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Pembroke Dock celebrates the building of iconic Star Wars starship in 1979

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Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

A MILLENNIUM FALCON exhibition is opening to the public in the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre in West Wales on Monday, May 23 thanks to £8,000 funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The permanent installation tells the story of the building of a life-sized model of the iconic Star Wars starship in the town in 1979 for the Oscar-winning film The Empire Strikes Back.

“The worst kept secret in Pembroke Dock”

Craftsmen from a local engineering firm built the model – the first of its type ever constructed, in the Western Hangar – a former RAF aircraft hangar in the town’s dockyard.

“It was the worst kept secret in Pembroke Dock – everybody in the town knew they were building a UFO in the hangar and that period of time and that story is an important part of the town’s living memory” remembers Gareth Mills, a trustee of the Pembroke Dock Heritage Trust.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, we are now able to tell the story of the building of the Millennium Falcon in Pembroke Dock – an iconic event to fans across the globe, in a new and permanent exhibition. The exhibition will provide a significant boost for Pembroke Dock with increased visitor numbers helping with the economic regeneration of our town and will also have major benefits for Pembrokeshire.”

“One of the most iconic starships in science fiction history”

Work on the Millennium Falcon exhibition at the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre has been going on for some time under the watchful eye of local Star Wars expert and enthusiast Mark Williams.

“George Lucas set a new standard in both storytelling and filmmaking with Star Wars and the story of the Millennium Falcon being built in Pembroke Dock was big news at the time. The whole world knew about it, then the story faded into legend.”

“The idea of a town in West Wales making a significant contribution to this incredible story by being the place where one of the most iconic starships in science fiction history was built, creates a mixture of disbelief, awe and pride.”

Millennium Falcon

National Lottery funding

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded towards creating a permanent display in the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre about the building of the Millennium Falcon model. A walk-through display will tell the story with photographs, film, models and costumes.

“Pembroke Dock – the birthplace of the first-ever life-sized model of the Millennium Falcon – now has a permanent exhibition for an often overlooked and largely unknown but major Welsh contribution to film and cinema history and popular culture,” said Andrew White,  Director of the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales.

“The funding for the Pembroke Dock Heritage Trust has been made possible by National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million every week for good causes in the UK. It is just one of the more than 635,000 good causes in the UK that has received a share of over £41 billion raised by National Lottery players since 1994.”

The Millennium Falcon isn’t Pembrokeshire’s only connection to Star Wars. Lynwen Brennan, Lucasfilm EVP and General Manager, is a Pembrokeshire native. “I am so delighted that this wonderful moment and place in Star Wars history will be preserved,” said Lynwen Brennan. “I love that such an iconic, beloved ship was built in the town where my Mum was born and in the county where I grew up, and I’m hopeful this exhibit will become a new destination for fans around the world.”

Andrew White, Director of the National Lottery heritage Fund in Wales said “Wales has a proud tradition of myths and legends to which we can now add the little-know story of Wales’ contribution to the Star Wars films.This new exhibition showcases Pembroke Dock as the birthplace of the first life-sized model of the Millenium Falcon. It’s a great example of one of our small grants going a long way, in this case to a galaxy, far away and back again”.

The funding for the Pembroke Dock Heritage Trust has been made possible by National Lottery players who raise more than £30 million every week for good causes in the UK. It is just one of the more 635,000 good causes in the UK that has received a share of over £41 billion raised by National Lottery players since 1984.

Entertainment

DJ Yoda brings the ’80s back to life at The Queens Hall, Narberth

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Legendary scratch DJ to perform ‘80s Mixtape Live on Saturday 22 November 2025

AWARD-WINNING turntablist DJ Yoda is heading to Narberth this autumn for a night of pure nostalgia, bringing his acclaimed DJ Yoda’s ’80s Mixtape Live to The Queens Hall on Saturday, 22 November 2025.

Known for his innovative audio-visual mashups, Duncan Beiny—better known as DJ Yoda—will take audiences on a journey through pop culture’s most iconic decade. Expect a wild mix of classic hip-hop, chart-toppers, retro video games, vintage movie clips and everything in between, all delivered in his signature glitched-out style.

From A-Ha to Alan Partridge, this is no ordinary DJ set. It’s a live performance of the mixtape that started it all—How To Cut & Paste: 80s Edition—celebrating 25 years since its original release.

A pioneer of modern turntablism, DJ Yoda has spent more than three decades performing around the world, from global festivals to exclusive venues. Named “one of the 10 DJs to see before you die” by Q Magazine, he’s collaborated with artists ranging from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg to Damon Albarn, Diplo and Mark Ronson. In 2015, he was one of a select group of performers invited to appear at Banksy’s infamous Dismaland.

Whether you lived through the ‘80s or just love the sound and style of the era, DJ Yoda’s 80s Mixtape Live promises a high-energy, genre-defying experience not to be missed.

Tickets are available now at thequeenshall.org.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01834 861212.

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Entertainment

Torch Theatre welcomes new community reviewer Emma Cox

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Pembrokeshire graduate brings passion for arts, music and storytelling to the role

THE TORCH THEATRE has announced the newest addition to its team of Community Reviewers — Pembrokeshire native and recent Bath Spa University graduate, Emma Cox.

A former pupil of Pembroke School, Emma holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Publishing and brings with her a unique blend of creativity, cultural insight and musical curiosity. Deeply rooted in Pembrokeshire and driven by a lifelong passion for the arts — especially music — Emma is excited to lend her voice to the Torch’s programme of live performance, film, and music events.

“The Torch is a huge part of the creative life of Pembrokeshire,” she said. “It helps keep local arts and culture thriving, and it’s incredibly exciting to be even a small part of that.”

Emma’s interest in storytelling has always gone hand in hand with her love of music, particularly the raw energy and cultural dynamism of 1970s rock and soul. She said: “I’ve always been drawn to the music of the ’70s — it’s an era full of experimentation, honesty, and cultural shift. That really shows up in both the music and the films of the time. I find it endlessly inspiring.”

During her degree, Emma built a wide-ranging creative portfolio, writing on topics including fashion, culture, international affairs, and the arts. Her work has explored the influence of music and subcultures, including the emergence of a new wave of punk in Pembrokeshire, where local bands and young people are reviving the spirit of early punk to address today’s social issues.

She has also contributed to projects linked with Bristol Pride and Bath Carnival, and taken part in wider conversations around media representation and diversity. Through social media marketing and magazine design, Emma developed a passion for the evolving role of creative platforms in shaping public discourse.

“I see publishing as a powerful storytelling tool — one that continues to evolve alongside digital platforms and social change,” she said.

As she embarks on her new role, Emma aims to bring a fresh, music-loving perspective to her reviews, combining thoughtful critique with an eye for the cultural and creative significance of each performance.

“This is a new venture for me,” she said. “While I polish my reviewer’s voice, I hope to bring you along for the ride with thoughtful and exciting reviews.”

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Entertainment

Flu-like outbreak forces Eisteddfod cancellation amid public health scare

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Emergency declared as festival-goers fall ill — site cleared to reopen Thursday

THE LLANGOLLEN International Musical Eisteddfod was forced to cancel its headline event on Wednesday evening (July 9) after a sudden outbreak of illness prompted the Welsh Ambulance Service to declare an extraordinary incident.

Multiple attendees fell ill with flu-like symptoms, leading to the cancellation of the evening concert — which was set to feature Sir Karl Jenkins conducting One World, his symphonic celebration of peace.

Festival organisers said the nature and scale of the incident meant it was the first time in the Eisteddfod’s history an event had been cancelled in this way.

A spokesperson confirmed: “Following Public Health Wales advice, the incident related to a flu-like outbreak and affected multiple people at one time. We take the safety of our audience, performers and volunteers extremely seriously.”

Medical teams on site were supported by the Welsh Ambulance Service, who confirmed the declaration of a public health incident due to the number of people affected simultaneously.

The festival had been running as normal throughout the day, with over 4,000 performers from 35 countries taking part in cultural performances, parades, and competitions.

Just hours before the cancellation, organisers had sent out a schedule for what was expected to be the busiest day of the event so far, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.

Despite the disruption, organisers have now confirmed that the site has been declared safe to reopen on Thursday (10 July) from 9:00am.

“We are pleased to report our site has been cleared to reopen,” the Eisteddfod said in a further statement issued late Wednesday evening.

No further details have been released about the cause of the illness, but Public Health Wales is continuing to monitor the situation.

The Herald understands that stewards, medical staff and volunteers acted quickly and professionally to contain the incident and support those who were unwell.

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