The Sprout

Cardiff Festival

Posted by Sam (Sub-Editor) from Cardiff - Published on 11/06/2009 at 13:15
0 comments » - Tagged as Festivals

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What’s that coming over the hill? Is it a mostly free festival for the citizens of Cardiff put on by the council, by the council?

Yes it is.

Kicking off in roughly three weeks and spanning pretty much every God-damn weekend in July and August, Cardiff Festival returns bigger and better than ever before.

On Thursday 2nd July and indeed Friday 3rd July we start with the Cardiff Castle Open Air Theatre, which entails a performance of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night by the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. It’s £12.50 in advance for adults and £8.50 for the young, but you know culture costs.

Then strap yourself in for a superabundance of choice the next weekend. Take your pick from a performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers at St. Fagan’s (running Wednesday 8th to Saturday 18th), any number of performances from the Welsh Proms at St. David’s Hall (Thursday 9th ? Saturday 25th) or gorge yourself silly at the Cardiff International Food Festival down the bay on Roald Dahl Plass, on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th. General admittance for the food fest is free with a few little things coming at a cost.

Onwards and sideways in to the leftfield, Blysh at the Wales Millennium Centre, which will apparently consist of a den of sideshow hideaways - tempting audiences in for the weird and wonderful, the comic and caricature, the burlesque and the downright bizarre... If that tickles your fancy Blysh runs from Friday 17th to Sunday 26th.

Sticking with that kind of timeframe Wow On The Waterfront occurs across Friday 24th and Saturday 25th. Incorporating spectacular street theatre, a baroque aerial performance, music, bells, moving stages and some French people its all topped off with a ruddy big firework display. And it’s free to you sir.

Also worth a mention is Wet Sounds at Splott Pool on Monday 20th, an underwater sound gallery that’s free for those with youth. So if you fancy a literally immersive listening experience and don’t fancy wrecking your i-pod, then you know where to go.

The Sound Of Music bursts on to the stage on Sunday 26th for a month long run at the Wales Millennium Centre. Also and I’m sure coincidentally it’s the Red Dragon Centre Family Festival that too, bringing a bit of J.K Rowling’s magic to Cardiff with it’s free “Potty About Harry” event. It promises to be spellbinding?

For all you culture vultures contemplating a trip to The Fringe up in bonny Scotland can save yourself a few pennies as a bit The Fringe comes to Cardiff. Four shows will be previewing before heading up to Edinburgh at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th.

Heading into August, Cardiff Festival rolls on. Running from Thursday 30th July to Sunday 2nd August, Horrid Henry has a short run at the New Theatre; while on Saturday 1st the 20th Annual MAS Carnival winds its way up from the bay to outside City Hall.

And why to City Hall? Those alert at the back will already know, because Friday 31st July to Sunday 2nd August is the Admiral Cardiff Big Weekend, the jewel in the crown of the Cardiffian summer. Kids In Glass Houses, Third World and The Zutons are the corresponding headliners, check out our little preview.

Wisely choosing to chillax the following weekend, Cardiff Festival strolls forth with a couple of classic rallies down the bay. For the Popeyes there’s The Classic Motorboat Rally on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th and the Jenson Buttons a Classic Car Rally on Sunday 16th, all for free so if you fancy gawping at some highly polished machines made before you were born then head for Roald Dahl Plass and the bay in general.

If that doesn’t float your boat then also happening that weekend in the castle is a Grand Medieval Melee. Expect fabulous costumes, bows and arrows, a couple of sword fights and a colourful time.

And finally bringing Cardiff Festival to a close is the Cardiff Harbour Festival. Spreading across the Bank Holiday weekend (Saturday 29th to Monday 31st), the festival includes tall ships, live music, workshops for all ages and the Best Dressed Sea Creature Competition. As well as this Saturday is dedicated to all the lovely fish out there with the National Federation of Fishmongers running demonstrations on fish preparation and cooking. Sunday sees the first ever Welsh leg, (in its impressive 57 year history) of the British Fish Craft Championships. And Monday is the Welsh Oyster Opening Championships. Now that is how end a summer of festivities.

And you thought it was just The Big Weekend?

2-3 July ● Cardiff Castle Open Air Theatre

8 Jul-1 Aug ● Everyman Open Air Theatre Festival

9-25 July ● Welsh Proms Cardiff

10-12 July ● Cardiff International Food & Drink Festival

17-26 July ● Blysh

20 July ● Wet Sounds

24 & 25 July ● WOW on the Waterfront

26 July-29 Aug ● The Sound Of Music

26 July ● The Red Dragon Centre Family Festival

28-29 July ● The Fringe @ Cardiff Festival

30 July - 2 Aug ● Horrid Henry