Cardiff Events and Festivals
(Cardiff, South Glamorgan, South Wales, UK)
Cardiff is home to countless exciting festivals and events which take place throughout the year, in and around the city centre. The Welsh like to party and the city's extensive calendar of festivals and events includes lively street fairs, carnivals, parades and numerous sporting events at the Cardiff Athletics Stadium. Local Welsh newspapers and leading magazines in the area regularly publish the latest cultural events news and also contain up-to-date listings of festivities nearby.
Cardiff's helpful tourism and tourist information office is always a useful source for current festivals. Many of these activities draw enormous crowds of both participants and spectators, providing tourists with a wide range of things to see and do whilst staying in this vibrant capital city.
National Public Holidays
- 1st January - New Year's Day
- Good Friday / Easter Monday - late March or early April
- First and last Monday in May
- Last Monday in August
- 25th December - Christmas Day
- 26th December - Boxing Day
(If Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the next weekday becomes a public holiday).
Cardiff Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015
BBC Cardiff Singer of the World
Address: The Hayes, St. David's Hall, Cardiff, CF10 1SH, Wales, UK
Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 8437
With a worldwide audience of many millions, the biennial BBC Cardiff Singer of the World is one of the most important events in the city's calendar and takes place every other June. Founded in 1983 by BBC Wales, the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World is actually the world's most watched singer competition and has featured more than 200 singers from around 50 different countries. Many of the previous winners of this prestigious competition have gone on to major careers in opera houses around the globe.
Cardiff Festival
Address: 16 Wood Street, Various venues throughout the city, Cardiff, CF10 1ES, Wales, UK
Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 3936
The Cardiff Festival is the largest free events of its kind in the whole of Europe and features many spectacular attractions for festival-goers. Attracting more than half a million people each year, the Cardiff Festival takes place over from mid-July to early August each year, culminating in the Big Weekend Celebration in August. Events include the Welsh Proms, the International Food and Drink Festival, countless arts, musical and theatrical events, comedy shows, funfairs, concerts, fireworks displays and general entertainment, held throughout the centre at various venues and also on the street.
MAS Carnival
Address: James Street, Oval Basin, Cardiff, CF10 1ES, Wales, UK
Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 2087
Cardiff's MAS Carnival is held in the trendy bay area and is part of the popular Cardiff Festival. With literally hundreds of performers, the exciting carnival features large parades of street entertainers, bands and colorful carnival floats.
Halloween Festival at St. Fagans
Address: Museum of Welsh Life, Cardiff, CF5 6XB, Wales, UK
Tel: +44 (0)29 2057 3500
Taking place at the end of October, Cardiff's Halloween Festival is held at St. Fagans and includes many exciting events, ghost stories, Halloween displays, trick or treating, costume parties, music and food. Cardiff's Halloween Festival is free and extremely popular, always attracting large crowds.
Brecon Jazz Festival
Address: The Watton, Brecon, LD3 7EF, Wales, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1874 625557
The Brecon Jazz Festival is one of the largest jazz festivals in Europe and is held each year in Brecon, close to Cardiff, during mid-August. Attracting more than 50,000 people, the Brecon Jazz Festival features many jazz concerts and events in Brecon, which is within easy reach of Cardiff city centre.
Abergavenny Food Festival
Address: Cross Monmouth Road, John's Street, Abergavenny, NP7 5HL, Wales, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1873 857588
Located in the market town of Abergavenny, close to Cardiff, the Abergavenny Food Festival is an important food festival, attracting large crowds. With many food events, concerts, workshops and exhibitions, the Abergavenny Food Festival is the largest festival of its kind in this area of Wales and can be easily reached from Cardiff by either car, bus or taxi.
Lunchtime Concert Series
Address: The Hayes, St. David's Hall, Cardiff, CF10 3YY, Wales, UK
Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 8444
Cardiff's Lunchtime Concert Series take place every month in St. David's Hall, in Cardiff city centre, and includes small classical groups, solo artists and concerts with large orchestras. Taking place between 13:00 to 14:00, Cardiff's Lunchtime Concert Series are popular events and onsite there is also a café area serving refreshments.
Orchestral Concert Series
Address: Hill's Street, St. David's Hall, Cardiff, CF10 1SH, Wales, UK
Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 8444
Held in Cardiff's impressive St. David's Hall from September to May, the Orchestral Concert Series feature many wonderful converts with orchestras from all over the world. St. David's Hall has excellent acoustics and these classical concerts are extremely popular events in Cardiff.