The Sham Jam Festival logo with decorative text in gold and purple on a black background.

The Sham Jam Festival is Melksham’s new celebration of creativity, bringing together music, arts and community spirit. Showcasing local talent alongside national names, it transforms the town into a vibrant cultural experience each September.

18-27 September 2026
We’re on the look out for talent, artists, community groups and venues to participate
Contact us

Line-up and events

Grid view
Calendar view
Clear all
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
A passerby plays n an upright piano in Market Place, Melksham
Various locations

Play Me, Melksham

18/9/26 9:00
–
26/9/2026 17:00
FREE – no booking required
Music
Two polaroids showing Riverside Walk, with a flying bird out of focus, and engraved pillars in Melksham Town Hall
Various locations

Hidden Melksham: Photography Trail

18/9/26 9:00
–
27/9/2026 16:00
FREE – no booking required
Art
Exhibition
Nicola Davis artwork showing a colourful montage of female forms - painted on silk
Town Hall

Nicola Davis

18/9/26 10:00
–
26/9/2026 16:00
Open Monday - Saturday during normal Town Hall hours
FREE – no booking required
Exhibition
Wellbeing
Art
A colouring book version of Dark Side of the Moon Album cover on a desk with pens and a coffee.
Doubles

Colour in classic LP covers

18/9/26 10:00
–
27/9/2026 18:00
FREE – no booking required
Art
A graphic advertising 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen dance flash mob event
Market Place

Sham Jam Dance Flash Mob

Friday
18/9/26 18:00
–
18:30
FREE – no booking required
Enquire
Dance
Rich Hall, codedian is pictured sitting against a wall with an acoustic guitar
Assembly Hall

Rich Hall

Friday
18/9/26 19:00
–
23:00
£18.00
Book now
Comedy
Spoken word
Music
Photo of paint brush being handed to another
The Hiding Place

Canvas Swap

Friday
18/9/26 19:00
–
20:00
£5
Enquire
Art
Craft
Food & drink
Riverside Centre entrance
Riverside Centre

Open Mic

Friday
18/9/26 19:00
–
21:00
£3.00 fundraiser
Book now
Music
Spoken word
Paper dolls, pens, pencils and stickers with the message be art of our paper doll display
Melksham Library

Paper Doll Decorating

19/9/26 8:00
–
27/9/2026 18:00
FREE – no booking required
Art
A vegan market stall outside of the Town Hall
Market Place

Vegan Market

Saturday
19/9/26 10:00
–
15:00
FREE – no booking required
Food & drink
Market
A boy us sitting and playing a ukulele
Town Hall

Ukulele Workshop (morning)

Saturday
19/9/26 10:30
–
12:00
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Book now
Music
A variety of used spray cans sitting on the floor
Canberra Centre

Street Art Workshop with Mr Sce

Saturday
19/9/26 13:00
–
16:00
FREE – no booking required
Art
A boy us sitting and playing a ukulele
Town Hall

Ukulele Workshop (afternoon)

Saturday
19/9/26 13:30
–
15:00
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Book now
Music
Angelos Epithemiou
King George V Playing Field

Sham Jam Comedy Weekend

Saturday
19/9/26 14:30
–
21:00
£25.00 (VIP £35.00)
Book now
Comedy
Joke Competition indentifier with text and Melksham landmarks illustration including the old Melksham rubber factory
King George V Playing Field

Comedy Weekend Joke Competition

19/9/26 14:30
–
21:00
WIN a full refund for you and your friends!
Book now
Comedy
Image showing people stood outside The King's Arms enjoying entertainment.
The King's Arms

Live Acoustic Music

Saturday
19/9/26 19:30
–
21:30
FREE – no booking required
Music
Food & drink
Children and parents painting ceramics at a country fair
Market Place

Arty Kids Pottery Painting

Sunday
20/9/26 10:30
–
12:30
Ceramic objects of varying prices will be available to purchase
Cost dependent on participation level
Art
Workshop
Pottery
Craft
A close-up of graffiti artist’s arm applying spray paint from a can.
King George V Playing Field

Street Paint in the Park

Sunday
20/9/26 10:30
–
16:00
FREE – no booking required
Art
Publicity shots of Mark Watson and Chrissy Rock
King George V Playing Field

Sham Jam Comedy Weekend

Sunday
20/9/26 12:30
–
19:00
£25.00 (VIP £35.00)
Book now
Comedy
Joke Competition indentifier with text and Melksham landmarks illustration including the old Melksham rubber factory
King George V Playing Field

Comedy Weekend Joke Competition

20/9/26 12:30
–
19:30
WIN a full refund for you and your friends!
Book now
Comedy
Photo of the brewers from Milktown Brewery
The Hiding Place

Meet Milktown Brewery

Sunday
20/9/26 16:00
–
18:00
FREE – no booking required
Food & drink
Book cover or Anne Holland’s Stand By to Get Married featuring a war time telegram with a photo of newlyweds, uniformed groom with bride dressed in traditional wedding dress.
Melksham Library

Meet the author – Anne Holland

21/9/26 18:00
–
19:00
£3
Enquire
Literature
A women paints a ceramic pot at a desk.
Town Hall

Pottery Painting & Prosecco

Monday
21/9/26 18:30
–
21:00
£20.00
Book nowEnquire
Craft
Workshop
Art
Pottery
Lee Ingram and the One Voice choir pictured in a church
King George V Playing Field

One Voice Choir

Monday
21/9/26 19:00
–
21:00
FREE – no booking required
Music
Joe and Charlie of the Story Shed photographed in front of a life size cutout illustration of two characters from Heartstopper, a graphic novel by Alice Oseman
King George V Playing Field

Story Shed Daytime Workshop

Tuesday
22/9/26 11:00
–
17:00
Schools only
Enquire
Literature
Workshop
Rhyme Time typography with a fun illustration of a dog, moon, musical notes and book with a cat on it
Melksham Library

Rhyme Time – babies

Tuesday
22/9/26 11:00
–
11:30
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Enquire
Literature
Music
Joe and Charlie of the Story Shed photographed in front of a life size cutout illustration of two characters from Heartstopper, a graphic novel by Alice Oseman
King George V Playing Field

Story Shed Book Discussion and Creative Writing

Tuesday
22/9/26 19:00
–
21:30
FREE – no booking required
Literature
Workshop
A young woman performs with a mic with stage lighting
Doubles

Comedy Open Mic

Tuesday
22/9/26 19:00
–
22:00
FREE – no booking required
Comedy
Image showing Milktown brewery pumps
Avonside

Brewery Tour and Tasting

Wednesday
23/9/26 18:00
–
21:00
£15.00
Book now
Food & drink
Workshop
A huddle of mens legs stand around outside socialising
Various locations

Step Forward

Wednesday
23/9/26 18:30
–
20:30
*Food kindly sponsored by Evie’s Kitchen
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Book now
Community groups
Wellbeing
Spoken word
Photo showing origami pig
Town Hall

Origami Workshop

Wednesday
23/9/26 19:00
–
21:00
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Book now
Art
Craft
Workshop
Flowers laid out on a wooden bench
The Hiding Place

Flowers in Focus

Wednesday
23/9/26 19:00
–
21:30
£45
Enquire
Workshop
Art
Craft
Rhyme Time typography with a fun illustration of a dog, moon, musical notes and book with a cat on it
Melksham Library

Rhyme Time – toddlers

Thursday
24/9/26 11:00
–
11:30
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Enquire
Music
Literature
Street art spray cans of various colour sanding on the floor
Canberra Centre

Street art workshop

Thursday
24/9/26 16:30
–
19:00
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Details to follow
Art
Workshop
Graphic shows a mix of people networking with the text Creative Conversations, Discussing the Art of Business written over the top. Sponsored by Gooding Accounts.
King George V Playing Field

Creative Conversations

Thursday
24/9/26 18:00
–
20:00
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Book now
Spoken word
Heart mural created by Miriam in shop window
Assembly Hall

Sip & Paint Community Mural

Thursday
24/9/26 19:00
–
21:00
FREE – no booking required
Art
Craft
Workshop
Women singing at open mic night
The Hiding Place

Open Mic Night

Thursday
24/9/26 19:00
–
21:00
FREE – no booking required
Food & drink
Music
Spoken word
A DJ plays vinyl on some record decks
Doubles

DJ Workshop & Scratch Masterclass

Friday
25/9/26 17:00
–
19:00
£10
Music
Food & drink
Workshop
Courting Ghosts Acoustic logo
Market Place

Courting Ghosts Acoustic

Friday
25/9/26 18:00
–
19:00
FREE – no booking required
Music
A portrait of Martin Kemp photographed against a bluey/grey background
King George V Playing Field

Martin Kemp’s “Back To The 80s Party”

Friday
25/9/26 19:00
–
23:00
£22.50-£25.00
Book now
Music
A market stall holder standing in front of their work and stall on the market.
Market Place

Makers’ Market

Saturday
26/9/26 9:00
–
14:00
FREE – no booking required
Craft
Food & drink
Market
Two people from the Last Baguette perform Bin Rat with a puppet rat, outside mobile pink staging
King George V Playing Field

Bin Rat

Saturday
26/9/26 11:00
–
12:30
FREE – no booking required
Music
Drama
Comedy
A young woman reads a story to 4 children against a background of dragons castles and pirate ships to allude to imagination.
Melksham Library

Sham Jam Story Time

Saturday
26/9/26 11:00
–
12:00
FREE – limited spaces, booking required
Enquire
Literature
Photo of a hand colouring
Assembly Hall

Colour & Unwind

Saturday
26/9/26 12:00
–
14:00
FREE – no booking required
Art
Craft
Wellbeing
Two people from the Last Baguette perform Bin Rat with a puppet rat, outside mobile pink staging
King George V Playing Field

Bin Rat

Saturday
26/9/26 14:00
–
15:30
FREE – no booking required
Drama
Music
Comedy
Image showing people outside The Kings Arms enjoying entertainment.
The King's Arms

Live Acoustic Music

Saturday
26/9/26 19:30
–
21:30
FREE – no booking required
Food & drink
Music
A man's are holds up a can of spray paint and sprays a wall
Bath Road Toilet Block

Street Art Legacy with Mr Sce

Sunday
27/9/26 10:30
–
16:00
FREE – no booking required
Art
The Lee Ingram Quartet photographed with their instruments.
King George V Playing Field

Lazy Sunday Afternoon – KGV stage

Sunday
27/9/26 12:00
–
17:00
FREE – no booking required
Music
Al and Matt in Doubles
Doubles

Lazy Sunday Afternoon – Avonside

Sunday
27/9/26 12:00
–
18:00
FREE – no booking required
Music
A cropped photograph of members of the Terry Hill Big Band playing brass instruments
Assembly Hall

Ritzy Tea Dance with Terry Hill Big Band

Sunday
27/9/26 13:30
–
18:00
£6.00
Book now
Dance
Music

Sham Jam Dance Flash Mob

18:00
18:30
Market Place
18
2026-09-18

Rich Hall

19:00
23:00
Assembly Hall
18
2026-09-18

Canvas Swap

19:00
20:00
The Hiding Place
18
2026-09-18

Open Mic

19:00
21:00
Riverside Centre
18
2026-09-18

Vegan Market

10:00
15:00
Market Place
19
2026-09-19

Ukulele Workshop (morning)

10:30
12:00
Town Hall
19
2026-09-19

Street Art Workshop with Mr Sce

13:00
16:00
Canberra Centre
19
2026-09-19

Ukulele Workshop (afternoon)

13:30
15:00
Town Hall
19
2026-09-19

Sham Jam Comedy Weekend

14:30
21:00
King George V Playing Field
19
2026-09-19

Live Acoustic Music

19:30
21:30
The King's Arms
19
2026-09-19

Arty Kids Pottery Painting

10:30
12:30
Market Place
20
2026-09-20

Street Paint in the Park

10:30
16:00
King George V Playing Field
20
2026-09-20

Sham Jam Comedy Weekend

12:30
19:00
King George V Playing Field
20
2026-09-20

Meet Milktown Brewery

16:00
18:00
The Hiding Place
20
2026-09-20

Meet the author – Anne Holland

18:00
19:00
Melksham Library
21
2026-09-21

Pottery Painting & Prosecco

18:30
21:00
Town Hall
21
2026-09-21

One Voice Choir

19:00
21:00
King George V Playing Field
21
2026-09-21

Story Shed Daytime Workshop

11:00
17:00
King George V Playing Field
22
2026-09-22

Rhyme Time – babies

11:00
11:30
Melksham Library
22
2026-09-22

Story Shed Book Discussion and Creative Writing

19:00
21:30
King George V Playing Field
22
2026-09-22

Comedy Open Mic

19:00
22:00
Doubles
22
2026-09-22

Brewery Tour and Tasting

18:00
21:00
Avonside
23
2026-09-23

Step Forward

18:30
20:30
Various locations
23
2026-09-23

Origami Workshop

19:00
21:00
Town Hall
23
2026-09-23

Flowers in Focus

19:00
21:30
The Hiding Place
23
2026-09-23

Rhyme Time – toddlers

11:00
11:30
Melksham Library
24
2026-09-24

Street art workshop

16:30
19:00
Canberra Centre
24
2026-09-24

Creative Conversations

18:00
20:00
King George V Playing Field
24
2026-09-24

Sip & Paint Community Mural

19:00
21:00
Assembly Hall
24
2026-09-24

Open Mic Night

19:00
21:00
The Hiding Place
24
2026-09-24

DJ Workshop & Scratch Masterclass

17:00
19:00
Doubles
25
2026-09-25

Courting Ghosts Acoustic

18:00
19:00
Market Place
25
2026-09-25

Martin Kemp’s “Back To The 80s Party”

19:00
23:00
King George V Playing Field
25
2026-09-25

Makers’ Market

9:00
14:00
Market Place
26
2026-09-26

Bin Rat

11:00
12:30
King George V Playing Field
26
2026-09-26

Sham Jam Story Time

11:00
12:00
Melksham Library
26
2026-09-26

Colour & Unwind

12:00
14:00
Assembly Hall
26
2026-09-26

Bin Rat

14:00
15:30
King George V Playing Field
26
2026-09-26

Live Acoustic Music

19:30
21:30
The King's Arms
26
2026-09-26

Street Art Legacy with Mr Sce

10:30
16:00
Bath Road Toilet Block
27
2026-09-27

Lazy Sunday Afternoon – KGV stage

12:00
17:00
King George V Playing Field
27
2026-09-27

Lazy Sunday Afternoon – Avonside

12:00
18:00
Doubles
27
2026-09-27

Ritzy Tea Dance with Terry Hill Big Band

13:30
18:00
Assembly Hall
27
2026-09-27

Contact us

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Organised by
Melksham Town Council logoMelksham Assembly Hall logo
Sham Jam logo rendered in a street art style with gold typography, with a red outline and blue 3D effect.