A one-day conference which brings together agricultural show representatives from across Wales to discuss key industry developments and share best practice is to be held in Mid Wales next month.
 
The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) will host the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO) Wales Conference on Friday, April 25 at the Montgomery Pavilion on the Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd.
 
Agenda topics will include digital marketing strategies, the latest updates from Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Wales and improving accessibility at agricultural events.
 
"We're delighted to welcome all show organisers from throughout Wales to this valuable networking and knowledge-sharing event," said an RWAS spokesperson.
 
Agricultural show representatives can secure their place at the conference by visiting: https://rwas.ticketsrv.co.uk/tickets/ASAO2025 .

The Silver Mountain Experience, a unique visitor attraction based at a historic silver-lead mine just outside Aberystwyth, is gearing up for an exciting and delicious Easter event.
 
From April 8 to 24, this immersive experience invites visitors to meet Mr Balcombe, the eccentric mine manager who is venturing into the world of chocolate-making.
 
As he embarks on this sweet new business, he needs help to get his chocolate franchise up and running and he’s calling on visitors to lend a hand.
 
Visitors get to enjoy a guided tour with Mr Balcombe, where he’ll share the challenges of transitioning from mining to chocolate production and demonstrate how he’s repurposing mining equipment into chocolate-making machinery.
 
The adventure continues with a Chocolate Challenge, where visitors will need to locate hidden silver tickets around the site, with a tempting reward awaiting those who complete the quest.
 
Rumour has it that scrumptious treats await in the Miner’s Rest Café, helping to keep visitors fuelled for your visit.
 
All of these chocolate-themed activities are included in standard admission this Easter. The ticket also grants access to a choice of one guided or actor-led tour, taking visitors both above and below ground.
 
Set off on a family-friendly journey to hunt down the elusive dragon Grotty on the “A Dragon's Tale” tour or brave the dark depths of “The Black Chasm,” a thrilling exploration into ancient myths and legends.
 
For history enthusiasts, “A Miner’s Life” offers a fascinating 280-year journey through Welsh mining history. Each ticket grants access to the mining museum, the onsite café, Woo Hoo Woods, play area and a range of family-friendly tours and trails.
 
To extend the fun even longer, Ultimate Xscape is onsite with the choice of two thrilling escape rooms. Head to www.ultimateexscape for more information.
 
The nearby Red Kite Café, just across from the site, offers delicious hot food to recharge after your adventures. For more details, visit www.redkitecafe.co.uk.
 
Book tickets online at: https://www.silvermountainexperience.co.uk/easterfun/.

Developments on the Montgomery Canal in Powys and Shropshire and future plans will be in the spotlight at a meeting in Newtown next month.
 
The Montgomery Canal Forum is being held at Hafan Yr Afon, Newtown on Friday, April 4 at 2.30pm. Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust is extending an open invitation to anyone interested in the restoration and development of the canal with its social, economic and environmental benefits for present and future generations.
 
Presentations will be made on restoration work in Shropshire where volunteers are restoring a canal section which has been derelict for 80 years.
 
A Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal has raised more than £1 million from private individuals, companies and charitable trusts.
 
Restoration in Powys includes a multi-million pound Levelling-Up project to build new bridges and safeguard ecology with new nature reserves.
 
The Inland Waterways Association’s Sustainable Boating Group will give a presentation on ‘Boating into the Future’.
 
There will be an opportunity to discuss any issue concerning the future of the canal and what it can contribute to the area.

The 2025 Royal Welsh Spring Festival will be held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells on May 17 and 18.
 
A fantastic celebration of rural life, smallholding and countryside traditions, this weekend event offers something for all ages. Whether you’re an animal enthusiast, a food lover or simply looking for a great family day out, the festival promises a wonderful experience for everyone.

At the heart of the festival lies its livestock and equine competitions, with more than 600 classes showcasing sheep, pigs, goats, and cattle, many of which highlight traditional, rare and native breeds.
 
Entries are now open and competitors can view the schedules and enter online via https://rwas.wales/smallholding-and-countryside-festival/ . Entries close on Wednesday, April 3.

The event will host qualifiers for some of the UK’s most esteemed equestrian competitions, including the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) Royal International Horse Show, Senior Showing and Dressage Ltd (SSADL), British Show Pony Society (BSPS) and British Show Horse Association (BSHA) London International Horse Show.

The Premier Open Dog Show returns, offering competitors the chance to qualify for Crufts 2026. This prestigious event boasts rosettes, prizemoney and high-quality pet food prizes for the top dogs.
 
Postal entries close on Tuesday, April, 8 and online entries close on Tuesday, April 29. Visit the FDS website for schedules and entry details.

The festival has a diverse line-up of family-friendly attractions. Gain expert insights into the smallholding lifestyle with talks and demonstrations from the Glamorgan Smallholders networking and support group in the Smallholders Centre. Browse the agricultural tradestands to stock up on essentials, from buckets to farm machinery.
 
The Country Life Area is a hub of activities featuring the Premier Open Dog Show, Panic Family Circus, The Woodville Medieval Re-enactment Group, a petting farm, a donkey encounter, forestry competitions and sporting and countryside activities. They are all set to live music from the bandstand.
 
The Festival Display Ring will feature Joseph’s Amazing Camels, the Gentle Giants Shire Horse Display Team, Show Jumping and Working Hunter competitions, Scurry Driving and Meirion Owen with his sheepdogs.
 
Watch wool handling and blade shearing competitions, alongside demonstrations from the Gwent Guild of Spinners and Weavers, a vintage shearing display and wool-related tradestands in the Meirionnydd Shearing Centre. Competition entries open in late March.

No visit to a Royal Welsh event would be complete without indulging in Wales’ finest food and drink. Sample exquisite produce in the renowned Food Hall or enjoy a meal at one of the many food stalls in the Welsh Food Village, Gwledd | Feast.

Shopping enthusiasts can explore a vast array of tradestands, offering everything from rural essentials and artisan produce to handcrafted goods and countryside attire.

Conveniently located where the A470 and A483 meet in Builth Wells, the Royal Welsh Showground is accessible from all major routes. The festival is dog-friendly and offers free onsite parking, ensuring a stress-free experience for visitors.

Clare Britton, events co-ordinator at Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, is busy planning what promises to be one of the stand-out events in the Heritage Railway calendar for 2025 - the ‘Railway 200 – FR Platinum Jubilee Weekend’.
 
This exciting event, from June 19 to 22, will celebrate two momentous landmarks. 2025 marks both the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway - part of the national ‘Railway 200’ celebrations - and the 70th anniversary of the resumption of passenger trains on the Ffestiniog Railway under the new regime.
 
Spanning the summer solstice, it promises an action-packed long weekend, celebrating 70 years of running trains in the new era with a mix of nostalgia and looking forward to the future.
 
Spread over four days, there are trains recreating different eras of the Ffestiniog, opportunities to ride on the Welsh Highland, the chance to spend some time at Boston Lodge Works, the lynch pin of the railway and to be there for the grand cavalcade!
 
This ‘200 Wheels on the Cob’ cavalcade will undoubtedly be the highlight of the weekend, taking place on Sunday, June 22. This will be a cavalcade of Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways’ engines throughout the years, lining up in formation across the iconic Cob embankment.
 
Clare first came to Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways as a child and has fond memories of visiting with her parents, then later, as a volunteer.
 
Thursday, June 19 will be a normal busy day on both railways but visitors are advised to arrive early. There will be extra services from Blaenau at 5.35pm and 8.50pm that connect with the Conwy Valley TfW service.
 
The event begins with Simplex, ‘Mary Ann’ crossing the Cob, recreating the exciting day back in 1955 and there is a chance to go for a ride to Boston Lodge and savour this historic moment.
 
Next day, Friday, the early bird trains for the late 1970s/early ’80s make a return so visitors can join the 7am service hauled by diesel ‘Upnor Castle’. There will be lots of memories from the 60s with trains to Minffordd and Tan y Bwlch.
 
Whilst the Ffestiniog is back in the 60s, Hunslets ‘Linda’ & ‘Blanche’ will take a ‘Ladies Day Out to Caernarfon. Some special event opportunities will also take place so that visitors can experience a trip on an infrastructure train or take a ‘Moelwyn’ hauled inspection train to Dduallt.
 
There will also be an early evening train, hauled by Merddin Emrys and Prince, running non-stop from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog, in both directions.
 
Those who missed the ‘Early Bird’ on Friday will have another chance on Saturday, this time steam hauled. This service should give a good view of a spectacular ‘200 wheel’ goods train which you cross at Tanygrisiau.
 
More trains from the 60s and then, in the afternoon, on to the 70s with some careful recreations of crossing trains at Dduallt, recreating those ‘over and under’ photographs snapped on Kodak Instamatics back in the day!
 
Linda will be running one trip up to Minffordd and one trip to Tan y Bwlch with a 1950s style flying flea, made up of four-wheel carriages and bogies just like the relief trains of days gone by.
 
There are two evening services to Blaenau or for those who would rather have a pint and a chat, Spooners will be open along with ‘The Top Yard Arms’ bar at Boston Lodge.
 
Sunday, the last day of the event, promises to be extra special as the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland join the country to celebrate 200 years of railways, with the ‘200 Steam Wheels on the Cob’ spectacle, a Grand Cavalcade from Boston Lodge to Porthmadog.

The locos will be in order of preservation-era milestone and there will be a few opportunities to have a once in a lifetime part in this epic spectacular. People can take part in a special event auction on Sunday, May 4, where a selection of cavalcade footplate passes will be going under the hammer.
 
Aside from the cavalcade, there will be a wide variety of services to entertain, including a special ‘Snowdonia Star’ from Caernarfon to join and watch the cavalcade.
 
Boston Lodge will be open throughout the weekend to ticket holders with exhibits and stalls, locos under restoration, footplate rides and a chance to look at some of the changes that have taken place, thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
 
Refreshments and the ‘Top Yard Bar’ will be on hand to provide food and drink! Spooner’s Café and Bar and Tan y Bwlch tearooms will also be open to keep visitors fed and watered.
 
Tickets and full details regarding the weekend will be available on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway’s website - www.festrail.co.uk .

The National Tourism Awards for Wales (NTAW) ceremony will take place on Thursday, 27 March at Venue Cymru, Llandudno. This marks the first time the awards have been held since 2018, offering a platform to recognise and celebrate excellence in Welsh tourism, hospitality, and events.

There are still a few tickets available for the event which is open to all tourism businesses or events who wish to enjoy this prestigious evening of celebration. Get your tickets on the NTAW website.

Highlights of the event:

• Celebrate excellence
• Network with industry leaders
• Special performances: The evening will feature performances that celebrate Welsh culture and talent, including Welsh of the West End group who reached the semi-final of Britain’s Got Talent and Band Pres Llareggub, who bring a new modern twist to the age-old tradition of brass bands from the slate mining villages of North Wales.
  
  

For further information please email [email protected].

A list of the finalists and sponsors can be found on the NTAW website.

Join the National Tourism Awards for a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and network before the new tourism season begins.
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Bydd seremoni Gwobrau Twristiaeth Cenedlaethol Cymru (NTAW) yn cael ei chynnal ddydd Iau, 27 Mawrth yn Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Dyma’r tro cyntaf i’r gwobrau gael eu cynnal ers 2018, gan gynnig llwyfan i gydnabod a dathlu rhagoriaeth mewn twristiaeth, lletygarwch a digwyddiadau Cymreig.

Mae ychydig o docynnau ar gael o hyd ar gyfer y digwyddiad sy’n agored i bob busnes twristiaeth neu ddigwyddiad sy’n dymuno mwynhau’r noson fawreddog hon o ddathlu.  Mynnwch eich tocynnau ar wefan GTCC.
Uchafbwyntiau'r digwyddiad:

• Dathlu ragoriaeth
• Rhwydweithio ag arweinwyr diwydiant
• Perfformiadau arbennig: Bydd y noson yn cynnwys perfformiadau sy’n dathlu diwylliant a thalent Cymru, gan gynnwys Welsh of the West End a gyrhaeddodd rownd gynderfynol Britain’s Got Talent a Band Pres Llareggub, sy’n dod â thro modern newydd i draddodiad oesol bandiau pres o bentrefi glofaol Gogledd Cymru.
  
  

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, ynglyn a’r gwobrau e-bostiwch [email protected]

Mae rhestr o'r rhai sydd wedi cyrraedd y rownd derfynol a'r noddwyr i'w gweld ar wefan GTCC.

Ymunwch â ni am gyfle gwych i ddathlu a rhwydweithio cyn i'r tymor twristiaeth newydd ddechrau.

Visitors to a North Wales art gallery will have a chance to immerse themselves in the mystical and ethereal world of photographic artist and nature writer Brad Carr in his upcoming exhibition, ‘Finding Light: A Journey into Nature to Find My Soul’.
 
The seven-week exhibition opens on May 11 and runs until July 6 at the prestigious Welsh gallery, Plas Glyn y Weddw in Llanbedrog.
 
The exhibition, a rare display of contemporary photography in such a gallery, features a collection of Brad’s finest photographs and accompanying pieces of writing that will communicate his wider mission for peace and unity that is driving his creativity.
 
He says ‘Finding Light’ is a testament to the great powers of the spirit of Mother Nature as Mid Wales-based Brad openly shares his deeply personal story of healing and transformation through the portal of nature.
 
From a fearful childhood marred with episodes of domestic abuse and violence, to a life of creativity and finding the light of purpose and meaning amidst his early experiences in the darkness, Brad say he now lives a life of service to nature.
 
He hopes to inspire people to go out in search of their own place of sanctuary within the natural world.
 
From wide-angled vistas of beautiful, untamed wilderness to intimate portraits of ancient trees and mystical Welsh woodland scenes, each photograph tells a unique story of the sacred landscape of our beautiful world.
 
The mystical photographs, often described by the artist as ‘self-portraits’, represent his internal emotional state at the time of creating and, therefore, introduce viewers to two worlds.
 
In his essay, ‘A bridge between two worlds’, he writes: ‘‘The camera is the bridge that connects these two worlds. Not only does it capture what it sees in the external world that is so familiar to us all, but it reflects, at the same time, the inner world of the artist, one that is completely unique and so often unknown and unseen, even by the artist’s eyes at times.’’
 
Brad often records his thoughts in his journal whilst immersed in the landscape and during his reflections that follow his adventures into the natural world.
 
These musings and contemplations often form the origins of his widely acclaimed creative essays that have reached international audiences in recent magazine publications.
 
Brad runs private photography tuition, group workshops, creative retreats, and has recently been invited to join the ranks of the prestigious Light & Land as a tutor. He is a member of MWT Cymru, the independent organisation representing 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Eryri (Snowdonia).

The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth has announced a series of exciting events to delve beneath surface of the ‘No Welsh Art’ exhibition, which challenges the myth that Wales has no visual culture of its own.
 
Curated by artist and art historian Peter Lord, the exhibition reveals the rich story of Wales’ visual culture, as well as its social and political history. It does so by combining Lord's extensive collection with items from the library’s National Art Collection. 
 
A rare opportunity to enjoy more than 250 works of art of national significance, the exhibition presents the visual world of the gentry, middle class and ordinary people of Wales, before moving on to various portraits of Welsh identities.
 
Several 'In Focus' events will take place between now and September, which will look at topics such as Women in Welsh Art, Patrons of Art, Secrets of Art, Art and Poetry, looking at the poems in ‘Afterlives’ with John Barnie, Art, Politics and Protest and Art and Identity.
 
Several distinguished speakers,  including Ceridwen Lloyd Morgan, Jill Piercy, Oliver Fairclough, John Barnie, Iwan Bala, Sara Rhoslyn, Mfikela Jean Samuel, Christine Mills and Lord will present these events.
 
In addition, there will be a series of ‘Art at Night’events, which will include a session to celebrate Pride month and a paint a pub sign session. 
 
For those who want to learn more about the exhibition itself and the special works on display, a guided tour will be held on the first Wednesday of the month in the company of Lord. Some of these will include British Sign Language interpretation.
 
The library will also hold special tours for blind or partially sighted visitors, making it the most accessible exhibition to date. 
During the school term, education workshops for primary and secondary pupils will be held to support the exhibition and these sessions will focus on identity.
 
During the visits, pupils will visit the Gregynog Gallery to investigate the works of art and will also have the opportunity to create a self-portrait – in pictures or words.
 
Several community projects will also be planned by the library's engagement team. 
For those who want to visit with children, there is a fun activities booklet available to keep them entertained.
 
A programme of activities for children and families will also be planned for the holidays, with details to be announced closer to the time. 
 
Full details of events can be found at https://www.library.wales/visit/things-to-do/exhibitions/no-welsh-art and tickets can be booked online at https://www.library.wales/visit/things-to-do/events .

The natural optimism of farmer, entrepreneur and charity worker, Llŷr Jones, shone through in an otherwise sobering CARAS Cymru Conference held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells.
 
Navigating the Global Economic Landscape and its implications for future land use and food production in Wales was the conference theme.
 
Llŷr, who farms in Cerrigydrudion, told the gathering of elite Welsh farmers and agriculturalists that he looks for opportunity in any challenge. These include establishing a hydro plant and installing ground source heat pumps, as well as selecting white egg producing hens for efficiency and maximizing yield.
 
He explained that a ‘light bulb’ moment came in 2013 when he realised that without Single Farm Payment, his farm was losing money. The farm was now, after a lot of time, work and thought, resilient and providing a future for his family.
 
“When you get new policies and new rules coming in, I find they are just challenges that you have to overcome,” he said.
 
Examples of his adjustments include rearing 140 calves on a Cost of Production contract, after his feed bill increased by £30,000 a month after Ukraine was invaded. State of the art technology means he receives a text if one is unwell before there are any obvious signs.
 
He also changed to white hens because they produce 500 eggs a year, compared to a brown hen’s 340 eggs, increasing the flock’s egg production by three and a half million eggs. The move reduced the carbon footprint as the inputs are the same.
 
The Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) posed a new challenge and Llŷr found he could overcome the problem by building a taller poultry shed. This helped to reduce the amount of muck produced and the height meant heat could be drawn off from the hens to the muck pile, so evaporating the water and halving the amount of muck to be removed.
 
Two lorry loads of muck are sent to a farm in Cambridge each month. The cost of returning the straw works out at £95 to £100 a tonne for barley straw, a saving as the market price is around £130.
 
The scene had been set by Dr Calvin Jones, professor of economics at Cardiff Business School. He began by saying the only certainty was uncertainty. The cost of inputs under the Trump administration was likely to be more of a challenge to Welsh farmers in a potentially tariff oriented world than international demand for Welsh food.
 
He predicted a refocusing on what we can do in our country. Politicians in Cardiff Bay were much more focused on local resources, circularity and sustainability. It’s about optimizing, for instance, land use.
 
Rory Hutchings, agricultural lawyer and partner at HCR Law, told of his concerns that land being used for natural capital could become the ‘new green coal mining’, with the money made flowing out of Wales.
 
The dial towards public goods and not paying for production was moving faster and faster. Head winds such as world economics, policy and NRW were all factors businesses have to try and cope with.
 
There would still be excellent food producing farm businesses, but they wouldn’t be just doing that. They would have to think about farming schemes and there could be great opportunities in terms of landscape, nature and natural resources to sustain the diversified farm business of the future.
 
The answer might not be about getting more stock or doing more hours, but to do proper succession planning and think about what might work best.

The Royal Welsh Show has long been a highlight of the agricultural and equestrian calendar, showcasing the very best in breeding, skill, and horsemanship.
 
The 2025 event, set to take place at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells between July 21 and 24, is expected to draw thousands of visitors and competitors, all eager to witness the pinnacle of equine excellence.
 
The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) has announced the panel of equine judges for this year’s highly anticipated show, minus a celebrity who will judge the Supreme Horse Championship.
 
The show  attracts top competitors and enthusiasts from across the country and beyond.
 
The judging panel comprises a distinguished group of experts, each bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge to the judging arena. Their expertise will ensure the highest standards of competition are maintained across the various equine classes.
 
The identity of the celebrity judge is being kept a secret until later this year.
 
This special guest promises to bring an added touch of prestige and anticipation to one of the show’s most celebrated events.
 
The full list of equine judges can be accessed via the show website: https://rwas.wales/royal-welsh/competitions-royal-welsh/ .