Pirate festival back on for medieval town

Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter

A popular Conwy festival that attracts thousands to the medieval town every year is back on.

Last week Nation.Cymru reported how an internal dispute between organisers of the annual Pirate Festival had led to the event being cancelled.

Businesses and councillors described the festival being cancelled as a huge loss for the tourist trade.

But the event is now back on.

Happy

Russel Erwood, chairman of Conwy’s Chamber of Trade, revealed organisers were overjoyed that the event is being pencilled back into the calendar.

“We are extremely happy that Jonathan Mann of Glipso Woodworking has chosen to take on the running of The Original Conwy Pirate Festival,” he said.

“This is great news for the area as a whole and for the town of Conwy in particular.”

He added: “We hope the 2024 festival is the success it deserves to be.”

Mr Erwood said no further information was available at this time. The Pirate Festival was started in 2012 and remained as a Chamber of Trade event in 2013 and 2014.

In 2015, 2016, and 2017, it was taken on by a private events company.

Whilst the festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19, the event came back under the management of Conwy’s Chamber of Trade between 2018 and 2023 – and was hailed as a huge success.