Colourful Parade of Nations comes to Llangollen on Wednesday

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod’s celebrated Parade of Nations will be held in the town tomorrow afternoon (3 July) starting at 4.30pm.

This year, the parade features groups from as far away as Burundi, Canada, China, Ghana, India, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, USA and Zimbabwe – alongside dozens of groups from the UK.

The parade, one of the central parts of the core Llangollen Eisteddfod, comes less than 24 hours after  Tom Jones makes his long-awaited debut at the festival on Tuesday evening.

It will be followed by a huge party on the Eisteddfod field, where visitors can get on the “ground for a pound”.

Calan

Welsh folk heroes Calan then headline the Wales Welcomes the World concert in the Pavilion, also starring Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists Johns’ Boys Chorus and Royal Harpist Alis Huws, alongside the Llangollen International Orchestra.

John Gambles, Vice-Chair of the festival, said: “This year, our parade will be the biggest for years.

“We’ve got some amazing international competitors from around the world coming to our town in July.

“Our Parade of Nations is one of our most popular events and this will be followed by a huge celebration on our field as we truly welcome the World to Wales.”

The parade will be led by town crier Austin “Chem” Cheminais ringing his bell and the children of Llangollen sending out a welcome to the world, with senior pupils from Ysgol Bryn Collen and Ysgol Y Gwernant proudly carrying the Eisteddfod banner.

Following them will be the Karamba Samba drum band, followed by a colourful cavalcade of international competitors in their  national costumes.

Bringing up the rear of the annual spectacle will be a Kurdish band and dancers.