Big plans for Carmarthen's Merlin Festival

Families are being invited to join in the fun at this year’s Merlin, Magic and Mystery Festival.
The event, being held in Carmarthen Town Centre on Saturday, August 13, celebrates the legend and folklore of the town’s ancient links with the world’s most famous wizard.
Magical and mysterious themed activities will take place throughout the day at Notts Square, Kings Street, Merlin’s Walk and St Catherine’s Walk.
Live performances will transform the town’s streets with children, families and traders all encouraged to join in the fun by dressing up in wizardry inspired costumes and putting on special themed menus and produce.
Festivities will include a magic and mystery Academy, themed stilt walkers, storytelling and mix 'n' mingle with entertainers, Welsh folk music and arts and craft workshops.
The amazing animated Epico the Dragon will prowl the streets, along with a Wizard Streetwalker, a strolling lute player and magic by Jugglestruck and Jack Twist.
Damsel and Apothecary will also feature with an alchemist show for visitors to find out about the bizarre but historically true cures from a variety of herbs.
There will also be free face painting, musical performances by Pibau Planned and magical arts and craft workshops by Trysordy.
Plus, a potter will undertake workshops with children to make ‘Witch Pots’.
The event is being staged by Carmarthenshire County Council and supported by St Catherine’s Walk and Merlin’s Walk.
Executive board member for regeneration and leisure, Cllr Clive Scourfield, said: “The Merlin Festival is great fun and a wonderful way to celebrate the history and mythology of Carmarthen.
“This year’s event will be better than ever, with more events planned and more interaction for visitors and traders.”
Carmarthen - reputedly Wales’s oldest town dating back more than 2,000 years - celebrates its past and links with the legendary wizard Merlin every year.
Merlin is best known as the magician of Arthurian legend, but Carmarthen lays its own claim to the man of mystery from the past.
The name Myrddin may have arisen from the Roman period Celtic name for a place in Wales, Mori-dunon meaning ‘sea fort’.
The name became Carmarthen/Caerfyrddin, which can be loosely translated as Fort of Moridunum, since a caer is a fortified royal residence. It seems that the name was taken to mean ‘Caer of some man called Myrddin’.

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