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The Merlin Festival
The Merlin Festival takes place in the town of Carmarthen .
and celebrates the the town's links with the most famous wizard of folklore - Merlin.
The historic town of Carmarthen celebrates its famous links with Merlin the magician at this unique and vibrant street festival, marking the 2017 Year of the Legend! Wales' only street magic contest, a local produce market, fairytale fair and other exciting acts and performances will feature throughout the town!
Merlin was renowned for his association with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
It’s unclear where exactly Arthur’s power base was, but there’s a strong argument for him being from Wales and its thought his name derives from the Welsh words for bear and gold, arth aur. Medieval manuscripts contain references to Arthur’s court at Celliwig in Cerniw.
In 2017 Year of legends the festival took place march 24th and 25th.
No date as yet has been confirmed for its return
Jousting Festival Knights
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A Celebration of Merlin
Ancient Carmarthen
Carmarthen is reputedly Wales’s oldest town, with a history dating back more than 2,000 years and is linked to Merlin through its name.It lies 40 minutes away from the accomodation
The town celebrates its links with the legendary wizard each year. Merlin is best known as the magician of Arthurian legend but Carmarthen lays its own claim to the man of mystery from the past. The name Myrddin may have arisen from the Roman period Celtic name for a place in Wales, Mori-dunon meaning 'sea fort.' The name became Carmarthen / Caerfyrddin, which can be loosely translated as Fort of Moridunum, since a caer is a fortified royal residence. It seems that the name was taken to mean 'Caer of some man called Myrddin'. 
Merlin's Hill and Merlin's Oak
According to some versions of the Arthurian legend, Merlin was born in a cave outside Carmarthen. The name Merlin may be an anglicsed form of Myrddin. The nearby Bryn Myrddin (Merlin's Hill) alludes to this.
Legend also had it that when a specific tree, called "Merlin's Oak" fell, it would be the downfall of the town. Translated from Welsh, it reads: When Merlin's Oak comes tumbling down, down shall fall Carmarthen Town" Merlin's Oak stood in the centre of Carmarthen amid the legend that King Arthur’s famous wizard had placed a protective curse on it. In local tradition, the wizard said Carmarthen would “drown” if the oak was ever removed, and some even said a curious, pointed notch in the tree was the face of Merlin himself. In fact, the tree was poisoned in the 1850s by a local who objected to people holding meetings beneath it, but its trunk was preserved within iron railings. It was then removed from the town when someone set it on fire at the end of the 1970s. Carmarthen then suffered its worst floods for many years. The Black Book of Carmarthen includes poems with references to Merlin. The Black Book was written around 1250 and is thought to be the earliest surviving manuscript to be written entirely in Welsh. It includes a variety of poetry including poems about Welsh heroes including Arthur and Myrddin. 
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Above: Merlin Festival 2012, fun with Jesters
Photo provided by www.discovercarmarthenshire.com 
"When Merlin's Oak comes tumbling down, down shall fall Carmarthen Town" 
Merlins hill to the East of Camarthen where Merlin
according to myth is imprisoned 
Merlin and Excalibur
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