Gather, grow and regenerate at The Newt in Somerset, with star-studded festival lineup announced

The Newt has launched its first 'Gather & Grow' festival, which will dig into discussions on gardening, farming and wellness.

Summer might be waning, but the festival season is still with us, for at least a few more weeks. After Glastonbury, Wilderness or Hay Festival, you might be feeling a little exhausted, which is why Gather & Grow, hosted by The Newt in Somerset has certainly caught my eye.

The theme is Regeneration — lord knows I need some — and the three-day festival will see discussions based around the topics of gardening, farming and wellness. Running from August 30 to September 1, headline guests include Andy Cato (co-founder of Wildfarmed and, I suppose, co-founder of Groove Armada), Country Life favourite Jinny Blom, barrister-cum-author Sarah Langford, Fergus Garret (head gardener at Great Dixter) and River Cottage’s Gill Meller.

‘Regenerative philosophy can be applied across multiple strands of our lives, with the aim of reducing our impact, heightening our understanding, increasing our awareness, and ultimately protecting our future,’ says The Newt CEO Edward Workman. ‘We are very excited to bring together an inspiring group of practitioners, advocates, designers and gardeners for three special days this summer, sowing seeds of change that can benefit us all.’

It’s not just talks and discussions though. Friday night’s theme of ‘The Regenerative Power of Gardens’ will be followed by a three-course dinner under canvas, while Saturday night’s talks on ‘The Future of Farming’, will also be followed by dinner, this time cooked over a fire by Somerset-based chef Ana Ortiz.

Sunday will ‘shine a spotlight on Self Regen’, with Richie Norton leading breathwork exercises, before the weekend is seen off with Sentia mocktails and nibbles in The Newt’s famous garden.

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Tickets to Friday and Saturday’s discussion and dinners are £75, while Sunday’s discussion and refreshments are £45. For more information, click here