A new free community festival will take place in Hirael, Bangor this month, bringing live performances, creative workshops, food and drink stalls, and much more to the city.
Gŵyl Adda Fest is a free, open-air event set to take place on Saturday 28th September. The festival aims to celebrate the arts, culture, language, and music, bringing families of all ages together to enjoy an exciting lineup of performances from Welsh artists. The day will include creative activities, participating opportunities, and food and drink stalls.
Organised by Welsh language theatre company, Frân Wen, the festival will also be the set for the second part of their new compelling trilogy performance, Olion. Based on the Mabinogi story of Arianrhod, Olion is a modern spin of the tale, where Arianrhod’s resistance to the demands of her ruling family leads to a devastating supernatural storm that sinks her fortress to the depths of the ocean.
Olion provides an immersive experience to audiences and is divided into three parts, which includes live theatre shows; site-specific performances, including Gŵyl Adda Fest; and a short film. Following the Saturday matinee show, there will be live performances across the Bangor community, starting at the pier through Hirael and finishing at the Gŵyl Adda Fes, where there will be additional scenes.
Gethin Evans, Artistic Director of Frân Wen is thrilled to be able to organise the festival, which coincides with Olion; he said: “We are delighted to bring the community of Bangor together to enjoy a fun-filled day and also to celebrate the Olion performance. This event is the first of its kind for us, and we’re excited to involve the community and to welcome them to witness a performance in their area. We hope it will encourage more people to enjoy the arts, especially in north Wales.”
Elis Pari, Community Director of Frân Wen is also excited to see the festival come to Bangor. They said: “The festival will focus on celebrating arts, culture, and music, and we hope as many families as possible will participate in the activities which focus on the history, culture and community of the Welsh language. The festival is for the Bangor community, but anyone can come along to enjoy the day and any part of the Olion performance.”
Confirmed artists, several from in and around Bangor, include Band Pres Llareggub, Batala Bangor, Sister Wives, Crinc, and Francis Rees.
For more information about Gŵyl Adda Fest and Olion performances, please visit Frân Wen | Olion (franwen.com). Olion will be performed in Welsh but is an opportunity for learners and new speakers of the language to enjoy the production.
