Summer fete is full of great new features, promise organisers

* The Fete Map - an innovation for 2026. Copies are being put through local doors.

Organisers of Llangollen Summer Fete 2026 at Plas Newydd on Saturday June 6, from 12.30 until 5pm, say this year’s event represents another important step forward as it enters its third year since being revived for the local community.

Since restarting the fete, they and volunteers have worked hard each year to build on previous successes and continue improving what is now becoming one of the town’s most anticipated events focused on the community.

A major focus this year has been widening community involvement across all age groups. 

The popular Children’s Competition has returned once again, with pupils from local primary and junior schools helping to design the fete flyer. Their entries will also form the basis of the Treasure Hunt taking place on the day.

This year, the fete has also expanded its reach to include a significant contribution from students and young adults at Ysgol Dinas Brân, who have helped rebrand the event with a more lively and relevant image, including Haf the Fete Mascot. 

Older students from the Sixth Form, worked on the branding and social media through March and April, taking time away from the start of May for their exams. 

* Members of the design group who have helped rebrand the event. 

The fete committee says it would like to thank Samuel Gonzlez-Jones, Edie Langford, Elvie Ogden, Grace Bamford for their contribution. (Picture below)

A major new addition for 2026 is The Adventure Zone, developed with support from TNR Outdoors. 

This will feature climbing, archery and axe throwing activities, alongside competitive challenges for the fastest climb, highest archery score and best axe throwing accuracy.

Additional activities and experiences will also be provided by Nestlings Forest School and Men-Minded.

Following feedback gathered from local residents, organisers have significantly expanded the number of stalls at this year’s event, with a much broader range of crafts, activities, food, gifts and local businesses represented.

Wherever possible, they have also tried to avoid duplicate stalls to create a more varied and enjoyable experience for visitors as they move around the site.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy special access to Plas Newydd Historic House and Gardens, home of the famous Ladies of Llangollen, which will be open during the fete with a new exhibition and half-price entry for the day.

The popular Circus Arts School workshop will also return, alongside with what organisers describe as “an extra special surprise experience” for visitors to discover on the day.

Entertainment has been expanded considerably for 2026, with performances beginning with the traditional Llangollen Silver Band and continuing throughout the day with local performers, teenage bands and popular artists from across the area.

Details of the entertainment schedule, raffle prizes, talks, workshops and activities are all included on the new Fete Map  -  another new addition designed to help visitors navigate the event and make the most of everything on offer.

The programme around The Caban will include wine tasting sessions, medicinal talk and walks, and wellness talk and walks.

Organisers are encouraging visitors to bring the printed map with them on the day. Copies are currently being delivered across Llangollen and distributed throughout neighbouring towns and villages.

The committee behind the fete have also expressed their gratitude to the many businesses, sponsors, volunteers and supporters helping make the event possible.

Special thanks were given to Linguassist for their generous support, which has helped the fete begin introducing marquees for weatherproofing infrastructure for the future.

The Corn Mill has once again sponsored the Children’s Competition and Treasure Hunt, while many additional local businesses have supported the fete through advertising, sponsorship, donations and practical contributions.

Last year, proceeds from the event enabled donations to be made to eight local causes.

Fetre organisers are also encouraging anyone interested in volunteering to get involved. Those wishing to join the team can contact: llangollensummerfete@gmail.com

A spokesperson for the fete committee said: "We look forward to seeing everyone on the day. Please bring your smiles, your fun and your community spirit with you.”

Meet the town's new Mayor and Deputy Mayor

Llangollen's new Mayor and Deputy Mayor introduce themselves to the people of the area after being elected by their fellow councillors at the recent annual meeting of the Town Council.

Firstly, the Mayor, Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam:

"To be elected Mayor of Llangollen is a true honour and not something I take lightly. The support shown to me so far has meant a great deal, and I greatly appreciate it. Llangollen is a town built on a strong sense of community, and I care deeply about seeing it continue to thrive.

"Having served as Deputy Mayor, I understand the responsibility this role carries, and as the youngest ever Mayor of Llangollen, I approach it with both pride and a strong sense of duty.

"I would like to thank my predecessor, Cllr Aled Morris, for his tireless dedication and for the guidance and support he has given me. The strong foundations he has put in place allows us to look ahead with confidence. "I look forward to working closely with my Deputy, Cllr Charlie Jones, fellow councillors, council staff and the wider community over the coming civic year as we deliver for the people of Llangollen."

And now the new Deputy Mayor, Cllr Charlie Jones:

"Llangollen is an amazing, vibrant community and I have been lucky enough to have lived, worked and raised a family here. Now I have an opportunity to pay back to the community I love. 

"To be supporting the new Mayor is a privilege as he shares my passion for the town. Together we will continue to work closely with our colleagues on the council and our fantastic residents as we all do what we can to keep Llangollen the best place to live, work, thrive and visit." 

The going's good in Kyrgyzstan so China here we come!

* The lads get into local costume in Kyrgyzstan as they head towards China.

The three Llangollen area lads cycling to Thailand in a good cause reckon they're now just days away from crossing the border into China.

And they are currently storming through what should be their final country on the way there - Kyrgyzstan, where the going is good despite a bout of bike trouble.

This week they were heading towards the town of Osh through some panoramic mountain views and encountering "some amazing nature and lovely people shouting hello."

With some unfamiliar-looking food on offer they admitted they were worried about another episode of food poisoning but everything turned out fine.  

There was also some reflection by the lads that while people back home have all the facilities at their disposal there were whole families over there living quite happily in one big yurt.

Dyfan Hughes, 18, from Llangollen, Louis Dennis, 19, from Garth, and James Thomas,19, from Wrexham - known as the Westheads - are making their 1,000 journey in aid of the British Heart Foundation in memory of Tony Edge, the father of their friend Harrison who died following a heart attack in 2024.

So far they've raised more than £27,000 of their £50,000 charity target since leaving Llangollen last year.

* llanblogger is recording their adventures along the way. To follow the journey on their social media and make a donation if you wish, go to: https://linktr.ee/westheads 

Water watchdogs say cause of Dee pollution was found and repaired

* One of a series pictures taken by llanblogger’s source showing the dirty foam collecting on rocks in the river.

The source of pollution of the River Dee in Llangollen has been identified and repaired, according to Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Earlier this month llanblogger published a special report featuring claims that some form of pollutant was coming from upstream of the Horseshoe Falls, dirty foam was collecting in eddies of water and on rocks and a number of kayakers had become sick with serious gastro-intestinal problems. 

llanblogger's trustworthy source on the river said they personally knew of over 20 cases but that there had been an increase noted following the Dee Fest kayak festival over the weekend of April 25-26.

Natural Resources Wales and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, which are jointly responsible for the Dee, both said their expert teams would be working to find out what was causing the problem.

Now, both organisations report that an answer has been found.

Philip Barrett, Senior Officer, Denbighshire Environment Team at NRW, said: “The source of the pollution on the River Dee, first reported to us on 27 April, has been identified. 

"The misconnection issue has been raised with Denbighshire County Council, and a separate operator has carried out repair works to a damaged section of a wastewater inspection chamber.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation and our investigation remains ongoing. We will take any appropriate enforcement action. 

"Thank you to everyone who reported this to our incident line – your reports help us respond quickly. If you spot any further issues, please report them to us 24/7 using our online form, or call our incident line on 0300 065 3000.”

And a spokesperson for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water said: "We are continuing to work with NRW and the local council to investigate misconnections into a culvert in Llangollen.

"Misconnections are when a private wastewater pipe is connected to the incorrect surface water drainage network, usually unknowingly.

"This can result in wastewater going directly into streams and rivers. You can learn more on how to spot misconnections on our website.  

"During our investigations we identified a damaged manhole that could have leaked into the culvert.

"This has now been repaired and we have carried out a clean-up on the area where the culvert enters the Dee."

New museum exhibition features artwork and medieval poetry

The opening of an exhibition combining new artwork and medieval poetry will take place at Llangollen Museum on Wednesday June 10.     

In the company of Jenny Day, Martin Crampin, Gruffudd Antur and Eurig Salisbury, it has been created by the ‘Gutun Owain, Border poet and Renaissance man’ project (gutunowain.cymru) in collaboration with the museum.

The project, at the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, investigates the wide-ranging interests and networks of Gutun Owain in the context of the flourishing literary and scholarly culture in north-east Wales on the eve of the Renaissance in Wales.

Llangollen Museum, 10 June 2026. Doors open at 6.30pm, talks begin at 7.00pm. Light refreshments will be provided (light buffet and wine/juice/tea/coffee).

This is a free event, but numbers are limited. To register, contact: canolfan@cymru.ac.uk.

A museum spokesperson said: "We thank CADW for their support of the project and for providing access to Valle Crucis and the monumental sculptures there, and we thank the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) for funding the project."

The exhibition will be on display in Llangollen Museum for the whole of June and July 2026.

Rescuers deal with medical emergency near Castell Dinas Bran summit

* The team brings the man requiring medical assistance down from the summit of Castell Dinas Bran. Picture: NEWSAR

A multi-agency rescue operation was launched on Sunday afternoon after a man required medical assistance near the summit of Castell Dinas Bran in Llangollen.

North East Wales Search and Rescue were alerted to the incident by North Wales Police, initiating a rapid response to the historic site.

* For the full story in North Wales Live, go to: https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/doctors-rescuers-join-forces-assist-34007716

Leri lands top piano honour at Urdd Eisteddfod

Ysgol Dinas Bran student Leri Roberts won the Year 10 and Under19 Piano Solo award at the Urdd National Eisteddfod in Anglesey over the weekend.

Playing piano is not her only accomplishment as she is also a rising star of Llangollen Operatic Society's junior section, Young 'Uns, taking a lead role in their recent production of The Little Mermaid.