Tuck into the town's big food festival this weekend

* Crowds at last year's food festival.  

Foodies are expected to come flocking to Llangollen this weekend to tuck into the town’s famous Food Festival.

With over 90 stalls spread throughout various locations in the town, Saturday and Sunday will boast a bumper menu filled with culinary delights, chef demonstrations, tastings, and live music.

An impressive line-up of local and regional producers on a diverse range of stalls will showcase products including artisan cheeses, handmade chocolates and street food.

The food court, located at Riverside Park, will be the heart of the festival, providing a perfect spot for attendees to relax and savour delicious bites.

Throughout the weekend, local chefs will host live cooking demonstrations, sharing tips and techniques that inspire culinary creativity.

There are plenty of things for children to enjoy including a Foodie Treasure Hunt, starting from the Town Hall and a special show entitled Disgusting Digestion.

Tomorrow (Saturday) evening sees a Real Ale Train running on which beer fans can sample a range of brews from the region as they head through the scenic Dee Valley.

The steam train departs Llangollen station at 6pm with two round trips to Carrog and returns at around 9pm.

Ticket price includes two beer tokens and additional tokens can be purchased for £4 each.

To book, go to: https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/real-ale-train/

Venues for the live entertainment on both days of the festival are the bandstand in Riverside Park and Centenary Square.

* Some of the entertainment at the festival.

Denbighshire County Council is offering free parking in all of its car parks - Brook St, East St, Hall St, Market Street, Mill Street and the Eisteddfod Pavilion - during both days of the festival weekend. 

Sponsors this year are Rhug Estate, Vale of Llangollen Golf Club, The Corn Mill, Riversdale House B&B, The Clwydian Butcher, Llangollen Oggie Shop & Fine Foods and Llangollen Railway.

"We're delighted to bring together so many fantastic food and drink producers together for another year. Whatever the weather brings, join us in celebrating the rich flavours and talents of our community," said Pip Gale, chair of the Food Festival. 

"Whether you’re a dedicated foodie or just looking for a fun day out, the Llangollen Food Festival promises something for everyone."

* For more information, check the Llangollen Food Festival Facebook page or website.

Liberty Tavern quiz donates £250 to town's Christmas festival

        * Chem, left, receives the cash donation for the Christmas Festival from                            Liberty Tavern quiz organiser Mike Callaghan.

Llangollen Christmas Festival was presented with £250 by Mike Callaghan on behalf of the weekly quiz at Liberty Tavern in Market Street. 

The quiz takes place on Tuesdays from 7.30pm and all cash raised goes to local charities and community groups.

 

The Christmas Festival is organised by a group of volunteers from the community and is aimed at local people and families.  

This year’s Christmas Festival will be held on Saturday November 30. 

Families can come along and children can see Sion Corn, have their faces painted, have a balloon sculpture, use the bouncy play, take part in a circus school and be entertained all for free.

There’s a Christmas Market, a wide range of entertainment and the traditional grand parade through the town at 1pm.

 

Austin "Chem" Cheminais, who is chair of the organising group, said: “We’re really grateful for the generous contribution to our funds from Liberty Tavern.

“In recent  years we have managed,  thanks to the generosity of individuals, groups and businesses, to make the festival and its attractions  free to all who attend.”

 

* Anyone out  there who  would like to donate funds or sponsorship to help keep Llangollen Christmas Festival free for all who attend can call Chem on 07813 761766.  or email: chemshouts@gmail.com

2024 Llangollen Christmas Appeal launched

Year five of the annual Llangollen Christmas Appeal has just been launched in conjunction with the town's Food Share.

The aim is to support local families over the festive period. 

Announcing the latest appeal on its Facebook page, the Food Share says: "The Llangollen community donated 117 gifts last year to assist local families. Every child and adult deserves a gift to open at Christmas.

"If you can and are able to we kindly require your help in any way you can this year."

A list of suggested gifts includes:

* Children's gifts in new condition of toys, teddys, books, arts and crafts for girls and boys aged two to 10 years.

* Teenage boys' and girls' gift sets

* Male and female gift sets

* Toiletry sets/Lynx set/socks

* Hot water bottle/scarf and gloves

* Chocolate and biscuit treats

The Food Share post adds: "Anything would be gratefully received and make someone's Christmas.

"Drop off point Wingett's Monday to Friday 10am-3pm, Saturday 10an -12noon.

"We are also taking cash donations for us to shop and wrap gifts."

#llangollenfamily #helpingeachotherthisxmas #5years

Llangollen's mayoress becomes Big Brother housemate

* Sarah, Llangollen's mayoress, is in the Big Brother House.  

The mayoress of Llangollen is one of the 2024 Big Brother housemates.

Sarah Griffiths, the long-term partner of Mayor Aled Morris, went into the famous house last Sunday following months of preparation by ITV producers.

And she appeared on Late and Live, the revived reality show’s spin-off show, last night to talk about herself – and give a mention to Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Partner Aled, a member of Llangollen Town Council who became town mayor last May choosing her as his consort, told how Sarah, a spa account manager based in Shrewsbury, moved into the house last Sunday alongside 15 other occupants.

He said: “She applied online early this year and since then has had to go through a really lengthy process.

“The TV people arranged for her to have psychoanalysis, medicals and things like that. It’s all been going on since April or May.

* Sarah, in her role as mayoress of Llangollen, at the opening of this year's summer fete with her partner Aled Morris, the mayor.

“Of course, it all depends on how the viewers react to the housemates but she could be in there for anything up to eight weeks.

“I’m really excited for her and will obviously be watching how she does.

“You can tell by watching that there are quite a few strong characters in there with her. Sarah’s character is a bit fight-or-flight. Everyone is still settling down but I predict there might be a bit of drama developing before too long.”

Aled said that Sarah is originally from Shropshire where she grew up on one of the chicken farms run by her family in the Church Stretton area – a bit ironic, he pointed out, because she is a vegetarian.

She also spent five or six years working on cruise ships, beginning as a therapist and rising through the ranks to manage onboard spas on a number of ships.

Aled, who farms near Llangollen and also gives lessons in agricultural engineering at Coleg Cambria’s Llysfasi site,  added: “On Late and Live last night she was speaking a bit about herself and how she was Mayoress nof Llangollen.

“She also gave a mention to the Eisteddfod and how it has attracted people from across the world to Llangollen since the days after the Second World War.

“It’s been an emotional ride for us over the past few days but with the show now being screened and I’m anxious to see how everything goes for her in there.”           

* You can catch Sarah’s progress in the Big Brother house every night of the week on ITV2 at 9pm.

New heritage group to launch at Christmas festival

At its second meeting, in September, the newly-formed Our Historic Llangollen/Hanesyddol I bawb agreed to publicly launch its existence by taking part in the town's annual Christmas festival on Saturday November 30.

The co-operative group of heritage sites and projects will take part in the stalls and events during the festival.

Spokesperson Sue Hargreaves said: "We will be having a stall on Centenary Square specifically devoted to Our Historic Llangollen/Hanesyddol I bawb  -abbreviated for convenience to OHLlHib - with new leaflets in Welsh and English giving a brief summary and illustration of each of the key heritage sites in Llangollen.

"We will also have available any current leaflets, posters and fliers from our member organisations. 

"We hope that a number of our member heritage sites in the town centre will be open, with tours and talks, information sessions or story-telling.

"We will compile these into a programme, ensuring that people can progress from one site to another without timing clashes."

Sue added: "Our Historic Llangollen/Hanesyddol I bawb is assisted in this initiative by grant-aid from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape Sustainable Development Fund. 

"This funding will also support the creation of an OHLlHib logo to aid developing a recognisable brand for Llangollen’s historic sites, and the development of a sharing of resources, information and co-operative initiatives going forward into 2025."

Llantysilio Community Council seeks new clerk

 

Council says: Let us know if you still need assisted refuse collections

Denbighshire County Council (DCC) has asked residents to urgently confirm whether they still need assisted refuse collections.

The council recently wrote to over 1,000 properties it has identified as having been registered for the service for three years or more, asking them if they still required this form of collection or not.  

People were informed in the letter that if the council hadn’t heard from them by September 27 they would be removed from its system.  

Details were provided in the letter of how to contact DCC should the property/resident wish to continue the service.

However, the council says response rates have been "relatively low" and that the original date has now passed.  

In a message sent to local county councillors earlier this afternoon (Tuesday) a senior officer says: "Given the difficulties we have faced in recent months, we’ve taken the decision to issue a further letter to the properties as a final reminder. This will be going out to the properties we’ve had no response from in the next 24 hours.

 

"If we receive no response following both letters, the service will be removed. I’m letting you as a group know in advance so you are forewarned on this matter."

Contact us online

Contact us by phone

01824 706000

Customer Contact Centre (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm).