Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Carmarthen's legendary Merlin Festival is planned for a relaunch this year. The event aims to celebrate the “Year of the Legend” in Carmarthenshire, one of a series of themed years being spearheaded by Visit Wales to promote what the country has to offer to tourists. In 2018 it will be the ‘Year of the Sea’. A range of activities are being planned by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Marketing & Media team to mark the year locally, one of the highlights of which will be the Merlin Festival, centred in Carmarthen. The event is scheduled to take place on March 24 and 25, and aims to celebrate the legend of Merlin and other Arthurian characters said to have lived in the town and given it its name. Originally called Caerfyrddin, which means Merlin’s Fort; the town also has Merlin’s Oak and Merlin’s Hill, plus many tales of the wizard associated with the area. The festival aims to feature street entertainment, magic, a local produce market, plus a community/ schools sculpture trail...

Carmarthen's legendary Merlin Festival is planned for a relaunch in 2017. The event aims to celebrate the “Year of the Legend” in Carmarthenshire, one of a series of themed years being spearheaded by Visit Wales to promote what the country has to offer to tourists. The current 2016 ‘Year of Adventure’ is aimed at the growing action holiday market and promotes activities such as orienteering and walking. In 2018 it will be the ‘Year of the Sea’. A range of activities are being planned by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Marketing and Media team to mark the year locally, one of the highlights of which will be the Merlin Festival, centred in Carmarthen. The event is scheduled to take place on March 24 and 25, and aims to celebrate the legend of Merlin and other Arthurian characters said to have lived in the town and given it its name. Carmarthen is translated into Caerfyrddin in Welsh, which means Merlin’s Fort; the town also has Merlin’s Oak and Merlin’s Hill, plus many tales of t...

This year’s Merlin Festival has been hailed as a huge success with the entertainment proving very popular with children. The festival was held on Saturday with entertainment laid on throughout the town. The acts included Dragon Quest; Luke Jugglestruck, award winning entertainer and magician; Randalf the Wizard, Okey Dokey the Dragon and the Alchemy Dragons. Marketing & Tourism Development Officer Sarah Owen said: “The acts were brilliant. Dragon Quest gave the public an extraordinary opportunity to encounter with the Goblin Queen and her huge and ancient Dragon! Visitors were enchanted by a smoke breathing, true to life Dragon and entranced by the goblin’s mischief. “Theatre of Alchemy were well received within the town. Children loved being able to touch the dragons. “All the magicians in town - Luke Jugglestruck, Dave, Moses, Randalf the Wizard - created a wonderful atmosphere leaving visitors in awe. “A medieval cook left Nott Square ablaze with wonderful medieval cooking ...

Carmarthen was transformed into a magical medieval haven with live music, story telling and roving entertainers at the weekend’s Merlin Festival. You could say eat your heart out Harry Potter because the great Welsh Wizard Merlin has his own festival in his home town of Carmarthen. Families from far and wide put on their pointy hats to join the wizards academy and mingle with the dancing dragons in the streets that were ringing with jugglers, jousters and stilt walkers. Also on the programme were arts and crafts workshops, free face painting, a wizard academy and Epico the Dragon was prowling the streets The event was staged by Carmarthenshire County Council and supported by St Catherine’s Walk, Merlin’s Walk and King Street retailers. Executive board member for regeneration and leisure services, 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 was be better than ever, with...

A Merlin Hunt is taking place through the centre of Carmarthen as part of the town’s Merlin Festival. Organisers have identified eight shops in the town centre who are displaying a Merlin puppet in their window with a number on it. Members of the public are being encouraged to use the clues given in the Carmarthen Journal, on discovercarmarthenshire.com and from the Tourist Information Centre to find the puppets and complete the application form. These will also be available on the day. The prize is a bicycle worth £100 and a family cinema ticket for Apollo cinema sponsored by Merlin’s Walk and St Catherine’s Walk. The Merlin, Magic and Mystery Festival itself will take place on Saturday August 13 to celebrate the legend and folklore of the town’s ancient links with the world’s most famous wizard. Members of the public are being asked to dress up in magical costumes, which could include Harry Potter lookalikes as the film will be showing at the end of July. Organisers have also been p...

The Merlin Festival in Carmarthen has been hailed as a great success. The Festival in the centre of Carmarthen celebrated the legend and lore of Carmarthen’s ancient links with possibly the world’s most famous wizard, Merlin. Jolly jousters, juggling jesters and live performances transformed the town’s streets into colourful seas of bunting and costume with the day’s festivities including a Wizards Academy, Arthurian-themed stilt walkers, storytelling and mix 'n' mingle with puppet dragons, Welsh folk music and arts and craft workshops. There was also a Merlin / myth / legend rap competition on stage and a treasure hunt. Carmarthen is reputedly Wales’s oldest town, with a history dating back more than 2,000 years and is linked to Merlin through its name. The town celebrates its links with the legendary wizard each 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...