Inspire Create Enjoy - Wrexham County Borough Council

10
Wrexham Year of Culture 2011
Wrexham and District is the home of the 2011 National Eisteddfod - one
of the world’s greatest cultural festivals, held from 30 July - 6 August
2011.
Music, dance, visual arts, original performances, family activities - there’s
something for everyone at the National Eisteddfod, and with around 160,000
visitors every year, it’s a great place to meet up with old friends - and make new
ones. The Eisteddfod is held on the ‘Maes’, and the Pavilion is the focal point of
the official competing and cultural ceremonies, but hundreds of activities take
place all over the Maes throughout the week. With over 300 stands, it’s a
shopper’s Mecca, with gifts of all types - to suit every pocket.
There’s more information on our website - www.eisteddfod.org.uk - and you can
follow us on facebook - www.facebook.com/eisteddfod - and on Twitter. You can
also sign up to receive our regular newsletter.
Entry to all activities on Maes - including the Pink Pavilion during the day - is
included in the price of a daily ticket. Concessions are available for children and
pensioners.
You don’t have to speak Welsh to have a great time at the Eisteddfod - there’s
plenty for everyone to see and do, so we look forward to seeing you for a feast
of activities for the whole family in Wrexham in August.
Principal Sponsor Eagles Meadow
Welcome! - All official Eisteddfod activities are
held in Welsh, but there’s a warm welcome for
everyone on the Eisteddfod Maes - whatever your
language! There’s translation equipment available
for the Pavilion, and there’s plenty of information
available to help everyone to have a week to
remember. If you’re learning Welsh, remember
about the activities in Maes D, and a chance for a
cuppa and chat to practise your Welsh.
Plenty to See - There are all kinds of exhibitions
on the Maes. Y Lle Celf is home to an
international standard art gallery, you’ll find all
kinds of weird and wonderful stuff in the Science
and Technology pavilion, and the Literary Pavilion
is the place to go if you’re interested in literature.
There are all kinds of performances on the open
air performance stages throughout the day, and
where better to discuss the latest developments in
the world of drama and film than in the Theatre?
Competitions - There are competitions galore in
the Pavilion during the week, from brass bands to
choir singing and from solo instrumentalists to
cerdd-dant and recitation. This is the main stage
for Welsh talent and many of our famous faces
have started their careers after winning at the
National Eisteddfod. Enjoy the competing
yourselves by visiting the Pink Pavilion in the centre
of the Maes during your time at the Eisteddfod.
Ceremonies - The Eisteddfod’s best writers and
poets are honoured during splendid ceremonies
led by the Gorsedd of the Bards on the Pavilion
stage during the week. You can also enjoy the
pomp of the Gorsedd during their procession
through the Maes following each ceremony and
before they honour new members on Monday
and Friday morning. Monday is the Crowning
Ceremony; on Wednesday, the Eisteddfod and the
Gorsedd honours the winner of the Prose Medal,
and the Chairing of the Bard ceremony is held on
Friday, all at 16.30.
Children’s activities - There are hundreds of
activities for children of all ages on the Maes
every day - something to keep every child amused
for many hours. With special shows in some
pavilions and stands, and plenty of games,
scientific experiments and art, you’ll never be
bored at the Eisteddfod. There’s also a creche and
changing and feeding points for babies and
young children.
Transport - The Council is going to try to
minimize the disruption to both the Eisteddfod
goers and residents alike by putting alternative
traffic routes in place for the event so that people
can get to and from the Maes and around town
as easily as possible. A bus service will also be in
operation throughout the week with buses
running between the bus station, railway station
and the Maes every 15 minutes.
Maes B is the leading festival in the Welsh music
calendar. A celebration of Welsh talents, it
attracts the perfect mix of music, including bands
like Sibrydion, Yr Ods and Cowbois Rhos
Botwnnog, attracting over 10,000 visitors and over
40 bands during the week.
Maes C is an eclectic mix of music, poetry and
much more, with an exciting combination of new
bands and well-known faces sharing a stage. This
is the perfect place to relax after a long day on
the Maes, and catch up with old friends over a
pint.
Maes D Want to learn Welsh? This is the place to
be! - Maes D is full of activities for everyone who's
learning Welsh. Come on in and find out about
learning Welsh!
Welsh Learner of the Year competition - Every
year the highlight of Maes D is the Welsh Learner
of the Year competition. The competition is open
to all adult learners. The final four have been
chosen, and we have a fantastic day in Wrexham
interviewing the competitors. The winner will be
announced during the Eisteddfod week.