Railway Children arrive at the eisteddfod by special train

* Children from Ysgol Carrog board the Eisteddfod Special at their local station.

IT was all aboard the Llangollen Eisteddfod special for around 30 excited schoolchildren from the Dee Valley this morning (Tuesday).

In conjunction with the eisteddfod, which opened today, Llangollen heritage railway laid on a vintage 1960 diesel train from Carrog station to Llangollen to take the pupils from Ysgol Carrog to the festival’s children’s day where they were among the hundreds to hear the traditional Peace Message in the Pavilion.

Later in the day the Railway Children boarded a steam train for the return trip home.

Ian Lebbon, from the eisteddfod, said: “By laying on this one-off train service we were reviving a tradition going back to the earliest days of the festival when youngsters were brought in by train for the children’s day events.

“This last happened back in 1962 prior to the Ruabon to Barmouth line being closed.

“Llangollen Railway was kind enough to put on a vintage diesel engine to haul the outgoing service and then a marvellous steam locomotive for the return to Carrog.”

He added: “In 1947 when the eisteddfod began lots of competitors and visitors came to the festival by regular train services and in 1949 the first German competitors to come after World War Two, the Lubeck Choir, also travelled to Llangollen by train.

“On a royal visit in the early 1950s the Queen also arrived to tour the eisteddfod by train, so it’s nice to see the link between the railway and the festival being celebrated with this special children’s train service.”

... and leave the train at Llangollen Station ready for their day at the eisteddfod. 

Jules Holland wows eisteddfod's opening concert audience

* Jules Holland on stage last night.

Longstanding friend of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Jools Holland wowed a capacity Pavilion crowd with an energetic performance at the opening evening concert last night.

Warm-up entertainment was delivered by platinum-selling Irish singer songwriter Jack Lukeman before Holland burst on stage for a high-energy performance accompanied by his legendary Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.

He launched straight into a mesmerising performance before being joined on the piano by his younger brother, Christopher Holland, which immediately got the audience clapping. 

Guest stars included soulful singers Louise Marshall, Mabel Ray and sca exponents Pauline Black and Arthur Gaps. 

Renowned R&B soul diva Ruby Turner rounded off the guest list, captivating the crowd with her powerful vocals as she belted out some sensational soul numbers.

Holland and Co kept the boogie-woogie, soul and blues rolling before bringing the crowd to its feet with his show-stopping Enjoy  Yourself.

* Tickets for this year’s festival can be purchased online at www.llangollen.net or via the box office on 01978 862001.

Eisteddfod children's day focuses on environment

* Last year's Children's Day at the eisteddfod.

Llangollen Eisteddfod will be hosting the annual Children’s Day today (Tuesday). 

The theme to this year’s event is ‘Earth’s Little Heroes’ in celebration of the festival’s continued efforts to reduce plastic waste. 

Children’s Day will focus on the environment and promoting a positive approach to recycling alongside campaign group, Friends of the Earth.  To ensure the festival plays its part in caring for the planet, Eisteddfod is also teaming up with hydration partners, Aqua Optima.   

Specialists in water filtration Aqua Optima are providing over 200 reusable water bottles to help hydrate participants on Children’s day. Refillable water bottles are a simple and effective way to maintain hydration as well as reducing plastic waste.

The children will be encouraged to make sure they are drinking water throughout the day with their gifted water bottles from Aqua Optima. Following the exciting events of the day, each child will be able to take their new bottles home to continue the message of ‘Earth’s Little Heroes’.

Events on the day include an exciting mix of activities and performances promoting environmentally friendly actions. The campaign group, Friends of the Earth will be leading talks on climate change, bee friendly initiatives and recycling from their stand at Children’s Day. Alongside these informative talks, children will be encouraged to participate in a number of fun-filled activities. Interactive workshops will also run through the day with The Junkman, using instruments made from recycled objects.

Performances on the day include local schools from Denbighshire - Ysgol y Gwernant, Ysgol Bryn Collen, Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy, Caerdrewyn and Ysgol Carrog - exploring the ‘World Warriors’ theme together with Kakatsitsi, Master Drummers from Ghana. 

Wrexham schools Rhosymedre Community Primary and Ysgol Min y Ddol will deliver a poignant Peace Message, a core manifesto of the festival, at the matinee performance following ‘World Warriors’.

Eisteddfod Chairman, Dr Rhys Davies, said “It is vital to encourage and educate future generations on the importance of taking care of our planet. As Llangollen Eisteddfod is an international event we are eager to promote an eco-friendly message that will stay with visitors and participants long after the end of the festival on 7^th July.”

The Eisteddfod has been taking positive steps in recent years to become plastic free. This year promises the most eco-friendly yet with refill water stations clearly marked and more recycling points distributed throughout the site. 

* Tickets for this year’s festival can be purchased online at www.llangollen.net or via the box office on 01978 862001.

Town Council hosts event to welcome 2019 eisteddfod

* Singers from the Kenyalang schools in Sarawak, Malaysia take the stage.

* Eisteddfod president Terry Waite 

addresses the audience.

Town Mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy, opens the event.

* Above and below, members of the North Wales Opera Studio perform. 

* Llangollen-based New Dance encourage the audience to take to the floor.

Llangollen Town Council hosted a special event at the Town Hall this afternoon (Monday) to officially welcome the 2019 International Musical Eisteddfod.

It included a variety of entertainment and the chance for people to meet and greet those connected with the festival now in its 73^rd year.

Town mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy, opened the afternoon’s programme by referring to the strong links which exist between the council and the eisteddfod.

The first musical interlude came from the North Wales Opera Studio whose singers provided a varied programme including traditional light opera numbers and a selection from the musical West Side Story.

Also singing - fresh from their flight from the Far East - were youngsters from the Kenyalang schools in Sarawak, Malaysia, who will be competing at the eisteddfod later this week.

A short film was shown featuring highlights from the eisteddfod over the years before festival president Terry Waite told the audience that they were the “inheritors of a remarkable tradition” in hosting the annual international occasion.

He said that in times when many arts events were facing financial problems people should rally round to ensure that the eisteddfod not only continues but also flourishes.

“This means the eisteddfod going on to bring harmony to a world that is so tragically divided,” he added.

The Llangollen-based New Dance troupe, which meets at the Town Hall every Monday from 7-9pm, then encouraged members of the audience to join them in a dance routine.

The event, organised by Town Council facilitator Charlie Jones, also received strong support from Llangollen Museum and the ECTARC language school.

Wool project finds permanent new home

* The fleece which Gwlangollen works with.

A new project which aims to knit together wool producers and users has found a permanent new home in Llangollen.

llanblogger recently featured the work of Gwlangollen which, through the use of traditional craft skills, processes suitable fleece to produce unique, handmade soft furnishings and gifts to be sold locally.

The project has achieved this by bringing together fleece producers who are interested in developing the necessary skills to process some of their own fleece, competent crafters who can pass on their skills to others, and volunteers who enjoy learning and making together.

However, at the time of the article Gwlangollen was desperately in need of  an affordable workshop with a small area of outside space somewhere in Llangollen where it could contribute to the visitor experience of the town.

Since then the project has been offered space to create a working wool museum in the Lock-Up Heritage Centre, near the traffic lights.

Project spokeswoman Gill Britten said: "A massive thank you to Sue Hargreaves and the Armoury Conservation Trust. 

"We are hoping our museum will be ready by September this year. Our outreach work and close links with the Pentredwr Community will not change."

Gill added: "Llangollen was born on the back of wool trade. One of our aims is to reflect its history, and the skills used, when it was still a cottage industry. 

"Most families were involved at some level with the production of woollen fabric, either for their own use, or for sale. It was a whole community activity.

"If you have an old spinning wheel, or weaving loom of any size, taking up valuable storage space, we would love to include your items in our display. 

"Likewise with any of the smaller items involved with these crafts, such as drop spindles, bobbins, lucets, beaters, shuttles and combs. Items can be gifted or on a short or long term loan. Obviously your contributions will all be appropriately recognised.

"If anyone has any leftover, undyed, knitting yarn (wool not acrylic), a woollen blanket, some tweed fabric, flannel, or a sheepskin, we will gladly display it or up-cycle, according to your wishes. At one time, all these items were created and sold in Llangollen.

"If you would like to contribute to the exhibition please contact me. I will willingly collect your items and help free up your storage space.

"Lastly, I’d like to thank all those who sent good luck messages and other helpful suggestions following my last post. I really appreciate your support."

* Gill Britten can be contacted on 07871 774651.

Explorer Bruce Parry heads for Fringe date

Explorer, film maker and environmentalist Bruce Parry is heading to Llangollen Fringe Festival.

Parry (pictured) is a documentary filmmaker, best known for his BBC series Tribe which saw him living with indigenous peoples around the world, and thereafter his work about globalisation and climate change.

More recently he switched from television to the big screen with his directorial debut, ’Tawai, a voice from the forest’ - his attempt to dive deeper into the heart of what he had learned on his many years travelling the world.

The Fringe will be hosting a screening of that film on Sunday July 21 at the Town Hall, followed by an interview and Q&A with Parry.

Tawai is a word the nomadic hunter-gatherers of Borneo use to describe the connection they feel to their forest home.

In this dreamy, philosophical and sociological look at life, Parry embarks on an immersive odyssey to explore the different ways that humans relate to nature and how this influences the way we create our societies.

From the forests of the Amazon and Borneo to the River Ganges and Isle of Skye, Tawai is a quest for re-connection, providing a powerful voice from the heart of the forest itself.

* Tickets are on sale now at £15. Festival tickets and dates and times for all concerts and events are available from www.llangollenfringe.co.uk or by calling the Fringe box office: 0800 1455779.

New Dot unveils summer film programme

New Dot Cinema's summer programme has just been announced. 

It includes First Man, the dramatic biopic about Neil Armstrong and the race to put a man on the Moon. 

The rest of the programme includes a beautiful French animation, a dreamy Italian tale, a French novelist who broke all the rules and a Russian ballet dancer's dramatic dash for freedom.

New Dot has made some changes for this programme to tickets and screening times. 

From now on, tickets will be priced at £6 across the board. No more two-tier pricing. 

Also, it is moving its screening time up half an hour. From now on the doors will open at 7pm and the film will start at 7.30pm. 

* Tickets and more information about any of the films can be found on our website: Newdotcinema.org