There’s a weekend of wonderful music and dance from around the globe at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, July 19-20.
On the Saturday (19th), the ever popular International Day of Dance takes place with visiting troupes from Petrozavodsk, Karelia in Russia; County Cork in Ireland; as well as much closer to home – Dawnswyr Llanarthne – and all over Wales.
Always a colourful and entertaining spectacle, dancers will be strutting their stuff in various venues across the Garden, starting off with a mass procession up the Broadwalk at 10.30am.
For more details, visit www.gardenofwales.org.uk
The International flavour is every bit as strong on Sunday (20th) for the Garden’s ‘World Music’ day – Ffestiva!
Headlining this year’s festival are the awesome Burum, a six-piece band of virtuoso performers, who fuse high-quality jazz with Welsh folk to create a powerful and evocative sound.
They are supported by Rogara Khart, a Russian-style punk band from The Valleys. This theatrical and high-energy outfit, are loud, proud and out to make a party.
Kicking off the event in style are Wales’ premier samba band, Samba Galez, from Cardiff, who will make their way up the Broadwalk long walk in an unmissable opening ceremony. They will then give a thrilling display of drumming and dancing in Millennium Square.
You can get involved, too: head to the Great Glasshouse where the fantastic Nigerian-born Gbubemi Amas will be leading drum circles throughout the afternoon. Come and try your hand playing a djembe or conga, some percussion, or try on a tribal mask, and become part of the action.
For quieter moments, there will be acoustic music from Carmarthenshire’s own Klezmer (Jewish traditional) band, the Klezmic Rays, as well as other players and performers, all adding up to a day filled with music, colour and fun.
The Garden is open from 10am to 6pm. Admission is £8.50 for adults (£7 concessions), £4.50 for children with a family ticket (for 2 adults and up to 4 children) priced at £21. There is no additional charge for any of the dance or music activities.
For details about this and other events taking place at the National Botanic Garden, go to www.gardenofwales.org.uk email [email protected] or call 01558 667149.
