The summer months are awash with fayres and festivals, many of which occur outdoors at the mercy of the elements and often feature mud-spattered wellies somewhere along the line.
There are loads of festivals taking place in our area this summer; choose from agricultural shows to steam and vintage rallies, to food and drink festivals as well as music and comedy. With such a wide choice on offer, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. Over the following pages, you’ll find lots of information about some of the forthcoming fayres and festivals to help you squeeze the very most out of the Welsh summer!
Where shall we go?
Brecon County Show
2nd August
The Brecon County Show is held annually on the 1st Saturday in August. The Show is based around the Cattle, Sheep, Horse & Pony classes which attract exhibitors from all over the country. There are also 100 trade exhibitors bringing you the best in British Farm Produce, the latest tractors & farm machinery and cars to anything for the garden. From clothing and jewellery to hand made cards, there is something for everyone. Combine this with vintage and modern machinery, Dog Show, rides and stalls for children, a beer tent and much more you will be sure to have a great family day out.
Visit www.breconcounty.show.co.uk
Brecon Jazz Festival
7th – 10th August
This is the 30th year of the world-famous Brecon Jazz Festival. This year the line up will feature a sprinkling of stellar names and leading lights of the jazz world. This year the atmosphere will again be enhanced with colourful street entertainment that proved so popular in keeping all ages entertained around town.
Visit www.breconjazz.org for programme, venue and ticket information.
Brecon Fringe Festival
8th – 11th August
The Fringe is an open-access event, which means gigs and events over the Fringe are organised and funded independently by local landlords, venue owners and individuals. Events are then promoted under the title Brecon Fringe Festival. Many of these events are regulars, such as gigs at pubs and galleries but anyone can put an event on as part of the Brecon Festival Fringe. Brecon Fringe Festival offers opportunities for local bands to perform (as well as bands from further afield).
Visit the Fringe if you like blues, rock, R&B, comedy, dance and alternative performances as well as occasional bursts of jazz. There are also family friendly events and workshops and children’s entertainment.
Visit www.breconfringe.co.uk for the full programme and venue information
Steam & Vintage Rally
10th August
The 34th Steam and Vintage Rally will be held on 10th August at Boatside Farm Hay-on-Wye HR3 5RS. It will be organised by the Three Cocks Vintage Society and it promises to live up to its reputation as being a great day out for all the family.
There will be a spectacular aerobatic display and a motorcycle stunt show performed by Flyin Ryan. Entries are good for the numerous vintage sections from the large steam traction engines down to the smaller stationary engines. There will be plenty of cars of various types, tractors, motor and pedal cycles and a variety of exhibits in Granddads Collection.
The model and craft marquee will be full of superb models and various exhibitors demonstrating their crafts. Other crafts will be found around the field –woodcarving, cider making, stone masonry and there will be a working arena.
There will be opportunities to shop, watch the ferret racing, listen to the fair organs or take a trip down the Wye Valley on a Helicopter. There will also be a tug-of-war competition.
Admission is £7 adults, £6 senior citizens and £3 children over 11 under 11 go in free!
Please support the Rally as profits go to Charity.
Any queries please contact 01874711110 or email info@vintage-society.org
Green Man Festival
14th – 17th August, Glanusk Park
Located in one of the most beautiful festival sites in the UK, this independent, intimate festival has a 10 year tradition of championing great music, good times and good causes. 1500 performers, 24 hour entertainment, comedy, poetry, literature, art & science, fun for 12 and unders and a separate area just for teens, spas, therapies, hot piping showers, luxury camping areas, local ale and cider sipping, all night bonfires, gorgeous selection of locally sourced food over 4 days of festival fun, the award winning Green Man really has got it all.
Visit www.greenman.net for further info and ticket details
Bwlch Gardening Show
16th August
Bwlch Gardening Association celebrates its 36th Annual Show at All Saints Church in Bwlch. Entries are from 10am-noon with the show opening to the public from 2pm-4pm.
Brecon Beacons Summer Fayre
23rd – 25th August
If you’re a fan of food, music, or the arts, the National Park Visitor Centre Libanus, near Brecon is the place to be this August Bank Holiday weekend for the Tenth annual Brecon Beacons Summer Fayre.
Come rain or shine join the fun at this celebration of Welsh food, drink, arts & crafts. You’ll discover over 70 stands to explore, children’s activities and live entertainment set to spill on to the front lawn and surrounding fields.
While you browse through an endless array of local food, arts and crafts, your little ones will be kept entertained by a range of inspiring activities including willow sculpting, badge-making, face-painting, pottery turning, a bouncy castle, and guitar and folk dancing lessons.
The selection of local produce on offer at this year’s Summer Fayre includes organic meats, dressings, fresh fruit and vegetables, jams, chutneys, smoked foods, honey, bread, ciders, beers and wines, cheeses, biscuits cakes, chocolates, ice creams and more.
It’s a great family day out supporting local Welsh producers. It’s free entry and only £2 to park for the full day.
The festival runs from 10am to 5pm each day.
Talgarth Festival
23rd & 24th August
The recorded history of Talgarth reveals that since 1292, when Bishop of St David’s granted the town market and Fair Rights, there have been annual gatherings in the town. The current Festival follows this tradition. Talgarth Festival of the Black Mountains is a ‘free’ summer festival located all around the small market town. Based on the Market Square, it caters for a variety people, ages and interests.
A true celebration of food, farming, music and the countryside. It remains one of the few Festivals who provide free entry, free parking and, on the whole, free entertainment.
Visit www.talgarthfestival.org.uk for further information
Talybont Show
23rd August 2014
The Annual Talybont-on-Usk Show will be held on the afternoon of Saturday 23rd August at the Henderson Hall (LD3 7YQ). There will be attractions to appeal to all ages as well as the chance to view the exhibits from adults and young people.
The Show will open at 1.30pm with the Cavern Brass Quintet to help get everyone in the mood for a traditional village event; they will play again between the fancy dress competition and the sports.
At 2.00p.m. the fancy dress competition, kindly organised by Sarah Osborne and Margaret Cox, will take place on the Playing Fields; this is always a popular event for competitors and spectators. The children always come up with some really original ideas for their costumes but very often we wonder why there are not at least a few adults taking part. So, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and neighbours why not be just a little bit brave and have a go – you might surprise yourself at how much fun it can be and you might even win! The hardest task in the afternoon is judging this competition and we are delighted that once again Sue Large has agreed to take on the role.
The sports for children and adults will begin at 3.00pm; these events will be organised, with great enthusiasm by Chris Jones and his team of helpers. They are so keen that they may even add additional races to those set out in the Show Schedule! Trophies will be awarded to the girl and boy gaining the highest number of points in the sports; these trophies are awarded for life and I gather that they continue to be a treasured memento of a childhood triumph.
There will be something to tempt all visitors to the Show. Talybont WI will be serving teas throughout the afternoon. The miniature steam train will be making a welcome return to Talybont Show giving the opportunity, for young people and the not so young, to ride a train in Talybont-on-Usk! Also, on the field there will be a Bouncy Castle, coconut shy, a raffle as well as a bottle stall to try your luck on. The week before the Show Stuart Iles and his team of helpers will be contacting locals to request that they donate a bottle for the stall so if you can have a bottle or bottles ready when they call it is very much appreciated and helps to fund the Show which is such a popular village event.
In addition on the field there will be an exhibition of bikes that have been collected by the James family. There will also be a display of bees. The plant stall will be organised by Neville Danby; please bring contributions for this on the morning of the Show or give them to Neville beforehand.
The Show Schedule sets out all the competitions for adults and young people; if you haven’t yet got yours copies are available in Talybont Stores, Canalside Café and Post Office. For adults there are horticultural, floral art, domestic, handicraft, art and photography sections. The Local Section is confined to all members of Talybont Gardening Association (TGA) and anyone living within a four mile radius of the village. The Open Section is open to anyone irrespective of membership of the TGA or where they live. When all the entries are exhibited on the day in the Henderson Hall it is a wonderful sight. This year there is a new prize a £15.00 voucher generously donated by the Walled Garden Treberfydd for the winner of Class 21, ‘A collection of 4 kinds of culinary herbs’, see, page 4 of the Schedule.
The Children’s and Young People’s Section has become so popular the committee have decided to provide more space this year! The competitions for this section have been moved to a different part of the Schedule this year, they can be found on pages 14 – 18; there may be some ideas for activities to counter boredom on a wet day! Once again there is a Family Challenge the key ingredient this year is a carrot so families it is time to put your thinking caps on! The display of the entries from the children and young people are always admired by visitors to the show and they are justly a matter of pride for all the entrants, their families and friends. The judges are always impressed by the inventive, original ideas and the care taken by the competitors in this section making it a tough one to judge!
This year the Schedule includes two different entry forms:
• Green for all adult entries – one adult per form please;
• Yellow for all child and young people’s entries – one child or young person per form please.
Additional entry forms are available from Talybont Stores, Canalside Café and Post Office.
The Show Committee appreciate the support of local businesses that have generously sponsored the Schedule. Also, they appreciate the enthusiastic commitment of all the volunteers who help to make sure that the Annual Show can take place.
Talybont Show promises to be a really great afternoon out so do mark the day on your calendar and come along with your friends and family to the Henderson Hall and Playing Fields on Saturday 23rd August!
Llangynidr Show
24th August
If you are looking for something to do on Bank Holiday Sunday August 24th, look no further than Llangynidr Agricultural Show (SatNav NP8 1LS). For a small village, this event is much bigger than you’d imagine. Drawing visitors from across the region and beyond, this event is a great day out for all ages. Show Chairman Alan Price said “We are committed to supporting all aspects of farming and rural life, from the best of livestock to locally produced food and craft. Our show draws together and celebrates the very best of Llangynidr and District. Every year we provide fantastic attractions throughout the day, and our show really does have something for everyone”.
Gates open to the public from 9:00am with the official opening at noon. All competitions can be entered on the day and are open to everyone. There are traditional classes for sheep, cattle and horses (ridden, working hunter, in-hand and show jumping), as well as dog and pet shows.
Why not join in the fancy dress and scarecrow competitions (cash prizes), family races or Tug-of-War. Anyone arriving by Land Rover can even enter their vehicle in a fun competition!
Running throughout the day, main ring entertainment includes displays from Wye Valle Axemen, Hywel Davies’ sheepdog and runner ducks; Paws for Thought dog agility team and Powys Carriage Driving Club.
There will also be cookery, floral art, sheering and vintage machinery demonstrations as well as music from Abertillery brass band.
Llangynidr Garden Association’s annual garden and craft show takes place in the village hall. Classes in horticulture, floral art, domestic and craft for adults and children are open to those outside the area.
Many of the local producers who attend the village’s farmers’ market (last Sunday of every month) will be at the show joined by other traders and exhibition stands.
Growing year on year, the 2014 Llangynidr Agricultural Show once again promises to provide a great day out at a great price (Adults £5, O.A.Ps & 5-16yr olds £2, under fives go free, free parking).
For more information including schedules please visit www.llangynidrshow.org Follow on Twitter @LlangynidrShow
Llangattock Annual Show
6th September
The Llangattock Horticultural Society was formed in 1922. Its aims were “to promote and improve the cultivation of Flowers, Fruit and Vegetables, and to encourage neat and good gardening amongst Cottagers etc.”
The Society evolved over the years and the Llangattock Annual Show became a major event involving not only a horticultural event with flowers, fruit and vegetables but sports events, sheep dog trials, a livestock show and open gardens.
Sadly, due to a terrible storm one year, the major marquee blew away and was wrecked. Replacement costs were unsupportable; the organisers decided to call it a day and the Society’s activities came to an end.
In 2008 a group of like-minded souls came together with the idea of creating a community allotment in Llangattock. The perfect site was found between the Recreation Ground and the Vine Tree, and Llangattock Community Council, who own the land, granted the allotment society a 15 year lease and charge an annual rent.
Cultivation of the hitherto sheep pasture began in Spring 2009 and soon 50 allotment plots began to take shape. The rocks that were excavated from that river valley ground could have built a small house.
Allotmenteers set to and put in a rabbit-proof fence, an edible hedge and an orchard. The crowning achievement of the hard-working committee was to win a grant from British Gas to sink a bore-hole and install a solar-powered pump to give the allotments a plentiful supply of water. Until then, all water had been either saved from rainfall, or brought in containers on to the plots.
Further grants were awarded by the Big Lottery Fund and Waitrose to set up a raised bed area for those with back or other mobility problems. This is now nearly completed with a seating area, pot plants in place and vegetables flourishing and is set to become one of the Society’s focal points. An approach has been made by the National Gardens Scheme to include the allotments as one of their gardens to visit but the Committee feels more work needs to be done yet to bring it up to scratch.
Alongside the transformation of this patch of Llangattock land has been the social side of life – wassailing evenings and non-fireworks bonfire nights in the darker days of the year, summertime theatrical events (subsidised by the Arts Council of Wales), BBQs and last but not least, the Annual Allotment Show and Party held in early September.
This year’s show is on Saturday 6th September between 2pm and 6pm – it won’t be on the scale of last century’s shows, but it’s a chance for allotmenteers to show off their fruit, vegetables and produce to each other as well as come along for a bit of a sociable get-together. Entry free – all welcome!
Further Afield:
Monmouthshire Show
8th August
Monmouthshire Showground :Visit www.monmouthshow.co.uk
Wall2Wall Jazz Festival
30th & 31st August
Abergavenny: Visit www.blackmountainjazz.co.uk
Usk Show
13th September
Usk Showground, Monmouthshire: Visit www.uskshow.co.uk
Abergavenny Food Festival
20th & 21st September
Visit www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com
