International Eisteddfod

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The International Eisteddfod is a music festival which takes place every year during the second week of July in Llangollen, North Wales.

The event began in 1947 when the world had begun to return to normal after World War II.

In the first year. 40 groups representing 14 countries took part and now thousands of singers, dancers and instrumentalists representing around 50 countries visit Llangollen for 5 days in July every year.

The participants are extremely colourful in their national costumes and they perform on a large stage decorated with 50,000 flowers.

In addition to the competitions there are special evening concerts with world famous guests, for example Luciano Pavarotti (who first competed as a member of a choir in 1955), Nigel Kennedy, The Red Army Ensemble, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Kiri Te Kanawa and Lesley Garrett.

According to the official history of the event, Esperanto speakers played an important role in the first year when it was felt that there would be insufficient participants. Reto Rossetti, a well-known figure and author in the Esperanto movement, was asked to help. Through publicity in Esperanto magazines a considerable number of groups contacted the organizers who were surprised at the response. Two of the most outstanding groups in the first Eisteddfod were recruited in this way.