Market Hall, serves as the community’s largest annual gathering.
This year’s celebration holds special significance as it marks the 250th anniversary of the landmark botany book published in 1776 by Wellington-born physician and botanist Dr William Withering. The commemoration is part of the broader Flora 250 programme, a series of 30 events developed by Wellington H2A to highlight the local environment that influenced Dr Withering’s work, including his pioneering research into using foxglove to treat heart conditions.
The fayre will also host the 50th-anniversary celebrations of two local dance groups, The Ironmen and Severn Gilders. Both groups were formed in 1976 and will lead performances in Market Square. The Ironmen are known for the Welsh Border tradition of Morris dancing, which features tatter jackets and disguised faces, while the Severn Gilders perform North West Morris, a style named in honour of local Coalport China painters.
Organised by Wellington H2A and All Saints Church, with support from local businesses, the event features a programme of singers, bands, and a costumed procession inspired by traditions dating back to the 1770s. Organisers have confirmed that all trader stalls for the event are now fully booked.
The Midsummer Fayre continues a long history of local festivities in the area, following in the footsteps of market traditions that date back to the first charter granted to the town in 1244.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
