Local eisteddfodau run through the year across Eryri, with many in spring and summer: village and town events where competitive recitation, singing, poetry and instrumental music take place almost entirely in Welsh, in village halls and chapel vestries, before audiences made up largely of the competitors’ families and neighbours. To attend one is to witness Welsh cultural life from the inside. This is Experience #73 of the Snowdonia 100.
What to Expect
A local eisteddfod is competitive: children and adults compete in categories for recitation (adrodd), singing (canu), poetry composition (barddoniaeth) and instrumental performance. The adjudicator, usually an invited musician, scholar or poet, comments on each performance and delivers a verdict. The competitions are conducted in Welsh. The audience is local, knowing, and appreciative of technical quality in ways that are not always immediately apparent to outsiders.
| When | Throughout the year, busiest in spring and summer; check local listings, community papers (papurau bro) and local social media |
| Where | Village halls, chapels and school halls throughout Eryri |
| Cost | Usually free or a small admission charge |
| Language | Welsh throughout, non-Welsh speakers welcome as observers |
The National Eisteddfod
The annual National Eisteddfod of Wales, which moves between north and south Wales, is a week-long event on an entirely different scale, with a tented field (the Maes) and competitions across all the arts. It is held in early August and is often described as the largest festival of competitive music and poetry in Europe. The modern National Eisteddfod has been held almost every year since 1861. When it comes to Eryri, it transforms its host area for the week.
The 2027 National Eisteddfod comes close to the southern edge of Eryri: it is due to be held in the Glantwymyn area near Machynlleth from 31 July to 7 August 2027, with a catchment that takes in all of Powys and south Meirionnydd, including the Dolgellau area, the Dysynni valley and Penllyn around Bala.
How to Do It
Local eisteddfodau are rarely advertised beyond their own communities, so the trick is to look where locals look. Notices go up in shop windows, chapel porches and village halls, and are listed in the local papur bro (Welsh-language community newspaper) and on community Facebook pages. Ask in a local shop or at a National Park information centre; someone will usually know of one coming up.
- Timing: many run over an afternoon and evening, with children’s competitions first and the adult and open classes, often the highlight, late into the night.
- Etiquette: slip in and out between items rather than during a performance, and silence your phone.
- What to bring: cash for the door, a raffle ticket or the tea urn, and patience. Programmes run long.
Good to Know
The poetry competitions often culminate in the chairing (cadeirio) or crowning (coroni) of the winning poet, a ceremony that even small village eisteddfodau take seriously. Nobody will expect you to follow every word, and a non-Welsh speaker sitting quietly at the back is entirely welcome. For a bigger occasion in the same spirit, look out for the Urdd Eisteddfod, the youth eisteddfod held each year around late May and early June.
Nearby
- The Welsh Language in Eryri
- Visit a Welsh Nonconformist Chapel, Experience #78, where the eisteddfod tradition is rooted
- Bala, one of the most Welsh-speaking towns in the park
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to speak Welsh to attend an eisteddfod?
No. Competitions are in Welsh, but visitors are welcome to watch and listen, and music needs no translation.
How much does it cost?
Local eisteddfodau are usually free or charge a small sum at the door. The National Eisteddfod charges for entry to the Maes, with tickets sold in advance and on the day.
Where will the next National Eisteddfod near Eryri be?
The 2027 festival is planned for the Glantwymyn area near Machynlleth, just south of the national park.
Experience #73 of 100, Language and Culture category.