More than 88,000 people flocked to the Urdd Eisteddfod that was held at Llancaiach Fawr, near nelson, last week, May 25 to 30.
Europe’s biggest youth festival saw 15,000 young people compete in cultural competitions and was set to generate £6 million for the local economy.
Thousands of children also took part in sports sessions and more than 2,700 journeys were made by the shuttle buses to and from the Maes.
In total 88,607 attended the Eisteddfod and business owners and stall holders thrived at the event.
Caffi Mistar Urdd cooked over 200kg of bacon, fried 1,100 eggs and sold over 1,500 cakes and 2,000 sandwiches.
Trader Angharad Gwyn said: “I’ve never left a festival with such little stock to take home, and our takings on the first Monday was a record high – higher than any other event, including the National Eisteddfod.”
Sara Davies, Chair of the local Urdd Executive Committee, said: “I am so happy with how things have gone during the week. We had quite a task in front of us in the period leading to the event, raising awareness of the Eisteddfod among local people, and immense work has been done by a group of local volunteers and Urdd staff in the area, Helen Greenwood and Angharad Jones.
“I’ve seen a lot of familiar faces around the Maes – Welsh and non-Welsh speakers who have come along to support the Eisteddfod.”
Aled Sion, Urdd Eisteddfod Director, said: “We’ve seen a high number of visitors this week and we’re very happy with the way things have gone. The preliminary competitions ran smoothly, and the five main ceremonies were awarded.
“Our shuttle bus system from the car parks worked very well, with the traffic running smoothly and I’m very glad to hear that our exhibitors had a successful week.
“I would also like to thank everyone who has assisted in the preparation and organisation of this special event, and to the hundreds of volunteers who have worked tirelessly before the event to fundraise, as well as throughout the week itself. It would not have been possible without their contribution.
“We also, of course, need to show our gratitude to our local and national volunteers – teachers and leaders who have put in hours and hours of work tutoring these children and young people. In addition, the judges and the accompanists are all vital to the event, and we thank them for their support.”
I reckon an Eisteddfod under Dean’s control could bring in 100,000 visitors or more. The festival needs to reinvent itself. It must do the following;
1. End obsession with Welsh language
2. End obsessions with ‘tradition’. There is a fine line between tradition and going out of your way to make Wales look backward. Have one or two traditional displays but the majority of the festival must reflect modern Wales.
3. Hold it in a central location on a border region with England to draw maximum people
How would you reflect modern Wales? What would you do differently? Have you ever been to an Eisteddfod, be it local, Urdd, National or International?
Of course I have been to an Eisteddfod, I try to avoid them, but I have been to a few.
What would I do differently:
1. There would be a maximum of 5 stalls relating to Welsh history/language/traditions.
2. All music must either be classical in the sense of Gustav Holst or contemporary. Traditional Welsh hymns would be banned. Welsh choirs can sing but their pieces must be moder, outward looking, and in English (think the BBC choir programme where there were choirs singing everything from Circle of Life to Stand By Me. Singing in Welsh would be banned.
3. Anything Welsh at the Eisteddfod must also be relevant to the rest of the UK and not just Wales.
4. Any presentations, talks and literature in Welsh would be banned.
5. Instead of stalls and a dirty, smelly tent, the Eisteddfod would be held out in the open at Cardiff Bay with stalls surrounding the waterside, a floating pontoon which can be a stage, and a massive fireworks display.
I reckon an Eisteddfod under Dean’s control could bring in 100,000 visitors or more. The festival needs to reinvent itself. It must do the following;
1. End obsession with Welsh language
2. End obsessions with ‘tradition’. There is a fine line between tradition and going out of your way to make Wales look backward. Have one or two traditional displays but the majority of the festival must reflect modern Wales.
3. Hold it in a central location on a border region with England to draw maximum people
How would you reflect modern Wales? What would you do differently? Have you ever been to an Eisteddfod, be it local, Urdd, National or International?
Of course I have been to an Eisteddfod, I try to avoid them, but I have been to a few.
What would I do differently:
1. There would be a maximum of 5 stalls relating to Welsh history/language/traditions.
2. All music must either be classical in the sense of Gustav Holst or contemporary. Traditional Welsh hymns would be banned. Welsh choirs can sing but their pieces must be moder, outward looking, and in English (think the BBC choir programme where there were choirs singing everything from Circle of Life to Stand By Me. Singing in Welsh would be banned.
3. Anything Welsh at the Eisteddfod must also be relevant to the rest of the UK and not just Wales.
4. Any presentations, talks and literature in Welsh would be banned.
5. Instead of stalls and a dirty, smelly tent, the Eisteddfod would be held out in the open at Cardiff Bay with stalls surrounding the waterside, a floating pontoon which can be a stage, and a massive fireworks display.