http://www.computergamesdb.com/the-top-welsh-festival-the-eisteddfod-2010/
if you have grown used to travelling abroad during the summer for your vacactions, you might be interested in something more ‘local’. Consider the small country to the west of England, with its uniqueness and cultural history.
Anyone considering weekend breaks in Wales or looking for things to do in Wales would be well served by a visit to the biggest annual Welsh language and cultural festival – The National Eisteddfod. Alternating venues between north and south Wales, during the first weeks of August 2010 it will be held in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent and then in Wrexham in 2011.
The Eisteddfod of Wales is one of the largest cultural festivals in Europe, and is the most important summer event in the Welsh cultural calendar. The event is a celebration of Welsh culture, so the proceedings are conducted mainly in the Welsh language, although with over 150,000 visitors per week, there is plenty of English spoken. If you are not a Welsh speaker it is not a problem, and you will still receive a warm welcome and, if necessary, a translation kit.
You don’t need to have a wide knowlede of the language, it is possible to absorb the rich offerings of music, dance and crafts. The majority of the events are conducted in the main field or Maes, with the pavilion being the focal point of the festival where you can find dance, recitatiion competitions and poetry. These include the Crowning (best work in free verse), Daniel Owen memorial prize (best unpublished Welsh novel), the Prose Medal, and the Chairing of the winning poet.
There are also theatre, arts and crafts exhibitions, a literature pavilion, an area for Welsh learners to hone their language skills and plenty of plenty of food and drink. Or travel a little further afield and experience some of the first class restaurants in Wales that are nearby. At Eisteddfod, there is plenty of evening entertainment with plays and comedy shows and concerts often performed by local musicians. If you are looking for music groups whilst on a weekend break, there are lots of gigs in both Welsh and English in the main pavilion and nearby venues.