Pontardawe is launching a new community festival to mark the Celtic origins of the modern May Day celebration.
Echoing to music, the town’s streets will have stalls and displays as local people inaugurate their own version of the ancient ‘Beltane’ or ‘Sacred Light’ festival on Friday, 30 April, and Saturday, 1 May.
The new event will add to Pontardawe’s existing reputation as the centre of the successful Gwyl Pontardawe Festival of international folk music held annually in the town during August.
The Celtic Beltane festivals – known in Welsh as ‘Calan Mai’ – marked the beginning of Summer in ancient times and were associated particularly with the lighting of bonfires.
The festival has been organised by the Pontardawe Chamber of Trade and Commerce. Its aim is to bring together schools, businesses and voluntary groups to celebrate community spirit through a festival spirit rooted in ancient history.
One of the organisers John Jones from the Pontardawe Chamber of Trade and Commerce said, “The community is being encouraged to join in with May Pole Dancing led by a local dance group. The locally based ‘Organised Kaos Circus’ will perform a fire re-enactment of ‘Beltane’ outside the Pontardawe Arts Centre. All the entertainment will be free to all.”
Local school children, a folk group and the acoustic club will perform musical items in English and Welsh; the skills of local crafts people will be on display; and local businesses and voluntary groups will be promoting their activities and services.
The weekend’s events will also see the launch of a new leaflet aimed at attracting an increasing number of tourists and visitors to Pontardawe. Prepared by the Swansea Valley Tourism Stakeholder Group, the leaflet features a map and pictures marking places of interest along with descriptions of local history, significant buildings and leading personalities.
The head of Economic Development in Neath Port Talbot council Gordon Anderws, said, “The Beltane Festival and the tourism leaflet will help publicise Pontardawe and district not only in Neath Port Talbot but throughout the wider south Wales area. This will benefit community development and help boost economic prosperity.”
The Beltane Festival and tourist leaflet have been funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
