Love Cardiff? Love Cardiff Festival
The Cardiff Festival is holding a spectacular assortment of 20 events throughout summer this year, so go along and take part - there really is something for everyone.
The festival's launch took place in the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay on the 10th of June but the events don't start until the 30th.
The festival kicks off with a performance of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in the grounds of Cardiff Castle under the mid-summer night's sky.
The Tarnished Earth exhibition will be appearing on High Street in town from the 1st of July followed by the Everyman Summer Theatre festival which starts on the 6th July. The Everyman Theatre company are putting on three shows (The Pirates of Penzance, The Comedy of Errors and Old King Cole) which will be held in an open air theatre in St Fagan's National History Museum.
The next event commences on the 8th July on the Roald Dahl Plass in Cardiff Bay. The International Food and Drinks Festival is back with a huge spread of foods from cheese to Norwegian Waffles! A farmers' market and producers' fayre will be open for you to buy as much food as you can, before devouring it all on the water's edge accompanied by music and entertainment. John Lewis will also be opening their own food theatre where you can take part in demonstrations and workshops as well as having the chance to buy even more food!
On the same day, the Welsh Proms begin in St David's Hall followed on the 9th July by In The Night Garden Live, a CBeebies special in an inflatable dome situated in Bute Park. [Sub-Ed Note: Win tickets for this! You've got till July 6th!]
The next event is The Big Gig held by Nation Radio and Underconstruction Festival at The Globe on Albany Road. The Big Gig will have a competition for bands aged 18 and under on the 12th July, a competition for bands aged 18 and over on the 13th, and a final battle of the bands on the 14th. The winners of the Big Gig will win the opportunity to open the Admiral Big Weekend and have airtime on Nation Radio. For information on how to enter, click here.
The Cardiff Comedy Festival begins on the 13th July with an array of comical stars in a range of different venues. The Multicultural Mela takes place on the 17th and plays host to a spectacular day of shopping, food & drink and music and dance from every part of the world.
The New Theatre becomes home to Mr Stink from the 20th July, as David Walliams' book creation comes to life in a 'scratch and sniff' musical production.
Mr Stink is followed shortly by the arrival of Danny and Sandy when the musical Grease rolls into the Wales Millennium Centre from the 25th July.
The Royal College of Music and Drama are putting on two plays - Fragments of Ash and A Night's Tale on the 26th and 27th of June. These two plays will be your chance to preview this showcase before they make their transfer to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later in the summer.
On the 31st July, superheroes, villains, princesses and space creatures will be taking over the grounds of Cardiff Castle, as Braces holds the Fantasy and Fairytales Picnic in the Castle. The Admiral Big Weekend then takes over the capital city centre from the 5th to the 7th August. The Big Weekend consists of three days of live music, fairground rides and fireworks- so be sure not to miss!
On the 6th of August, the 22nd annual MAS Carnival will make its way through the Bay and end at the Admiral Big Weekend. Be prepared for masks, big costumes, huge headpieces, giant puppets, magicians, demons and street bands, as this is sure to be a big event.
The Grand Medieval Melee will to you back to medieval times on the 13th - 14th August at Cardiff Castle. Watch amazing falconry displays, combat displays and take part in a mass battle. There's also the chance to do some workshops, where you can learn how to be a true Medieval warrior!
On the 14th, Cardiff Harbour hosts the National Classic Car and Motor Boat Rally for the day. The rally is then followed by the Cardiff Harbour Festival, again in the Harbour - with an array of spectacular ships, a continental market, singers, comics, fairground rides and music!
The last day of the festival - September 3rd - plays host to two big events. The first one is the Cardiff International Paddle Festival where you can try out canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding at CIWW in The International Sports Village. The last event is the Cardiff Wales LGBT Mardi Gras in Coopers Field. There will be a range of dancing, singing, market stalls and even a funfair!
So whether you can make all of the events or just one, it doesn't matter - they all look to be a great deal of fun!
IMAGE: Walt Jabsco
1 Comment – Post a comment
Tansi
Commented 11 months ago - 26th June 2011 - 13:39pm
Sounds like a lot of fun to me!