Hit choir Only Men Aloud are set to launch the 2011 Saint David’s Week festival in Swansea.
The winners of BBC Programme Last Choir Standing will be taking to the stage at the Brangwyn Hall on Saturday February 26 where they’ll be joined by the internationally acclaimed Morriston Orpheus Choir in an evening of song to celebrate Wales’s patron saint.
The concert marks the start of Saint David’s Week – a week-long festival of music, food, dance, poetry and culture which runs from February 26 to March 6.
Other festival highlights include a twmpath with top Welsh folk band Jac Y Do and a Saint, Song and Celebration event.
The twmpath is a Welsh-style barn dance that will take place at the Brangwyn Hall on March 4. The Saint, Song and Celebration event takes place on March 1 at the Brangwyn Hall and will see 200 schoolchildren from the age of six performing alongside Cor Waunarlwydd.
Tickets can be purchased in person from Swansea Tourist Information Centre or the Events Hotline on 01792 637300 or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/brangwynhall
Other St David’s Week events to have been organised include Get Welsh in Castle Square; a week of special promotions and tasters in Swansea Market and a St David’s Day celebration at the National Waterfront Museum. Textile workshops at the Glynn Vivian, World Book Day at the Dylan Thomas Centre and lots of free activities in libraries across Swansea are also taking place.
Plantasia is hosting a Dragon Hunt trail throughout the week and the Swansea Bay Rider Land Train will transform into the Dragon Train on March 5 for trips along Swansea Prom.
Frances Jenkins, Swansea Council’s Strategic Manager for Tourism, Marketing and Events, said: “The Only Men Aloud and Morriston Orpheus concert is a very exciting event to kick-off St David’s Week and it promises to be a great evening – so much so that tickets are already selling quickly.
“Swansea is the only city in Wales to create a week-long Festival for our Patron Saint and we have a diverse and exciting programme once again this year to celebrate what’s great about being Welsh.
“The programme for the week is already packed with lots of different events – a number of which are free – and more events will be added as the build-up to the celebrations continue.”
Visit www.saintdavidsday.com for all the events taking place during St David’s Week and details of how to book tickets.
