The National Eisteddfod is a celebration of culture and language here in Wales and is held during the first week of August every year.

The festival travels from place to place, visiting north and south Wales alternately, attracting around 150,000 visitors and over 250 stalls.

The history of the Eisteddfod can be traced back to 1176, with the modern history of the institution dating back to 1861. The festival has been held every year, with the exception of 1914, when it was postponed for a year due to the First World War. .

Traditionally, the Eisteddfod is a competitive festival, attracting over 6,000 competitors each year. The festival itself has developed and evolved over the last few years, and although the competitions are the central focus of the week, the Maes has grown into a lively festival with hundreds of events and activities for the whole family .

The Eisteddfod is the perfect shop window for music, dance, visual arts, literature, original performances and much more. Covering all aspects of the arts and culture in Wales, it is an inclusive and welcoming festival, which attracts thousands of Welsh learners and those who do not speak the language, as well as Welsh speakers every year. There is translation equipment in the Pavilion during the week, and a special center for learners on the Maes.

The Eisteddfod has been described as Wales’ leading traveling regeneration project, and the week of the Eisteddfod is the culmination of a community project that lasts two years, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds from communities in a different part of Wales each year.

With a mix of outreach work, lifelong education projects and volunteering opportunities, the community project drives the preparations for the festival, giving local people the chance to make their mark on our national festival.

Most of Wales’ leading writers, musicians and poets have competed in the Eisteddfod, with many performers appearing on a national stage for the first time during the festival.