CILGERRAN Festival Week has begun this week with a large variety of activities for the whole family. 

The festival begun on Friday (Aug 12) and will be continuing on throughout the week until Sunday (Aug 21) during which a grand carnival procession will take place through the streets of the small rural Welsh town.

The annual Festival Week is a much anticipated event within the town and celebrates a variety of cultural traditions that are cherished within the area such as the popular coracle race held on the Dolbadau River.

Cilgerran Festival Week begun on Friday (Aug 12) with a performance by Elvis Preseli, the popular Pembrokeshire-based Elvis impersonator, who was supported by local acoustic act Samuel Walters. Hosted in The Cardiff Arms, the event was a fantastic start to the week’s festivities as a BBQ in the pub’s beer garden appeared to be popular with attendees.

Saturday (Aug 13) then followed with a Horticultural Show, in which entrants presented their best horticultural goods to be judged. There were a ‘great number of quality entries this year’ a spokesperson stated, as the veg was judged at the Village Hall at 2.30pm.

This was followed by the crowning of this year’s Carnival Queen, Jamie Catharine Low, and her female attendants, Seraphina Slack and Ffion Dellar, and her male attendants, Osian Jones and Alfie Bellars. During the evening, an exciting new edition to the Festival Week took place in The Masons Arms, where a game of ‘Family Fortunes’ took place. During this, there was a BBQ available as well as drinks at the bar.

Sunday’s (Aug 14) festivities were also a great hit with the people of Cilgerran as the ever popular junior games was held at the MUGA. Hotdogs, snacks, drinks and sweets were available to all the contestants who participated in the wide range of sports activities. Cilgerran Rovers then continued the day’s sport-filled itinerary with a football tournament played on the town’s football field. A wide variety of players, both young and old, participated in the tournament whilst spectators enjoyed the game. A concert was then held at the Village Church from 6pm onwards.

A Tea Party was hosted on Monday (Aug 15) in the Village Hall and a fantastic array of entertainment was arranged by the Cilgerran Players. Following the Village Hall’s activities was the popular Car Treasure Hunt, in which contestants followed a stream of clues by car that brought them back to a secret location in Cilgerran where they all enjoyed pork rolls and beverages.

A kayak and canoe session took place on Tuesday (Aug 16) on the river banks of Dolbadau and was met with fantastic summer weather. Everyone involved had a brilliant time enjoying the water-based activities, which were followed by a picnics of hot dogs and burgers. Children then enjoyed a pavement painting competition whilst adults gathered for bingo in the Village Hall.

Wednesday (Aug 17) welcomed the Village Walk with Eufron Bowen from 1pm onwards, as everyone gathered at the Millennium Stone to enjoy a walk in beautiful sunshine. A Donkey Derby Race was then held in the town’s field at 6pm. Contestants raced their donkeys across the field and then settled down to enjoy a BBQ. In the evening, an Open Mic Night was held at the Pendre Inn, in which participants were able to exhibit their vocal prowess in lieu of ‘Cilgerran’s Got Talent’ the following night.

Prior to Cilgerran’s Got Talent, hosted in the Villa ge Hall at 8pm, there were a variety of activities to get involved with at The Wildlife Park for all the family – including a popular pond dip that helped cool everyone down from the summer heat. Cilgerran’s Got Talent followed this, with everyone participating having a great time. The event achieved a brilliant turn out, and the night then progressed onwards to a ‘Stars In Your Eyes’ talent show, also held in the Village Hall.

Friday will welcome the 100 year Roald Dahl Celebration Family Treasure Hunt held throughout the town from 11am onwards. Contestants will have the opportunity to earn a ‘Golden Ticket’ that will allow entry into ‘The Chocolate Factory’ situated in the Village Hall at 12.30pm, where there will be a chocolate workshop and family picnic. Prizes for the treasure hunt will include a first prize of £10, second prize of £5 and third prize of £3. There will then be a Western Rodeo Night at The Pendre Inn from 7pm onwards, where there will be prizes for the best dressed and longest rodeo rider.

Homemade cakes, coffee and tea will be available on Saturday from 10am onwards at the Millennium Stone with a coffee morning. The much anticipated Coracle Race will follow at 1.30pm on the Dolbadau River.

The Coracle Race is a unique sport to Wales in which participants will race small round boats made out of wickerwork and covered in a water tight membrane across the Dolbadau River with a small paddle. Bystanders will watch the exciting race play out and will then enjoy a BBQ and refreshments.

The famous traditional Coracle Night will then be held at The Cardiff Arms at 6pm, where a visiting male voice choir will perform as part of a night that is promised to include music, singing and laughter. The pub will be open until late and a BBQ will be held.

On Sunday, the jam-packed week of activities will then be concluded with the pièce de résistance – a Grand Carnival Procession, held at 1.30pm.

Participants will parade through the streets of Cilgerran in a haze of colourful costumes. Carnival winners will be then announced and the Inter-Pup Tug of War, sumo wrestling, laser tag and archery will then take place on the town’s field. Even more fun day activities will also be available on the field, including a bouncy castle, kids quad bikes and classic cars, bikes and tractors. A BBQ, bar and refreshments will also be available.

Commenting on the events so far, Nia Morris, a spokesperson for Cilgerran Festival Week, stated: “We’ve had a successful week so far and the weather has drawn a crowd to the river today for some kayaking.

“The Coracle Race is in its 66th year and has become popular once again.

“The competition is on between the Teifi and Towy coracles. All the families are enjoying themselves and we hope the weather persists for everyone to gather and have fun this weekend.”