With two Hollywood actors – Richard
Burton and Anthony Hopkins, from the Port Talbot area –
and with Tom Jones from Pontypridd, there’s a healthy tradition
of local talent in South Wales with lots of entertainment on offer
at theatres, cinemas and festivals. Before arriving at Swansea
Valley Holiday Cottages, why not plan your evening entertainment?
Closest to your cottage is Pontardawe, which celebrates the annual
Pontardawe
Music Festival, where music and dance, particularly folk,
descend on the small town for a weekend of events. First held
in 1978, the festival has developed into a major international
occasion attracting up to 20,000 visitors. You will also find
the Pontardawe
Arts Centre, close by, with a theatre, and a cinema showing
art house and blockbuster films, also the Oriel Lliw Gallery,
a bar and snooker club.
Neath’s Gwyn
Hall is used by local amateur operatic groups - the grade
II listed building also houses the Neath Museum & Art Gallery.
Just 20 minutes drive from your self catering cottage, the Swansea
Grand Theatre presents performances to a annual audience of over
350,000. Also home to The
Depot Studio, a monthly comedy club held monthly on every
last Wednesday. There is also the Princess
Royal Theatre in Port Talbot, a short drive from your farm
cottage. During the summer there are outdoor theatre companies
performing in Cardiff Castle
and the Museum of Welsh Life.
The Brangwyn
Hall is used regularly for major concerts and is the home
of the Swansea Festival. The complex also houses the famous Empire
Panels, originally painted by Sir Frank Brangwyn for the House
of Lords.
The Taliesin
Arts Centre in the University of Wales Swansea is named after
a 6th century Celtic bard, and has Welsh, English and international
visiting theatre, music and film. Also in Swansea is the Dylan
Thomas Arts Centre which has readings, author interviews,
debates, lectures, small scale drama, video and films, book launches
and workshops. The annual three week long Dylan Thomas Festival
is held here, celebrating the writer's life.
For films visit the UCI
Cinema ten screen multiplex in Swansea, or Apollo
Cinema’s six screens by Port Talbot’s beach or
Pontardawe
Arts Centre.
For gigs and bands – check fixtures at the Afan
Lido's Leisure Complex or try the Patti Pavillion in Swansea.
There is also St
David’s Hall and the Cardiff International Arena (CIA)
in Cardiff, along with The Point in Cardiff Bay.
The National
Eisteddfod of Wales is Europe's largest travelling cultural
festival, visiting South Wales every other year. Unique to Wales,
the eisteddfod is a competitive festival of music, dance, literature
and art that seeks to embrace all aspects of Welsh culture. There
is also the Llangollen
International Musical Eisteddfod, held annually in the North
Wales town.
The streets are alive with the sound of music during the Brecon
Jazz Festival - a three-day festival attracting top names
in jazz. Or feel the tension at the sheep dog trails, watch cookery
displays, view the porky prize pigs or judge for yourself the
cutest cow at the Royal
Welsh Show. Builth Wells’ annual July show is the foremost
agricultural event in Britain, running for four days in the heart
of the Welsh countryside.
