Community

Review: Flamingo Bingo, a carnival of colour and chaos

Published

4 years ago

April 20, 2022

BINGO may sound like something your Nana would do on a Friday night at the local social club, but unless your local includes smoke machines, loud music, and confetti cannons, Flamingo Bingo is a whole different game.

What a sight I was greeted with as one of the last people to arrive — The Parkhouse Centre, Withybush on Easter Sunday (April 17) evening full of Pembrokeshire people drinking and singing their hearts out, all ready for the night ahead. We were given our books and bought decently priced beers in quantity and shoved them under our arms before making our way to our table.

Dancing and singing followed, with djs Jack Evs and Jonno T warming up the party mood with cheesy pop and upfront house music. By 8 p.m., the venue is hopping, with girls dancing around their tables.

The evening’s MC, Steve Bartram, then took the stage with his guitar, playing major sing-along hits like Delilah and that one Stereophonics song everyone knows before putting the crowd in line for the bingo!

The games function similarly to traditional bingo, or at least how I imagine bingo to function despite never having played it myself. There are five games in all, and each has two opportunities to win: the first is to earn a full line, and the second is to get the first full house. The numbers come in thick and fast, so focus is required, but there are plenty of dance breaks as well.

I had come prepared with my own sparkly bingo dabber, a dabber I will never use again because after the many bottles of Corona I consumed, I lost my poor dabber amongst all of the confetti that fell from the ceiling that night. This fast-paced game is a whirlwind and obviously it’s tough to keep track with the game after a couple of beers. But it was totally worth it!

According to what I’ve heard, most bingo in the UK is played in silence with the grannies, with no music playing and a monotone voice reading the numbers, but this event has entirely transformed the game.

After every three to four numbers called, an absolute classic song (imagine Mousse T’s- Horny) was blasted out every time 69 came up then every single person was up on their feet dancing away. Wow, what an atmosphere! Every single person in the Park House Centre Haverfordwest, had a smile on their face, including the security!

With multiple false calls and faces in the spotlight, the game is like a marathon, with opportunities to win wacky prizes like a vacation to Bendidorm, a Henry Hoover, along side many other prizes…I mean who doesn’t want to take a Henry Hoover home at midnight?

This night is not to be missed! 5/5

EXCLUSIVE: The next Flamingo Bingo at The Park House Centre, Withybush will be held on the 25th June, with info TBA, tickets will be available soon, keep an eye on their Facebook page HERE

Community

Bongo Clive brings rhythm and smiles to VC Gallery celebration

Published

6 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LEARNING DISABILITY WEEK MARKED WITH MUSIC, LAUGHTER AND INCLUSION IN PEMBROKE DOCK

THE VC GALLERY in Pembroke Dock was filled with music, laughter and energy as visitors came together to celebrate Learning Disability Week.

The event saw popular entertainer Bongo Clive lead a lively session of singing, drumming and participation, with those attending joining in throughout the day.

The gallery said the session had created a joyful atmosphere, with music helping to bring people together and celebrate inclusion, creativity and wellbeing.

A spokesperson for The VC Gallery said: “The smiles said it all. A huge thank you to Bongo Clive for bringing your incredible energy, enthusiasm and positivity to The VC today. You certainly had everyone moving to the beat.”

Learning Disability Week celebrates inclusion and the abilities, creativity and individuality of people with learning disabilities.

The Pembroke Dock event highlighted the role of community spaces such as The VC Gallery in supporting wellbeing, friendship and confidence through shared creative activities.

Community

Sir Karl Jenkins named Eisteddfod President for 2026

Published

7 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIR KARL JENKINS has been named President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for 2026.

The internationally acclaimed Welsh composer, one of the world’s most performed living composers, will take on the role as the festival prepares to welcome performers, competitors and visitors from across the globe.

Sir Karl is best known for works including The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, Adiemus and Requiem.

His appointment comes in a landmark year after The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Opening night return

Sir Karl’s presidential year will begin with the opening night concert, Uniting Nations: One World, on Tuesday, July 7.

The concert had been due to take place in 2025 but was postponed, causing disappointment for volunteers, performers and audience members who had travelled from across the UK and overseas.

The Eisteddfod has now brought the event back with support from the Arts Council of Wales.

Sir Karl said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Llangollen Festival this year and especially honoured to do so in the role of President.

“Llangollen is always a very special place to be, with its unique sense of community and international spirit.

“I’m greatly looking forward to conducting my most recent choral work, One World, particularly following the postponement of last year’s performance.

“It’s a piece that I feel reflects the very essence of the festival, bringing together outstanding musicians from across the globe to form one powerful collective voice.”

Global chorus

The evening will feature a full performance of One World, conducted by Sir Karl and performed by an international massed chorus made up of WorldChoir and NEW Voices, accompanied by the Llangollen International Orchestra.

The work blends Jenkins’ distinctive musical style with themes of humanity, compassion and environmental stewardship.

The concert will also include a complete staging of Peace Child: The Musical, which places young people at the heart of its message of peace and global citizenship.

Opening the evening will be the world premiere of Greeting the Dawn, a newly commissioned bilingual work by emerging Welsh composer Sam Buttler.

The piece was written for the 2026 Eisteddfod through the Harmony Without Borders initiative, continuing Llangollen’s tradition of supporting new talent and giving Welsh composers an international platform.

‘Great cultural ambassador’

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sir Karl Jenkins has agreed to serve as President of the Eisteddfod for 2026.

“Few musicians have done more to promote the values of peace, friendship and international understanding that lie at the heart of our festival.

“Sir Karl is one of Wales’s greatest cultural ambassadors and his music has inspired audiences across every continent.

“The fact that The Armed Man has just been voted the nation’s favourite classical work is a testament not only to his extraordinary talent, but also to the universal appeal of the messages of peace, hope and humanity that run through so much of his music.”

Mr Gambles added: “The postponement of One World last year was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“We knew how much the concert meant to audiences, performers and volunteers alike, and we were determined to find a way to bring it back.

“Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Wales, we can now finally give this extraordinary concert the audience it deserves.

“With Sir Karl as our President, the return of One World, the world premiere of a major new Welsh composition and the powerful message of Peace Child, this promises to be one of the most memorable and significant opening nights in the Eisteddfod’s history.”

Festival programme

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns for its 79th year on Tuesday, July 7.

This year’s programme includes performances from Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé with the Absolute Orchestra, Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins, and the Choir of the World competition.

Thousands of competitors from around the world will also take part in the daytime programme, with the Parade of Nations returning on Friday, July 10.

Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33.

Further information is available at llangollen.net.

Community

Lord Rhys emerges from the mist in St Davids

Published

9 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Giant puppet begins historic journey marking 850 years since the first Eisteddfod

MIST swirled around St Davids Cathedral on Friday evening as a giant Lord Rhys puppet emerged from the fog to begin a journey celebrating 850 years since the first recorded Eisteddfod.

Accompanied by traditional musicians and followed by crowds of spectators, the towering figure cut an imposing sight against the backdrop of the ancient cathedral.

The procession marked the start of Taith yr Arglwydd Rhys (The Journey of Lord Rhys), a cultural pilgrimage retracing the legacy of the Welsh prince whose gathering of poets and musicians at Cardigan Castle in 1176 is widely regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod.

As fog drifted across the city and church towers faded into the background, the scene felt more like a chapter from Welsh folklore than a modern-day celebration.

The giant puppet, accompanied by fellow performers and musicians, travelled from St Davids Cathedral to Oriel y Parc before beginning a wider journey through west Wales.

The travelling celebration will visit communities across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion before culminating in Cardigan, where Lord Rhys originally staged his famous cultural gathering eight and a half centuries ago.

Video and photographs shared by DrifterStDavids captured the remarkable atmosphere, with many describing the spectacle as one of the most memorable cultural events seen in St Davids for years.

Photo caption: Lord Rhys emerges from the mist outside St Davids Cathedral as celebrations begin to mark the 850th anniversary of the first recorded Eisteddfod

(Pic: SmallWorld – Video: Drifter St Davids)