Ken Skates MS, Senedd Member for Clwyd South – which includes Llangollen has paid tribute to the organisers of the Llangollen Eisteddfod after another successful festival came to an end. The festival, run mainly by over 500 volunteers, has just completed its seventy-eighth year and is now busy preparing for Llangollen 2026 – which will take place between 7–12 July 2026.
This year, the festival brought tens of thousands of visitors to North Wales and saw over 4,000 competitors take part in competitions from across the world. It also welcomed artists such as Sir Bryn Terfel, KT Tunstall, Lucie Jones, and Il Divo to North-East Wales. The festival also co-promoted seven concerts featuring the likes of Texas, Rag’n’Bone Man, James and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, in partnership with Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor. It also welcomed Luciano Pavarotti’s widow, Nicoletta Mantovani, who presented the Choir of the World award and unveiled a 120-foot chalk tribute to mark the seventieth anniversary of the Maestro’s career-defining international debut in Llangollen.
“It was great to visit the Llangollen International Eisteddfod yet again and meet their wonderful volunteers. Our festival is a shining light across the world, and the fact that over 500 volunteers – mainly from Llangollen and Wrexham – make this happen is incredible. This year, Eisteddfod organisers pulled off another major success. Llangollen, where my office is based, is bursting with colour, song and vibrancy, and Llangollen’s slogan – ‘Where Wales Welcomes the World’ – is as relevant now as it was in 1947. The Pavarotti mural is the talk of the Senedd and illustrates the iconic status of the Llangollen Eisteddfod through its connection with the Maestro.”
Ken continued:
