The Newt’s Summer Festival Is All About Garnering Human Connection

Next weekend, a line-up of forward-thinking chefs, scientists, writers and architects will be heading to Somerset to speak at Gather & Grow, The Newt’s summer festival, which returns for its second year. This year’s theme is human bonds, exploring the ways in which we can connect with one another through nature, food, art and even technology.

Gather & Grow At The Newt: What To Expect

Returning from 18 – 20 July 2025, the festival will take place in the grounds of The Newt, a five-star country estate set across 800 acres of picturesque gardens, farmland and orchards in Somerset. The event will bring together wellness, food, crafts and horticulture: days will begin with early morning yoga and breathwork, followed by workshops and panel discussions, ending with farm-to-fork al fresco feasts. 

Each day will have a different focus, kicking off with a ‘Disconnect’ theme on the Friday. Panellists including clinical psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado, parenting journalist Lorraine Candy, and tech entrepreneur Sarah Wood OBE, hosted by brain scientist Professor David Nutt, will explore the changing landscape of children’s lives in the era of smartphones and social media. This will be followed with a feast curated by LA chef Jesse Jenkins, known by his Instagram moniker @adip_food, featuring seasonal produce grown at The Newt.

The Newt has acres of grounds to explore

Saturday is all about reconnecting, focusing on the natural world and technological innovation. Journalist Hannah MacInnes will moderate a talk with landscape architect Marian Boswall, filmmaker Bruce Parry, eco-chef Gaz Oakley, and Dr Alexandra (Daisy) Ginsberg, a curator who delves into ecological futures through AI. Afterwards, Chantelle Nicholson – founder of the Michelin Green Star restaurant Apricity – will serve a hyper-seasonal, low-waste feast designed to spotlight foraged ingredients.

The final day of the festival is all about celebrating connections. Names including food writer Melissa Hemsley, biologist and author Rupert Sheldrake, journalist Alice Vincent, and The Newt’s Head of Programmes Arthur Cole will discuss the power of storytelling across different generations, communities and cultures. This will culminate in lunch created by Galápagos-born chef Ana Ortiz, known for her live-fire cooking, alongside chef Gill Meller, who has worked at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage for over 15 years.

Throughout the event, there will be a whole host of nature-based experiences available for children too. Little festival goers can play garden games, look at books in the reading corner, meet birds of grey with the hotel’s gamekeeper, enjoy the family-friendly disco and more.

Since opening in 2019, The Newt has garnered a reputation as one of the UK’s top hotels – and was recently named the World’s Best Boutique Hotel in the World’s 50 Best Hotels awards. The main hotel is housed inside a grand Georgian building, with some rooms located within the adjacent farm building.

The bountiful landscape sits at the heart of the estate, which offers garden-to-table menus, horticultural courses, workshops, botanical spa treatments, and a shop selling fresh produce.

Book Tickets

Gather & Grow ticketed events are open to members and non-members, priced at £90 per person for a panel discussion and garden feast, and £35 for daily event access. thenewtinsomerset.com