Wrecsam Eisteddfod 2025 hailed as cultural and economic success

The National Eisteddfod in Wrecsam ended late on Saturday evening giving the Welsh language a massive platform in the area and a significant boost to the local economy.

The claim came at the end of a busy week of competition in the Pavilion and countless concerts, talks and other events on the Eisteddfod Maes at Is-y-Coed on the eastern outskirts of Wrecsam.

Llinos Roberts, chairman of the local executive committee, said thousands of people flocked to the Maes throughout the week and many of them were visiting the Eisteddfod for the first time and some returned for further visits.

“That is such a positive helping to hopefully reach the Welsh Government’s target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050,” she said.

Weather

Eisteddfod officials said the dry weather this past week had helped attract the large crowds.

“Of course many say it would be an Eisteddfod without rain and we had some during the week but the Maes drains very quickly and it was not a factor,” National Eisteddfod chief executive Betsan Moses.

She added the 2025 Eisteddfod had been very successful with all major prizes awarded.

“The Chairing ceremony was very emotional given Tudur Hallam’s illness but everyone was pleased at the high standard of entries across all competitions and that is very pleasing.

“The program at Ty Gwerin, Encore and Y Babell Len was excellent and Eisteddfodwyr obviously agreed because there were large queues to get in on many occasions. This gave people an opportunity to meet others who were interested in the same group, play or subject,” she said.

Although the Maes was located a few miles outside the city centre businesses in the city centre say they felt the impact of the festival.

According to one business owner, the impact has been so positive that they are keen to see the Eisteddfod return as soon as possible.

Looking ahead

The National Eisteddfod 2026 will be held at Llantood, a village between Cardigan and Newport in Pembrokeshire.

Congratulating the Wrecsam Eisteddfod crew for a “great week”, John Davies, chairman of the National Eisteddfod 2026 executive committee, said the city would “be a hard act to follow”.

He added next year’s National Eisteddfod would be called Eisteddfod y Garreg Las (Bluestone Eisteddfod) would be “unique”.

“Led by Pembrokeshire Council the Eisteddfod ‘patch’ encompasses part of Carmarthenshire and a small part of Ceredigion. Staging the Eisteddfod this year commemorates the fact it was 850 years ago in 1176 that the Lord Rhys staged the very first Eisteddfod.

“We have quite a bit of work to do to maintain the artistic, cultural, and social success similar to Wrecsam,” he added.

Mr Davies also suggested there is a need to “look differently at how funding is created and harvested” in the areas that host the festival.

“In a climate where money is hard to come by for every family we must be careful and prudent,” he said.