Mari Hwyr! – Vibrant dance and circus spectacle heads to Eisteddfod Maes

Dance artist and choreographer Osian Meilir will return to the Eisteddfod Maes this year with Mari Hwyr! – an energetic outdoor spectacle and one of the highlights of the artistic programme at this year’s Eisteddfod Gendlaethol.

Mari Hwyr! is a thrilling fusion of contemporary dance, traditional clog dancing, circus, live music and colourful costumes, creating a striking visual performance at the heart of the festival.

This ambitious production marks a new stage in the development of large-scale outdoor arts at the Eisteddfod and in Wales more broadly. It builds on the success of Osian Meilir’s previous work, including QWERIN – a production originally commissioned in 2021 by Articulture and the Consortium for Outdoor Arts in Wales, with the Eisteddfod as a key partner.

Mari Hwyr! has evolved from Mari Ha! (2024), a joint commission by Menter Bro Morgannwg, the Eisteddfod and the Green Man Festival, which was further developed in 2025 as a mid-scale show, with a clear vision to expand into a full-scale outdoor spectacle.

Osian Meilir, who hails from Pentre’r-Bryn in Ceredigion, said: “I’m very much looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate once again with the National Eisteddfod this year. Being part of the development of dance and outdoor arts in Wales over recent years has been incredibly exciting.

“From the iconic images of the cast of QWERIN in front of the Eisteddfod sign in Tregaron in 2022, to the opportunity to create an inclusive, contemporary and confident spectacle at a festival so deeply local to me here in the Garreg Las area, I’m hugely grateful to the Eisteddfod, the Arts Council of Wales, Articulture and the Consortium for Outdoor Arts in Wales for their support and opportunities over recent years.”

Mari Hwyr! offers a fresh perspective on Welsh folk traditions, weaving together Calan Mai and the Old New Year, the summer solstice and the equinox, the Cadi Ha and the Mari Lwyd, to celebrate the cycle of the year, the power of the natural world and the rituals that bring people together to create living culture and community.

As part of the Eisteddfod’s commitment to nurturing talent and skills in Wales, the production will feature live music and four clog dancers: Lleucu Parri, Morus Jones, Gwennan Staziker and Nia Rees. Several of the performers are former Eisteddfod prize-winners, and the project offers new professional opportunities for traditional dancers within a contemporary performance context.

This element builds directly on the work of Project8, a partnership between the Eisteddfod, Menter Maldwyn and the Welsh Folk Dance Society, which aims to develop traditional dance in Wales and has already achieved success through projects such as Twmpdaith.

Since the pandemic, the Eisteddfod has been working strategically with producer Zoë Munn to develop outdoor arts on the Maes.

The aim of this partnership is to strengthen the sector, develop new skills, and support artists to create ambitious, large-scale work through the medium of Welsh.

For many years there have been limited opportunities in Wales for performers to take part in large outdoor spectacles. Through Mari Hwyr!, the Eisteddfod is supporting the sector by building skills, confidence and sustainable career pathways through the medium of Welsh.

Funded by the Arts Council of Wales, Mari Hwyr! clearly reflects this vision through a bold, inclusive and forward-looking performance that will appeal to both new and existing audiences, showcasing a contemporary, creative and community-focused Wales on a national outdoor stage.

Betsan Moses, Chief Executive of the National Eisteddfod, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Mari Hwyr! as part of this year’s Eisteddfod programme.

“The work encapsulates what we’re seeking to achieve through our outdoor arts programme – placing outdoor performance at the heart of the Maes experience, bringing together tradition, innovation and the Welsh language in a live and inclusive setting.

Mari Hwyr! is a powerful example of how Welsh dance, tradition and creativity can come together on the Eisteddfod Maes, and on Maes B, to create an experience that will undoubtedly appeal to audiences old and new alike.”

Eisteddfod y Garreg Las will be held in Llantwd from 1–8 August. Find out more here.