Date: 8 Dec 2009 Comments: 0

if you have grown used to travelling abroad during the summer for your vacactions, you might be interested in something more ‘local’. Look west to a small country, with its own charm and unique culture.

Anyone considering short 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. Eisteddfod alternates the venue between north and south of the country during the first weeks of August, with Ebbw Vale being the next host in 2010.

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. Events are conducted mainly in the Welsh language as it is a celebration of the nation’s culture, although many events are conducted in English and attract visitor numbers in excess of 150,000. You’ll receive a warm welcome at the Eisteddfod regardless of whether or not you can speak Welsh and a translating kit can be picked up for the day as you arrive.

You can still enjoy arts, crafts, music and dance and soak up the atmosphere, without an in-depth knowledge of the language. The main pavilion is the hub of the show, where such activities including dance, drama, poetry and recitation competitions are conducted close the Maes which is the name for the main field. These include the Crowning (best work in free verse), Daniel Owen memorial prize (best unpublished Welsh novel), the Prose Medal, and the Chairing of the winning poet.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. Evening entertainment is the speciality of the festival, with an abundance of plays, comedy, concerts and performances for local artists. If you are interested in bands and rock groups, there are loads of gigs in Welsh and in English in the main arena or areas close to the main paviliion.