That was September 2002. For the whole weekend there was an art exhibition in West Harptree Hall starting with a private view and a glass of wine on Friday night. Saturday saw the Taunton Garrison pitching camp for the whole day on Hayden’s Field while elsewhere there was a Talent Show and a Blues Band Workshop. In the evening Ken Campbell, who cost loads of dosh, gave the Festy goers a good night’s entertainment. Sunday, up and at it! Treasure Hunt in the morning with lunch and Irish music at the Crown, Jazz dance class, Music in the Church and a very small event at the Waldy called the Acoustic Brunch. The weekend ended with the Extravaganza and the birth of More Silage.

Into the Tardis and onwards & upwards. Over the next few years this group of intrepid Festy folk became more and more daring. Friday night had an event added to follow on after the Art Exhibition; Saturday and Sunday had a bucket load of workshops and events added, such as Oscar’s Street Dance, Salsa Workshop, Drumming Workshops, Illustration and Photographic Exhibitions and on Sunday morning the monster of all monsters was the Acoustic Brunch! Its venue was changed to East Harptree Theatre and the Bowden's supplied a mountain of newspapers. Suddenly the entire population of both villages and their friends and families came out to read and eat. Oh, forgot to mention, for those who wanted to work up an appetite there was a Workout with Wagner, Stretching with Strauss, Pogo with Paul and Bouncing with Bach.

The Saturday night spots were filled in 2003 by an hilarious South African theatre group called Fresco, 2004 by a night of Stand-Up Comedy, 2005 saw a visit to the Arab/Israeli border with Honolulu and in 2006 we had an incredible performance by Philip York as Robert Maxwell in Lies Have Been Told.

For 2007 there will be no Festival Field, but there will be just as many events, spread to different locations. Friday night sees the return of Animation Anarchy, if you weren’t there last year you missed personal appearances by Wallace & Gromit. On Saturday we’ve got another fantastic night of live theatre. Sherlock Holmes... The Last Act.

Just take a look on the events page and click on anything that takes your fancy. Tickets go on sale from 1st August, so be sure you get to the events you want by booking early.