
Merry May Day!
The year is flying by, and plans for this year’s Malvern Water and Well Dressing Festival are in full swing. As always, that means well dressings, blessings, art, music, dance, and much May Day revelry!
We hope you will be able to visit some if not all of the dressed springs and wells (at least 50 sites), and enjoy the various festivities and events which are being arranged in and around the town.
The dressings will go up on Friday the 3rd of May. On Monday the 6th of May, the water-themed event will return to Priory Park. It proved hugely popular last year, and will be bigger and better than ever. Also, this year, the festival will extend into Malvern Link and Barnards Green.
The main events are listed below, but others will be announced during the lead-up to the festival, so keep your eye on social and other media.

Trees!
This year, the chosen theme is Trees. MSA well-dressing organiser Sue Dakin said, “There was no particular reason for the well dressers’ choice of ‘Trees’ for this year’s theme, it’s just what the majority liked. In fact, it was whittled down from 37 suggestions! We emphasise that the theme needs to be broad, and it can be interpreted in any way the dressers wish. I am always amazed at the way in which they do this”.

Dressers include families; local schools, groups and societies; early years centres; Guides, Malvern Youth Club, The Cube, The Fold, and many, many more. Last year, around 800 people of all ages were involved.
Main Events Timetable 2024
The wells will be dressed during Friday 3rd May, and judged the following day. Most will be up for several days, with the last ones being dismantled on Sunday 12th May.
This year, for the first time, local traders and businesses will pair up with local artists to create window displays featuring the well dressing theme.
On Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th, there will be a variety of events, exhibitions, tours, and talks, in and around the town. Great Malvern Arts Market will be held in the grounds of Great Malvern Priory on Saturday, and on Sunday, there will be a performing arts event on Abbey Road. The British Society of Dowsers will be at The Cube all weekend.
On Monday 6th, the water festival fun day will be held in Priory Park, and the well dressers’ prize-giving event takes place.
Water-related events are planned for the following week as well, with the focus on Malvern Link and Barnards Green. There will be many visitors in the town in the lead up to the RHS Malvern Spring Festival Flower and Garden Show at the Three Counties Showground, which runs from Thursday 9th to Sunday 12th May.
You’ll find all the information you need and more by following the links below, but do keep an eye out for updates on this website, and social and other media, especially:
https://www.visitthemalverns.org/event/malvern-well-dressing-and-water-festival/
MalvernWellDressing on Facebook.
Also, in April, look out for our Spring 2024 newsletter, which should contain the most up-to-date information, along with its usual range of interesting and hopefully entertaining articles.
Best wishes,
Carly Tinkler
MSA President
A detailed list of the events happening during the 2024 festival will be published soon.
Before you visit the dressed wells, it’s probably a good idea to work out where they are and how to get there.
There will be maps and guides available on this page.
View the photos from last year’s festival