The Eisteddfod 2010, one of the top attraction in Wales
if you have grown used to travelling abroad during the summer for your vacactions, you might be interested in something more ‘local’. Focus your attentions on the west of the UK, to a country with its own specially unique cultural charm.
Anyone considering weekend breaks in Wales or looking for things to do in Wales would be well served by a visit to the biggest annual Welsh language and cultural festival - The National Eisteddfod. Eisteddfod alternates the venue between north and south of the country during the first weeks of August, with Ebbw Vale being the next host in 2010.
The largest cultural event in Europe is the National Eisteddfod of Wales, the principle event in the nation’s calendar. The event is a celebration of Welsh culture, so the proceedings are conducted mainly in the Welsh language, although with over 150,000 visitors per week, there is plenty of English spoken. You’ll receive a warm welcome at the Eisteddfod regardless of whether or not you can speak Welsh and a translating kit can be picked up for the day as you arrive.
You don’t need to have a wide knowlede of the language, it is possible to absorb the rich offerings of music, dance and crafts. The majority of the events are conducted in the main field or Maes, with the pavilion being the focal point of the festival where you can find dance, recitatiion competitions and poetry. These include the Crowning (best work in free verse), Daniel Owen memorial prize (best unpublished Welsh novel), the Prose Medal, and the Chairing of the winning poet.
There are also theatre, arts and crafts exhibitions, a literature pavilion, an area for Welsh learners to hone their language skills and plenty of plenty of food and drink. Or travel a little further afield and experience some of the first class restaurants in Wales that are nearby. There are evening entertainments galore as part of the Eisteddfod including plays, concerts, comedy shows and performances by local groups. If you are interested in bands and rock groups, there are loads of gigs in Welsh and in English in the main arena or areas close to the main paviliion.
