Whats on in the Brecon Beacons
www.breconbeacons.org/events

Brecon Beacons Craft and Art Outlets

Beacons Crafts
Bethel Square, Brecon LD3 7JP, Wales, tel 01874 625706, www.beaconscrafts.comA makers’ co-operative art and craft shop in the centre of Brecon. Open Mon–Sat 10am–5pm. Extended hours in summer, some Sundays and Bank Holidays. 
Cellar Gallery
Grove Farm, Walterstone, HR2 0DX, England, tel 01873 890293, www.cellargallery.comPaintings of local rural and agricultural life by Christine Hunt, shown in a picturesque former dairy.
Court Cupboard Craft Gallery
New Court Farm, Llantilio Pertholey, Abergavenny NP7 8AU,
,www.courtcupboardgallery.co.ukShowcases the work of the Black Mountains Circle craft makers. Comfortable coffee shop manned daily by different makers. Llantilio Pertholey is less than 2 miles from Abergavenny. Open daily, Mar–Oct 10.30am–5pm, Nov–Feb 10.30am–4pm.
Crafts Alive
Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire SA19 6EN, Wales, tel 01558 822010, www.crafts-alive.co.ukCommunity crafts shop which brings together over 50 local craftspeople. Traditional wooden lovespoons, pottery, glassware, soft furnishings, textiles, silver jewellery and much more. There is always a friendly craftsperson on hand to help! Open daily, Mar–Oct 10.30am–5pm, Nov–Fev 10.30am–4pm.

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Gower walks
(All are circular, low level routes
Rhossili Ramble
One of our ‘Walking By Bus’ walks approximately 2 miles in a circular route with views across Rhossili Bay (in the top four of the UK’s Best Beaches (as voted by TripAdvisor) for four years running!) and across to Worm’s Head.
Langland Bay to Caswell Bay
Another one of our ‘Walking By Bus’ routes and part of the Gower Coast Path. This is a circular walk, approximately 2 miles in length – taking in some of our most popular, award-winning beaches.
Lower Lliw Valley Reservoir Circular Walk 
Approximately 2 miles along a scenic route around this beautiful reservoir – look out for kingfishers or if you’re lucky you might even see a Red Kite!

Swansea Indoor Market
From Cockles and laverbread, to Gower Potatoes and fine cheeses – Swansea Market is the place to come for a true taste of Wales. It is the largest indoor market in Wales and has a wide variety of stalls, many of which have been run by local families through several generations. 

When: Mon to Fri 8am – 5.30pm; Sat 7.30am – 5.30pm

Where: Swansea Market, Oxford Street, Swansea SA1 3PQ  http://www.swanseaindoormarket.co.uk/

Whats on in The Gower
www.visitswanseabay.com/destinations/gower-peninsula

T
Gower Heritage Centre
Parkmill
​Gower
www.gowerheritagecentre.co.uk
We are open every day from 10.am to 5pm Tearoom open daily serving hot and cold food, Childrens Playareas, Animal Park and Mill workshops open as well as the events timetable.
 visit http://gowerheritagecentre.merlintickets.co.uk to make a reservation.

Uplands Market
A large and successful market first started in 2013 to provide opportunities for small, independent Welsh producers.

When: 9am – 1pm on the last Saturday of each month (with the odd exception)

Where: Gwydr Square, Uplands, Swansea SA2 0HD

Website: www.uplandsmarket.com 

Marina Market
The Marina street market in Swansea sells a huge range of Welsh produce from beautiful hand made items to delicious, fresh food.

When:  10am – 3pm on the second Sunday of each month

Where: Dylan Thomas Square, Swansea, SA1 1TT

Farmers Markets
The last Saturday of the month is the date for the Llandovery Farmers Market which is held in the Market Square from 9.00 to 14.00.

The Arwel y Mor Centre, Porthcawl which is off Station Road, is where to find the Bridgend Farmers Market on the fourth Saturday each month from 10.00 to 13.00.

There are also Local Produce Markets at Sketty (first Saturday each month at Bishop Grove School, de la Beche Road, 9.30 to 12.30), Mumbles (second Saturday at The Dairy Car Park, Oystermouth Square, 9.00 to 13.00), Llangennith (last Saturday April to September at the Parish Hall 9.30 to 13.00), Penclawdd (third Saturday at the Community Centre 9.30 to 13.00), Pennard (second Sunday at the Community Centre 9.30 to 12.30) and Pontarddulais (second Wednesday at St Teilo Street 9.30 to 13.30).

Camarthen Farmers Market  Every Friday

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Green Man Festival August Annually

Located in the truly beautiful Brecon Beacons near Crickhowell this independant world music festival has grown over the past ten years into a music event of world renown.

Brecon Jazz Festival August 

Brecon Jazz Festival is a music festival held on an annual basis in the rural surroundings of Brecon, in south Powys, Mid Wales. Normally staged in early August, it plays host to a range of jazz musicians who travel from across the world to take part and to many visiting tourists who are attracted by the music, the social scene and the other leisure opportunities on offer in and around the Brecon Beacons. 
 

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St Dwynwens Day Oxbridge Bay Hotel Jan 24 and 25th

In 2020, we will be celebrating the Welsh version of Valentine’s Day across not one but two nights!
On both evenings, we will be running a very special 3-course Welsh-inspired dinner menu, created by our award-winning chefs, and served from 6pm to 9pm.
Just £25 per person.
Our last St Dwynwen’s Day event sold out very quickly – so we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment!

Croeso Festival

Croeso is a two-day festival celebrating all things Welsh held in Swansea’s city centre on Saturday 29th February and Sunday 1st March 2020.
This year’s event will feature the best of local Welsh culture including:

• Food and drink
• Cookery demonstrations
• Live music
• Poetry
• Street entertainers
• Workshops
• Art and crafts
• St David’s Parade
• Children’s activities

The Dylan Thomas Festival

 There are many Dylan Thomas Festivals throughout the year  but one of most established is held at the  Dylan Thomas Centre , an arts centre located in the Maritime Quarter in Swansea, Wales.

Formerly the city's Guildhall, which was originally built in 1825, the Dylan Thomas Centre was restored and refurbished to host the UK Year of Literature and Writing in 1995.

It was opened in 1995 by American ex-President Jimmy Carter,[1] and has a permanent exhibition on the life and work of Dylan Thomas, as well as a restaurant and bar, a bookshop cafe, conference rooms and a theatre.

The centre houses the permanent ‘Man and Myth’ exhibition, based on the largest collection of memorabilia of its kind in the world. It is designed to appeal to the Dylan expert and interested visitor alike. This interactive exhibition explores Dylan’s life and work through a variety of media and includes letters, books, worksheets and photographs.

The Dylan Thomas Centre is home to a year-round programme of literary events, including book launches, plays, poetry evenings, changing exhibitions and science talks. It hosts the annual Dylan Thomas Festival held between Dylan’s birth and death dates, 27 October to 9 November.

The Dylan Thomas Centre’s staff also provide a variety of talks and tours, such as talks on aspects of Dylan’s life and works, on contemporary literature, on writing poetry and on cultural tourism.

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Wales air Show July 2020

The free Wales Airshow will be returning to Swansea Bay on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th July 2020. Breathtaking aerobatic displays, state-of-the-art military aircraft and vintage planes from the past will thrill tens of thousands of visitors in Swansea Bay next summer.
We’re looking to make 2020 even bigger with even more exciting air display teams and entertainment.
More information available soon.  Please visit the official website for updates.

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Above are dancers in Traditional Welsh Dress within the Living Museum at St Fagans near Cardiff

Pontardawe World Music Festival

Pontardawe is celebrated for its contribution to the Arts and is best known for the Pontardawe Festival of World Music and Dance which has been held every August since 1978. The town hosts live music on a weekly basis at the many pubs and inns. The festival itself always has a strong Celtic Feel.Pontardawe - which means "Bridge on the River Tawe" in Welsh, is a 15 minute drive from Lothlorien Cottage. It was originally situated on the crossroads of two drovers' roads and the history of the town can be traced back as far as the sixth century
The Pontardawe Arts Center also stages quality performances by musicians of national and international fame. It is one of the finest cultural venues in South Wales and includes a theatre, cinema and art gallery.It lies 15 minutes
away from the accomodation.

The Brecon Craft Fair takes place in the town’s historic market hall and is held every third Saturday of the month between 9am and 5pm. Each and every month, up to around 60 traditional and independent craft workers and artists set up shop in the market hall, resulting in a truly unique collection of Welsh arts and crafts; from beautiful handmade soft furnishings to hand painted jewellery and locally crafted Faberge style eggs.

Not only will you be able to pick up a handful of goodies, you’ll also be able to talk to artists and craft workers themselves and find out just how much effort went into creating each and every item. You will be pleasantly surprised not only by the quality of the crafts on offer, but also by the fact that you can pick things up for the fraction of the price you’d find elsewhere.

Venue: Brecon Market Hall, Brecon LD3 9AH

Free Entry Every 3rd saturday of the month

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Photo below Star Gazing Night Sky in the Beacons

Gower walks

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Photo Above Newton House
​Dinefwr Park and Gardens

Local Produce Market
Pontyates Welfare Hall, Pontyates, Llanelli SA15 5TR.
10-12.30pm. Every third Saturday of the month. Local charcutier, organic vegetables and fruit, plants, flowers, bread, eggs, pastries, jams and chutneys, honey, and cheese. Craft stalls also in attendance - home made cards, needlework, knitted garments and toys, jewellery. Over 20 stalls in attendance usually. In conjunction with the market, refreshments will be available raising funds for individual charities. A warm welcome to all.
pontyates.org.uk  01269 860966 

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• Craft, Gift and Produce Fair

 The St Elli Shopping Centre
Located in the heart of Llanelli, the Centre is anchored by a large Asda as well as having a Wilkinsons, Poundland, Argos and Yankee candles among others. The Craft event is held under cover in the Atrium area next to the coffee shop.  Time: 9.00a.m. - 4.30p.m. A range of stalls will be selling selected gifts and handmade crafts at affordable prices.
9.00 a.m.- 4.30p.m. Free Admission
The St Elli Shopping Centre, Murray Street, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Carmarthenshire SA15 1SH
Thursday  to Saturday 

Carmarthen Free Walking Town Tours
Weds 11:00 - 12:00
Carmarthen
Nott Square, Nott Square, Carmarthen. SA31 1AD map 

Come along and join us for a gentle walking tour of Carmarthen. Meet in Nott Square at 11.15am for an hour long walk and talk around our historic town with our wonderful volunteer guides. Visit the jail cells and the ruined castle and learn some of the turbulent history of Carmarthen town. The tours are completely free.


The castle and the jail cell tour are also free and can be visited any time between 10am and 4pm daily except for Sunday.

Creepy Carmarthen Tour 
19:00 The tour starts in front of the Guildhall in the centre of Carmarthen
Every Wednesday night at 7pm explore our "horrible history" with the award-winning "Creepy Carmarthen Tour". Suitable for all ages this two-hour long walking tour explores some of the town's many ghost stories, revisits notorious murders and executions and strange-but-true events from the past. And along the way we hold a witch trial, use magic to find the name of a ghost and recreate a strange-but-true incident from the days of the Civil War. All tours end in the haunted cells of the Victorian police station! Book your place by calling or texting 07752 438901 - check out the great reviews on Trip Advisor

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National Botanic Gardens

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Events at the Botanic Garden
​National Botanic Garden of Wales, Middleton Hall, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire SA32 8HN.

• ​B​utterfly House Now Open

 

• Huge blue Amazonian morphos
• Great eggfly butterflies that swoop past palms and orchids
• Butterflies with see-through wings
• Butterflies that mimic the colours of poisonous bugs
• butterfly feeding area (the Butterfly Café) where diners include the Postman, the Tree Nymph, Sara Longwing and Doris

The Garden is open from 10am to 6pm with last entry at 5pm.
Entry is FREE for Garden members and parking is FREE for all.
For more information about this or other events, call 01558 667149, email info@gardenofwales.org.uk or go to https://botanicgarden.wales/

 ​St David is the patron saint of Wales, whose saint's day is celebrated annually on 1 March.
St David (or 'Dewi Sant' in Welsh) was born on the south west coast of Wales, near the present day city of St Davids. His family was aristocratic. He was educated at a monastery and became a missionary, travelling through Wales and to south west England and Brittany to spread Christianity. He is also supposed to have visited Rome and Jerusalem.
David founded a monastery where St Davids stands today. He died in 589 AD and was buried in the grounds of his own monastery. He has been the patron saint of Wales since the 12th century."Gwnewch y pethau bychain..." (Do the little things) - St David's last words before he died are his most famous.

Photo Above Celtic Music in a Pontadawe Pub

Enjoy a great day out along Swansea Prom
Swansea Prom, with its range of attractions coupled with the spectacular 5 mile stretch of Swansea Bay, is a great destination for visitors and residents of all ages. Come and enjoy the swan and dragon pedalos in Singleton Boating Lake, a round of golf at Ashleigh Road Pitch & Putt, or let the kids play at Blackpill Lido and Southend Gardens, all connected by the Swansea Bay Rider land train. 

Gower Folk Music Club

The Halfpenny Folk Club is also held at the Greyhound Inn, Oldwalls, Llanrhidian, Gower SA3 1HA, every Sunday night except Bank Holidays. It starts at 8.30pm and has guest artists once a month and singer's evenings in between when all are welcome to sing, play or just to listen. Singer's nights are free, there is an entry fee for guest nights.

FESTIVALS IN THE BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK

Our annual festivals celebrate our very best walking, food, drink, arts, music and entertainment the National Park has to offer. We like nothing better than a good get-together, and all are welcome. Come and join us!
MARCH Crickhowell Walking Festivalwww.crickhowellfestival.comCrickhowell is home to one of Wales’ best-known walking festivals. Taking place over ten days in early March, it features a great variety of guided walks plus talks from eminent guests and a twmpath, a traditional Welsh ceilidh-style knees-up. 
MAY Talgarth Walking Festivalwww.talgarthwalkingfestival.orgFounded in 2013, this active gathering will have you exploring the countryside around Talgarth and learning something new about the landscape.
MAY Hay Festival of Literature and the Artswww.hayfestival.comHay-on-Wye is rightly famous for this superb event which celebrates contemporary literature and intelligent discussion. The concept may be unashamedly highbrow, but the festival definitely has a fun side, with plenty of humourists in attendance, tasty food on offer and lively musical events at fringe venues. The formula has proved so successful, it’s spread from Hay to places as far-flung as Lebanon, Mexico and the Maldives. 
AUGUST
Talgarth Festival of the Black Mountainswww.talgarthfestival.org.ukIn Talgarth, you can join the locals as they celebrate the August Bank Holiday weekend with a free family day out, featuring food, music and entertainment. 
SEPTEMBER
Abergavenny Food Festivalwww.breconbeacons.org/food-festivalsAbergavenny's weekend-long festival of food, drink and foraging already has an excellent reputation and, like good wine, it gets better every year. Expect stalls, demos, talks and fascinating activities such as guided wild food walks. 
OCTOBER
​Brecon Arts Festivalwww.artbeatbrecon.orgOctober is all about art and crafts in Brecon, with a stimulating programme of exhibitions, workshops, demonstrations, open houses, pottery, glassmaking and drawing sessions, plus poetry, theatre and lots of handmade goodies to buy. 
OCTOBER
Brecon Food Festivalwww.breconbeacons.org/food-festivalsThis one-day event is a great opportunity to exercise your tastebuds. It seeks to boost the local food and farming industry by raising awareness of what’s available. Centred on Brecon’s Market Hall, it spills out all over town.

The Welsh Dragon

The exact origin of the Welsh Dragon is shrouded in the mists of time,and there is still much debate as to it's source.The Red Dragon, part of the national flag design, is a popular Welsh symbol. The oldest recorded use of the dragon to symbolise Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, written around 820, but it is popularly supposed to have been the battle standard of King Arthur and other ancient Celtic leaders. This myth is likely to have originated from the tale of Merlin's vision of a Red (The Native Britons) and a White (The Saxon Invaders) dragon battling, with the red dragon being victorious. Following the annexation of Wales by England, the red dragon was used as a supporter in the English monarch's coat of arms. The red dragon is often seen as a shorthand for all things Welsh, being used by many indigenous public and private institutions (
One of the earliest mentions of the Dragon dates to about 800A.D when it was linked with Wales in the writings of Nennius. References to the Dragon frequently occur in Welsh medieval poetry,where the creature was used to symbolise the country.
The Red Dragon was recognised as the badge of Wales on 10th December,1901, at which time it was added to the arms of the Prince of Wales.On 11th March,1953,the Dragon was again sanctioned, this time being made the official badge of Wales. It was only after this, that it became the authorised Welsh National flag.

Events which are happening around Lothlorien Cottage,Holiday Home in Wales