Where there’s a well, there’s a way…..

If you’re thinking of visiting the annual Malvern Water and Well Dressing Festival 2025 over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, you’ll certainly be in for a treat.

Whether or not you’ve attended the event before, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead. Here we offer a few tips on getting the best possible experience.

Firstly, check the weather forecast and prepare accordingly – it’s not known as The Wet Weekend for nothing!

Secondly, get a map showing the locations of the dressed springs and wells (available online and from the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) in Great Malvern).

Thirdly, make a note of everything you want to do and see. As well as in the newsletter, you’ll find details of the following events in the local press, on social media, and various websites – see links and contact information below.

The Festival officially opens on Thursday the 1st of May with a lunchtime talk by MSA President Carly Tinkler on the history and future of Malvern Water in aid of the Mayor’s chosen charity Heart Start at Malvern Town Council’s offices in Victoria Park.

The dressings will go up on Friday the 2nd of May and many will remain in place for at least a week (the last day is Sunday the 11th). Over the weekend there will be events and entertainment in and around the town including well blessings and ceremonies, markets, and theatre performances. On Bank Holiday Monday, the water-themed Family Fun Day will return to Priory Park with stalls, activities, food and drink, music, maypole and Morris dancing, and the well dressers’ prize-giving. Also on Monday, up to 100 artists will partake in the ‘Spirit of Malvern’ outdoor painting competition, inspired by what they see and experience on the day.

This year up to 60 springs and wells will be dressed, to the theme of Folklore and Fairytales. You can set yourself the ambitious target of visiting each one, or select according to time available and mode of transport / accessibility (many features are along main roads but a few are high on the hill slopes which involves a scramble). Some people just want to visit sites which family and friends have dressed, others prefer to wait until the judges have announced the prize-winning dressings (usually by Sunday morning) and visit the Top 10.

If travelling under your own steam, note locations of facilities eg refreshments and toilets along the way (the TIC can help with this). If driving and not walking, bear in mind you may only get fleeting glances of the dressings, as parking / slowing down alongside may be difficult. If driving and walking or wheel-chairing, identify good parking spots in advance.

Cycling is a great way to see the sites, whether on- or off-road: you can hire bicycles (including e-bikes to help with steep slopes) in the town centre. You can also go on horse-back – there are bridleways on the Hills (in Victorian times you could have hired a donkey!). But travelling by Shank’s Pony ie on foot is one of the best ways to get around, whether visiting many sites or just a few.

If in doubt, take a minibus tour! Experienced drivers and guides will show you some of the best-dressed wells and explain about Malvern Water’s fascinating history. The tours run from Saturday to Tuesday, tickets are available from the TIC.

We look forward to seeing you.

Useful Links and Contact Information

Malvern Town Council (Malvern Water Talk info and booking): https://visitthemalverns.org/event/charity-talk-malvern-water

Malvern Tourist Information Centre (maps, minibus tickets, accommodation and much more)

• Address: Lyttelton Well Courtyard, 6 Church Street, Malvern WR14 2AY.
• Website: https://visitthemalverns.org.
• Tel: 01684 892289.
• Email: Nathan.Adams@malvernhills.gov.uk or info@visitthemalverns.org

MHDC website: https://visitthemalverns.org/event/malvern-well-dressing-and-water-festival

MSA website: This website!

MSA Facebook: https://facebook.com/share/1Beg7NB8Qg

Well Dressers Facebook: https://facebook.com/malvernwelldressing

MSA Instagram: https://instagram.com/malvernspaassociation

Bicycle hire: Happy Bike The Old Bottling Works, Bellevue Terrace, Malvern WR14 4PZ. https://www.visitthemalverns.org/attraction/happy-bike-malvern Tel: 07455 897815