Swansea Events and Festivals

(Swansea, West Glamorgan, South Wales, UK)

There is always something going on and plenty of things to do around Swansea and the city is extremely proud of its comprehensive calendar of local events and popular festivals. The highlight of the year is without doubt the Swansea Bay Summer Festival, which features many different events all through the summer and is regularly attended by more than 300,000 people throughout the period and offers carnivals, live music and more.

Also worth noting, the prestigious Swansea Festival of Music and Arts is held each year in the middle of October and has become one of the UK's largest music festivals, with concerts and solo performances in many of the city's central venues, including the Brangwyn Concert Hall. Further concerts are held all through the year in Swansea, including performances by the Welsh National Opera and also the highly regarded National Orchestra of Wales, together with theatrical events and shows at the city's Grand Theatre, Penyrheol Theatre and Dylan Thomas Theatre.

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

Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• January Sales - throughout January, get ready for some serious bargains, as prices are slashed in many of the shops along Oxford Street, High Street and at the Quadrant Shopping Centre

February

• Abertawe Festival for Young Musicians - early February, held an the Guildhall and featuring most types of music, including classical concerts, jazz and piano recitals

March

• St. David's Day / Mumbles Festival - early March, with a range of music, theatrical performances and many traditional Welsh festivities, celebrating the Patron Saint of Wales. Locals dress in national costume, wearing either a daffodil or leek

April

• Lord Mayor's Boules Tournament - late April / early May, local clubs compete at the Marina, all trying their best to win this popular annual event. In total, more than 100 players take part and the competition is based around the Captain Cat statue

May

• Flower and Botanical Festivals - From May onwards, with various events around the city's parks, including the Botanical Garden at Singleton Park. In particular 'Clyne in Bloom' offers a host of colour when the gardens remain open from dawn to dusk, when the azaleas are blooming
• Swansea Bay Summer Festival - from May to September, a huge selection of events take place around Swansea Bay and include seasonal summer processions, carnivals and music

June

• Swansea Festival of Transport - mid-June, held at the Recreation Ground and featuring free entry, over 400 different classic cars and many other vehicles, together with trade stands and sponsored events

July

• Party in the Park - early July, part of the summer festival celebrations and based at Singleton Park, with many famous pop stars singing in this open-air concert
• Tunetown / Fringe Festival - early July, free annual music event held at various venues around the city and based at Castle Square
• Mumbles Raft Race - mid-July, a fun charity event always well-supported and appealing to all ages, with a rather diverse mixture of home-made rafts and other seaworthy vessels, racing across the sea and based around the Mumbles lighthouse
• Gower Festival - mid-July, choir concerts and classical music are held at many of the area's churches and always draw large crowds
• Swansea Maritime and Sea Shanty Festival - mid-July, celebrating Swansea's remarkable sea port and featuring many events with a strong nautical theme, including demonstrations and plenty of local ships

August

• Swansea MAS Carnival - early August, part of the summer festival celebrations, a colourful parade takes place between Walter Road and the Castle Square every year without fail
• City of Swansea Show - mid-August, a huge summer show with many side stalls, displays, show and activities on offer, including horse jumping, sports events, arts and crafts, live music and even hot-air balloons
• Pontardawe International Music Festival - mid-August, with marquees, street entertainment, dancing, folk music, rock concerts and many live performances, drawing crowds in excess of 40,000 people each year

September

• BBC Proms in the Park - early September, classical music and fireworks at Singleton Park, with many top headlining acts
• Swansea Bay 10K Race and Fun Run - mid-September, various races with crowds of both runners and cheering spectators in aid of the Lord Mayor's Charity
• Swansea Food Festival - late September / early October, with cookery demonstrations, traditional delicacies and many food stalls

October

• Swansea Festival of Music and Arts - mid-October, one of the biggest music festivals of its kind in the whole of the United Kingdom, with concerts and other live music events in many of the city's main entertainment venues, such as the Grand Theatre and also the Brangwyn Concert Hall
• Cockles and Celts - mid-October, fun local festival celebrating the city's popular local seafood speciality, with a strong Celtic theme
• Dylan Thomas Festival - late October/ early November, a prominent literature festival celebrating the life of famous Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas, who was born in Swansea in 1914 and is often associated with the city. The Dylan Thomas Festival lasts for around two weeks, attracting many local authors and including readings, workshops and more

November

• Swansea Christmas Market - mid-November to mid-December, with a Victorian flavour, many decorated cabins offer a huge selection of gift ideas and seasonal treats, often with costumed traders
• Christmas Green Fayre - late November, eco-friendly seasonal event held at the National Waterfront Museum and organised by the Swansea Friends of The Earth

December

• Pantomime - December to mid-January, seasonal family panto held at the Grand Theatre and always featuring a great cast, including many well-known celebrities