Entertainment
Llys-y-frân Lake to launch Wales’s largest inflatable aqua park
NEW ATTRACTION WILL OPEN AT WEEKENDS BEFORE THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS
LLYS-Y-FRÂN Lake is set to make a splash this summer with the launch of what is being billed as Wales’s largest inflatable aqua park.
The new attraction, at the popular reservoir and visitor destination near Clarbeston Road, will feature a floating obstacle course with slides, launch towers, blast bags and other inflatable challenges.
Visitors will be able to enjoy one-hour sessions on the water, with safety equipment included in the £25 ticket price.
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, which runs Llys-y-frân Lake, completed the acquisition of the aqua park from Aqua Parks Group in March. Work is now under way to inflate and anchor the multi-component course in the lake ahead of its opening.
The aqua park will open at weekends before the start of the six-week school holiday period. It will then operate daily during the school holidays, with the season expected to finish in early September.
James Thompson, Head of Visitor Attractions at Dŵr Cymru, said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of an Aqua Park at Llys-y-frân Lake.
“We look forward to welcoming both holidaymakers and local residents from across West Wales and beyond to experience the Aqua Park.
“This new addition enables visitors to enjoy the water in a safe, fully lifeguarded environment.”
Llys-y-frân Lake, situated north of Haverfordwest in the foothills of the Preseli Mountains, has become one of West Wales’s best-known outdoor attractions.
The site, which includes 350 acres of woodland, grassland and open water, benefited from major investment in 2021 with the opening of a new visitor centre and activity centre. A four-star campsite was added in 2023.
Dŵr Cymru said environmental surveys had been carried out and indicated that the aqua park was unlikely to have a negative impact on local wildlife. The company said measures were being put in place to protect the lake’s habitats and species.
Recent inland bathing water assessments have also confirmed that Llys-y-frân Lake has excellent water quality. Welsh Water said monitoring would continue throughout the summer bathing season.
A community open day will be held at Llys-y-frân Visitor Centre on Sunday, May 17, from 11:00am to 3:00pm, where plans for the aqua park will be on display and staff will be available to answer questions.
The new attraction will add to the existing activities at Llys-y-frân, which include bike hire, walking and cycling trails, mountain bike routes, a pump track, lakeside café and gift shop.
Further updates on opening dates and the full summer timetable will be published on the Llys-y-frân Lake Facebook and Instagram pages.
Entertainment
Pembrokeshire soprano to perform at International Eisteddfod
HAVERFORDWEST music teacher and soprano soloist Clare Harrison is set to perform at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen next month.
Clare will sing under the baton of Sir Karl Jenkins on Tuesday, July 7, as part of the World Choir, an auditioned international chorus of singers, for the long-awaited Welsh premiere of his work One World.
She will also perform in a new commission, Greeting the Dawn, by Sam Buttler, and in Peace Child with Wrexham-based chorus NEW Voices.
Clare combines a busy teaching schedule with regular solo performances across Wales and the borders.
Her next Pembrokeshire appearance will be as soloist with Tenby Male Choir at St Mary’s Church, Tenby, on Thursday, July 16.
Caption:
Clare Harrison: The Haverfordwest soprano will perform at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen.
Entertainment
Harbour Fest to bring music, food and maritime magic to Milford Waterfront
Free family festival will celebrate Milford Haven’s seafaring history and coastal community
MILFORD WATERFRONT will burst into life on Saturday, June 27, as the first Harbour Fest sails into town for a day of music, food, family fun and maritime celebration.
The free event will run from 10:00am to 6:00pm at Mackerel Quay and across the waterfront, bringing together local traders, live entertainment, coastal organisations and independent businesses for a packed day beside the water.
Organisers say the festival will celebrate everything that makes Milford Haven special, from its seafaring history and working harbour to its growing reputation as a destination for food, shopping, culture and family days out.
Visitors will be able to browse stalls from local makers and producers, enjoy street food and live performances, and explore a Marine Zone featuring organisations involved in sea safety, marine conservation and coastal life.
The Marine Zone will include Seagrass Network Cymru / Project Seagrass, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Dyfed-Powys Police, NCI Wooltack Point, Rudders Marine Training, RNLI Milford Haven and RNLI Angle Lifeboat.
RNLI Angle Lifeboat is expected to be based on the Mackerel Stage, while the Sea Cadets will be giving rope-tying displays at Milford Haven Museum, where craft activities will also be taking place.
Live entertainment will run throughout the day, with performances from Tom & Abz, Will Scott, Ryan Bristow, Milford Haven Town Band, Kyle Kirkhouse and ShantyJacs Sea Shanties.
Businesses across the waterfront are also joining in. All Pets Vet Care will hold a family-friendly open day with a bouncy castle, treasure hunts, quizzes, craft activities and behind-the-scenes tours. Aurora Artisan Crafts will host vocal performances, Biffy’s Bar & Restaurant will feature solo acoustic music from Laurence Lewis, and Martha’s Vineyard will offer seafood street food with live music from Ryan Bristow and Steve Bartram.
At Tŷ Milford Waterfront’s outdoor plaza there will be face painting, children’s activities, pop-up artists and an afternoon DJ set, while Phoenix Bowl and Pirate Pete’s Adventure Play will have inflatables and glitter tattoos outside.
The Waterfront Gallery will host introduction to felt-making workshops with textile artist Carole Fletcher, giving participants the chance to create a woollen felt flower pin brooch or phone/glasses case. The workshops start at 10:30am, 1:00pm and 3:30pm and cost £5 per person.
A wide range of traders will also be attending, including 5th Flock Spirits Co, Cinnamon Grove Distillery, Cwm Deri Wines & Liqueurs, Ferncraft, Get Loaded, J.J. Pottery, Major Nuts, Orange Garden Design, Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm, Pembrokeshire Gold, Pembrokeshire Lottery, Plumstone Welshcakes and SlateArtSJ.
With music drifting across the marina, food stalls lining the waterfront and lifeboats, sea safety teams and coastal groups adding a strong maritime flavour, Harbour Fest is expected to bring a lively summer atmosphere to one of Pembrokeshire’s best-known waterside destinations.
Organisers say the event is suitable for families, friends and visitors of all ages, with plenty to see and do throughout the day.
Photo caption: Harbour Fest will take place at Milford Waterfront on Saturday, June 27 (Pic: Milford Waterfront).
Entertainment
Filming begins on new Welsh BBC comedy starring Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs
A HEARTWARMING new Welsh BBC comedy co-written by Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs has started filming in South Wales.
Better Later, a six-part series for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC One Wales, will explore the unexpected joys of an unlikely friendship.
The comedy stars Jones and Speirs as two people who meet at a knee trauma clinic. Retired teacher Clive, played by Speirs, is 60, widowed and facing a new chapter in life. Shelley Anne, played by Jones, is a 55-year-old environmental health officer going through a bitter divorce.
The series is being filmed in and around South Wales, including the Brecon Beacons, and is set in the fictional village of Brynfach.
Ruth Jones said: “In a funny way this show has been 35 years in the making, which is when I first met Steve. It’s not that we’re slow writers, it’s just that we’ve been up to other things. It’s fantastic to be back in front of the camera with him again.”
Steve Speirs said: “Our first time acting together for quite a long time. Ruth makes me laugh more than anyone and I’m a terrible giggler. This could be a long shoot.”
Better Later has been commissioned by BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Comedy and is being made by Tidy Productions in association with BBC Studios Comedy, with support from Creative Wales.
The series was commissioned by Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning at BBC Cymru Wales, and Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC. The commissioning editors are Emma Lawson and Paul Forde.
Executive producers are Sarah Fraser for Tidy Productions and Josh Cole for BBC Studios Comedy. The producer is Owen Bell and the director is Simon Massey.
Transmission details will be announced in due course.
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