One month until start of 2026 Llangollen Eisteddfod

* The New Zealand Youth Choir became the 2025 Choir of the World winners.

With less than a month to go until the start of the 2026 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, preparations are gathering pace for another spectacular celebration of music, culture and international friendship. 

Founded in 1947 in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod was created to bring nations together through music and culture.

Nearly 80 years later, that vision continues, with performers from across the world gathering to celebrate friendship, understanding and international harmony.

This year's festival will welcome competitors from countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Ukraine, Belgium, Estonia, Italy, Indonesia, Rwanda, India, South Africa and across the United Kingdom.

With the Eisteddfod's evening concert programme audiences can look forward to Sir Karl Jenkins' One World, Global Rhythms: Made in Wales, the internationally acclaimed Orchestral Qawwali Project, a world-exclusive performance from Emeli Sandé with The Absolute Orchestra, and an evening with musical theatre favourite Michael Ball. 

* Thousands of international competitors are about to arrive for Eisteddfod 2026.

New for 2026 are the Sound-Bridge Sessions, a series of performances taking place daily between 5pm and 7pm. Designed to bridge the gap between the daytime competitions and evening concerts, the sessions will bring the festival site to life with contemporary Welsh folk, jazz, global fusion and emerging artists.

Artistic Director Dave Danford said: "As we look forward to welcoming the world back to Llangollen in just one month's time, there is a real sense of excitement building around this year's Eisteddfod. 

"Our competitions, outdoor performances and evening concerts showcase the very best in international music-making and cultural exchange. Every corner of the Eisteddfod site will be alive with activity throughout the week, creating a truly unique atmosphere for performers and visitors alike.

"Last year's unforgettable Haka from the New Zealand Youth Choir demonstrated the power of music and culture to bring people together. With competitors travelling from across the globe once again, this year's festival promises to be another unforgettable celebration of international friendship through music."

The Eisteddfod's competitions will reach a thrilling climax at the prestigious Choir of the World concert on Sunday July 12. Winners from the festival's choral categories will compete for the coveted Pavarotti Trophy before an international audience in the Royal International Pavilion. 

The concert will also feature the final of the Pendine International Voice of the Future competition, where emerging opera singers from around the world will compete for one of the most significant titles in international vocal performance.

* Tickets for the Eisteddfod's evening concert programme and festival events are available now. Visit llangollen.net to view the full programme and book tickets.

Latest local roadworks bulletin from Denbighshire County Council

Latest local roadworks bulletin from Denbighshire County Council is:

BEECHLANDS, FRON BACHE 15/06/2026 - 17/06/2026. Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY, Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Carriageway, COED AFON. 22/06/2026 - 26/06/2026, Clytio/ Patching (DCC), Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Full extent TOWER ROAD 24/06/2026 - 12/07/2026, System Unffordd ar gyfer Eisteddfod Gerddorol Ryngwladol Llangollen / One-way System to support Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Un Ffordd/ One Way

542 - Upper Crust Cafe to Brittannia Inn, HORSESHOE PASS 15/06/2026, Torri Gwair / Grass Cutting LEVERETT CONTRACTING LTD, Stopio Mynd/Stop Go

A542 from St. John's Church to Castle Street, ABBEY ROAD 10/07/2026, Parêd Rhyngwladol y Cenhedloedd Llangollen /Llangollen International Parade of Nations, Clirffordd / Clearway Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A542 Wharf Hill / Castle Street/ Mill Street, ABBEY ROAD 24/06/2026 - 12/07/2026, Goleuadau traffig i reoli traffig yr Eisteddfod / Traffic signals to manage Eisteddfod traffic, EVENT SUPPORT TEAM

FROM WENFFRWD NATURE RESERVE TO WENFFRWYD COTTAGE, A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD 17/06/2026 Torri Coed / Tree Cutting CHEVRON TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

A539 DEE LANE (46700342) LLANGOLLEN 15/06/2026, Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works SAPPHIRE UTILITY SOLUTION, Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Opposite 2 MILL STREET 23/06/2026, Gwaith BT/ BT Works PLATINUM (DCC), Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

A542 HORSESHOE PASS, 29/06/2026 - 01/07/2026, Trwsio Ffens / Fence Repairs DCC - WORKS UNIT

A542 APPROX 108M FROM YEW TREE COTTAGE, TYN DWR ROAD, TYN DWR ROAD, 15/06/2026 Adnewyddu Polyn / Renew Pole GT WILLIAMS, Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Fordd yr Abaty ABBEY ROAD, Amnewid Colofnau / Replace column DCC STREET LIGHTING, Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

A542 Full extent ROAD FROM PENGWERN TO TYN CELYN, 24/07/2026 - 26/07/2026, Rheolaeth traffig i hwyluso mynediad i safle Camp VC/ Traffic management to facilitate access to Camp VC site,VC LONDON LTD, fordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Date for next flower club demonstration

 

Harry Wilson sends Thailand-bound teenagers a message of support

* Soccer star Harry Wilson and son send the Westheads a message of support.

Wales and Premier League star Harry Wilson sent a message of support to a three Llangollen area teenagers cycling to Thailand as they made their way through the Chinese desert this week.

The Fulham player, who went to school in Llangollen and grew up in Corwen, sent the Westheads a short video, in which he appears with his young son, saying: "Alright lads, as your journey passes 300 days we just wanted to do you a quick video to say that we've loved watching your journey and your adventures. And we hope you get to your destination as soon as possible."

Dyfan Hughes, 18, from Llangollen, Louis Dennis, 19, from Garth, and James Thomas,19, from Wrexham 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.

After leaving Kyrgyzstan they are now making their way through the heart and dust of the largely uninhabited Taklaman Desert, all 350 kms of which they must cross as quickly as possible to stay within the limits of their visas. 

Their first couple of days were marred by more bike trouble and the fact that they inadvertently left behind their valuable gopro camera in a hostel. But it was also notable for the kindness they've encountered from local people, some of whom have gifted them water and other supplies. A police officer also helped them find a hotel and to check in.   

The lads have been really notching up the kilometres, with 110 and 120 and then 140 passing under their wheels in just a few days. 

So far they've raised more than £32,000 of their £50,000 target for the British Heart Foundation since leaving Llangollen last year.

They have also amassed a huge following on social media, particularly TikTok where they have over 160,000 followers.

* 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 

Reflections on Llangollen's first 'grand' Eisteddfod 168 years ago

* The area next to the Ponsonby Arms, now a car park, which may have been the site of the Llangollen Fawr Eisteddfod in 1858.

Llangollen will soon be alive with the fantastic sights and sounds of its 79^th International Musical Eisteddfod, filling the town with visitors from far and wide and housing its many musical and artistic competitions in a big tent.

But a slim volume in the proud ownership of a long-time volunteer with the world-famous festival tells the remarkable tale of how the Eisteddfod we have known since 1947 isn’t the first time all this has been done.

Myron Lloyd loves to leaf through a 52-page A3 publication entitled The Eisteddfod – a living Clwyd tradition, which was produced by the former Clwyd County Council, forerunner authority of today’s Denbighshire, in the early 1990s.      

Written by Hedd ap Emlyn and Kevin Mathias, it celebrates the long and interesting history of the tradition of Eisteddfod which goes back at least eight centuries, with Clwyd being able to boast close and important connections with its development from the 15^th century.

* The front cover of the Clwyd County Council booklet.

But it’s a little more recently that Llangollen hosted its first Eisteddfod Fawr, or grand, when in September 1858 a group of people with a shared passion for the preservation of traditional Welsh culture organised a four-day event with its base on a piece of land adjacent to the Ponsonby Arms on Mill Street which could be the area now occupied by a car park.

The plot was owned by a man named John Allen who first wanted to charge them a then-enormous £30 in rent but was eventually talked into doing it free of charge on the basis of the extra business it would bring in to the pub.

Myron’s carefully preserved booklet, with a foreword by both the then-chairman and chief executive of Clwyd, describes in fascinating detail over nine pages how this first big local Eisteddfod almost 170 years ago came together and played out.

First it was advertised, not on social media as today, but in Welsh and English language periodicals and newspapers at home and also abroad in the USA, clearly in the hope that Welsh ex-pats living across the Atlantic would be interested.

It is also said to have been advertised in large posters “at least two yards long” plastered on walls and on “monster placards” on railway stations.

On the opening day of September 21 thousands came flocking to Llangollen from all parts of the country and canal transport was laid on for those from Cefn Mawr, Acrefair, Fron and Chirk. Excursion trains headed in from south and north Wales, Liverpool and Manchester. Many simply came on foot.

One of those making their way to the event recalled: “As we were nearing Llangollen we were met with the bad news that the town was crammed and that beds were a guinea a night.”

Another relates: “When we reached Llangollen the whole town came out to meet us.”

The booklet records how the town was decorated with colourful flowers and flags for the great occasion and swarming with people.

The Gorsedd was accorded the greatest prominence, with members wearing robes according to their status of white, blue and green marching along the streets of the town from the Gorsedd stone to the Eisteddfod field.

The enormous tent housing all this frenetic activity was large enough to hold 5,000 people and was built by Henry Hughes of Wrexham for the grand sum of £200 – on the condition that the timber was returned to him afterwards. It was 180 feet long by 144 feet wide and constructed in the form of three spans. Nearby were three tents specially for refreshments.

The waterproof ability of the main tent was tested on the Wednesday and Thursday by a big storm and was found wanting when the rain started to pour through the canvas. People had to put up umbrellas inside, only to be greeted by cries of, “sit down in the front, nothing can be heard from the platform!”       

The Eisteddfod’s competitions attracted eminent poets, literary figures and musicians from over a wide area. But the booklet records how squabbling broke out amongst the adjudicators themselves and themselves and members of the committee over prizes.

A competitor named Eben Fardd won the star prize of the Eisteddfod Chair for his poem The Battle of Bosworth which landed him a medal plus £30 - equivalent to about £4,500 today.

It is recorded that uproar erupted over one competition – an essay on the discovery of America – which at one point became so heated that the band had to be called upon to play loud enough to drown out the noise being made. This row continued after the event with one side threatening to take it to court.

Another point of note is that the competition for a collection of unpublished Welsh airs saw the first outing of the tune which in modified form eventually became the Welsh national anthem, Hen Wlad fy Nhadau.

So that was Llangollen’s first grand Eisteddfod, with one contemporary summing up of the event describes as: “ … an excellent Eisteddfod – a large and lively one.” It certainly sounds like it was.

Library's monthly hearing aid clinic is today

 

* Volunteer Helen offers help and advice about your NHS hearing aids at the monthly clinics in Llangollen Library.

Anyone aiming to keep their hearing equipment in peak condition can visit the regular monthly hearing aid drop-in clinics held at Llangollen Library.

Run by the local health board's Hearing Aid Volunteer service, they are free to attend and offer basic maintenance and servicing of NHS appliances.

Volunteers, including Helen who is regularly at the Llangollen sessions, are trained and co-ordinated by the North Wales Audiology Service of Betsi Cadwalader University Health Board.

The clinics are held on the second Friday of the month.

* For audiology information, call: 03000 850078. 

Llangollen Country Market is open today

  

* Food glorious home-made food on offer at the country market.

Llangollen Country Market is open for business again at the Memorial Hall in Market Street today (Friday).

One again there will be colourful, well-stocked stalls including home-made food, including everything from jams to cakes and chutneys, plants, a cards and picture collection plus a wide range of craft items.

The market, which has been staged in various places in the town since the late 1970s, now has two sessions a month at its permanent home in the Memorial Hall, running from 11am-2pm.

Refreshments are available at every session.

* Next Country Market dates is: Friday June 26  .