Jamie Smith’s Mabon – Fiona Maria Fitzpatrick and the Darling Buds – Lowri Evans & Band
St Davids Bishop’s Palace, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Tickets: £17.50
Now entering its fourth year, this exciting new festival of celtic music is a family friendly occasion enjoyed by both the local community and visiting tourists alike. The festival is located on the grounds of the medieval Bishop’s Palace in the Close of St Davids Cathedral, the church of the Patron Saint of Wales.
The festival’s Welsh title, ‘Gwerin y Pererin’ (Pilgrim Folk) is taken from the area’s association with Saint David and the 1500 year tradition of pilgrimages to this city after his death. Such was the status of David that Pope Calixtus II decreed that two pilgrimages to St. Davids were equal to one to Rome.
Pilgrims throughout the ages have experienced the timeless wonder of this place and the St Davids Folk Festival provides the perfect time to make your own pilgrimage to St Davids and experience for yourself the special atmosphere that pervades this wild, remote seascape. You will want to return. St Davids has that effect on people. Bring your own picnic with rugs or camping chairs and to be on the safe side an umbrella or two.
http://www.stdavidsfolkfestival.co.uk/
Exploring Pembrokeshire
The festival will commence at 6pm allowing visitors plenty of time to enjoy a relaxing day in Pembrokeshire. Discover the quaint village life of St Davids; explore the culturally significant St Davids Cathedral and, if the weather stays nice enough, surf or sunbathe on one of the many beaches along the St Davids Peninsula.
St Davids or in Welsh ‘Ty Ddewi’ is Britain’s smallest city; it has no traffic lights, no boarded up shops and no fast food takeaway chains. Instead you will find a way of life that contrasts with that of any other city in Britain.
Dating back to 1181, St Davids Cathedral is another must visit attraction. The Cathedral was built at the bottom of the valley next to the River Alun to protect it and hide it out of sight from invaders sailing around the coast. Enter this marvel of a holy place, look up to the carved wooden ceiling and take in the meaning of the place.
The St Davids Peninsula is dotted with numerous beaches each with its own characteristics and so choosing the right beach is quite an art. Newgale and Whitesands beach are perfect for surfers and have a lifeguard present during the summer months. Solva is ideal for swimming in the harbour at high tide and sunbathing at the harbour entrance at low tide. Abereiddy – a black sand beach – is a mecca for coasteering.
