Category: Local Events

We are huge fans of the Welsh National Opera here at Visit Llandudno and even covered last year’s event with just as much excitement as we will for 2014. It’s a musical event unlike any other throughout the region and certainly deserves your attention.

Whether you’re a lover of opera or have never appreciated it but want to try, Venue Cymru is a must-be location for you towards the end of the month. There are a few great performances to take your fancy and your breath away. With the theme of ‘Liberty or Death’, expect some compelling drama from the 22^nd to the 25^th of October.

Carmen – 22^nd & 23^rd of October 2014

The 1997 production is given a breath of modern air as it comes to the Welsh coast over two days this month. The eponymous Carmen is a highly-desired young woman in 19^th century Spain. When Don Jose falls in love with our heroine, he finds himself caught up in her whirlwind and the madness that comes with it.

Prices: £40, £35, £23, £10

Moses in Egypt – 24^th October 2014 – 7.15pm

The operative word here is “spectacular”. A brand new production to the North Wales coast, this is a powerful rendition of the Exodus story which harnesses the massive scale of the time. You can almost feel the weight of responsibility weighing down on Moses as he tries to lead his people to a new life and you will feel impassioned as you make the journey with them.

Prices: £40, £35, £23, £10

William Tell – Saturday 25^th October – 6.30pm

Prepare to have everything you know about William Tell turned on its head – there’s more to his character than an arrow and an apple. Once the curtain comes down, you will feel the emotion of Rossini’s final opera coursing over you  as the rebel stands tall against his Austrian oppressors, it’s certainly one to lift the spirits and to get the hairs on the back of your neck standing up.

Prices: £40, £35, £23, £10

For more information please visit www.wno.org.uk.

“O is for Opera” by www.flickr.com/photos/cdm, license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0 – 13/10/2014

Some of our more eagle-eyed readers may remember how excited we were this time last year for the maiden edition of the Llandudno Arts Weekend. All in all, it was a great success for everyone so it’s no wonder it will be returning this September on the 19th, 20th and 21st.

In a completely free event, there will be many amazing exhibitors and artists showcasing and celebrating the past of the historic town, all the while looking towards what looks like a great future ahead. The Queen of Welsh Resorts has many hidden gems and this event will likely uncover quite a few of them.

One of the most eye-catching events to take part in is undoubtedly a tour around the long vacant Tudno Castle Hotel. Often featured on ‘Most Beautiful Abandoned Places’ lists, this will be your last chance to take a look around its stunning interior before its renovation so make sure you have a peek!

The Kitsch n’ Sync Collective were in big demand after their performance this time last year so it’s easy to see why they’ll be back for this September’s weekend of arts and fun. Wearing old-style swimming pieces, they’re bound to be making a splash and especially so when they descend on Clare’s for an intervention!

An image synonymous with LLAWN as a whole, Disco Victoria sees two Victorian time travellers helplessly lost in the 70’s before they make their way back to our time. A little bit strange and definitely alternative, this is definitely going to prove to be quite the sight on the Promenade over the three days.

Ever wondered what Pimp My Ride would be like if it was mixed with Victorian style and mobility scooters? You needn’t wonder any longer as Ceri Rimmer will be inviting residents of Llandudno to get customise their vehicles with all manner of different accessories. You may not want to put a purple spoiler on your bicycle though!

If you’re a lover of theatre but don’t want to splash the money for a West End seat then Store could be just the thing for you. The easiest way to think of it is as a takeaway: simply order the performance you want from as little as 50p and watch on as the artists take part. It’s bound to be a lot of fun.

This is just a small sample of some of the amazing events and activities to get stuck into during LLAWN02 so be sure to visit their website at http://www.llawn.org/ for the full schedule. We’ll see you there.

“Time Travel” by www.flickr.com/photos/dsugden, license: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0 – 01/09/2014 

Llandudno welcomes back the annual Sea Triathlon – one of the biggest North Wales sporting events of the calendar. The event consists of a standard sprint triathlon, as well as an exciting sea swim and challenging cycle section across Llandudno. The route that competitors can expect to take will include the mighty Great Orme, Llandudno promenade and over to Penrhyn Bay – all of which boast phenomenal views along the way.

The race will take place on Sunday 29th June 2014 and registration will close tomorrow (25th) online.

Participants will at this point turn around and make their way back over the little Orme and right along the promenade to the finish, as spectators cheer participants on in their race to finish. The event has been recently featured and talked about positively in Triathlon magazine. Entrants can expect to receive extremely accurate times as they cross the finish as the use of electronic chip timing will be in full flow.

This event is not only excellent to participate in, but is also fantastic for anyone that would like to spectate free of charge. The promenade offers front row seats of the start of the race, so make sure you get there before the official race time start at 2:30pm

Participants must remember that wetsuits are compulsory for the swim section and there are a number of rules that must be followed to compete competitively in the event that can be discovered on the official event website.

Many will travel to Llandudno in North Wales especially for this event to both compete and spectate, while making the most of the areas beautiful sights, events and attractions and staying within some of the excellent accommodation in Llandudno. Remember to register in advance for this fine event that will cost £57 for individual entry and £70 for the relay. More information on event details can be found on the event website.

Any fan of extreme sports should find this amazing event absolutely impossible to miss, witness an incredible feat of physical ability!

There’s always some history apparent when you travel to Llandudno, whether it’s something in the sea air or something physical like the Great Orme. However, as real hark back to a different time, the sight of various classic cars careening through the town is what you can expect at the Three Castles Welsh Classic Trail this month!

The Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza earlier this year was a fantastic and huge celebration of all thing Victorian times and now it’s the turn of this great event to turn on the nostalgia. If you are a fan of classic cars, there’s only one place you need to be from the 4^th of June.

All are welcome to this illustrious event, whether they have a huge passion for all things Bentley or just have a fleeting interest in the best motorcars from yesteryear. It’s this kind of message which has spread all over the world, meaning that you will see drivers and fans from all over the world, including the like of Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America.

Although there are pole positions and pride at stake, the trial is one of the friendliest races of its kind as the action stops every two hours so as to keep everyone refreshed. Llandudno is the welcoming base for the whole event but the Three Castles incorporates exactly what you think: a race to three different castles in North Wales.

In total, the trial encompasses 500 miles and takes four days in total to complete. There’s no real rush to the occasion, it’s more of a community coming together to show off their classic cars and there will be many of them.  81 entrants in total have put themselves forward for the rally and with money for charity being raised in the process, the people of Llandudno are no doubt be fully behind its success for 2014.

If you’re not taking part in this year’s Three Castles, you can still book yourself some accommodation in Llandudno and enjoy the great dining and the eventual Black Tie Awards Dinner to round the whole occasion off in style.

Llandudno has always been a hotspot for great live entertainment and that’s a reputation that is set to be built on even further when Blake roll into town on the 10^th of April.

As the perfect antidote to the boybands who are all over the charts in recent times, Blake offer a distinctly grown-up affair that still doesn’t take itself too seriously as they are known to take part in banter between songs – exactly what you can expect at Venue Cymru.

Blake have in fact been around for 7 years and are most famous for being one of few acts of note to be formed thanks to Facebook and two line-up changes later, the boys have gone from a quartet to a trio as of 2013 and currently consists of Ollie Baines, Stephen Bowman and Humphrey Berney.

You may not be able to place the faces to the name but you may have come across them on television during performances on The Alan Titchmarsh Show, Daybreak, Loose Women and also several shows in America. The harmony group is going far, only boosted by their win at the Classic Brit Awards.

To add to their already impressive pedigree, Blake have also performed three times in front of the Queen as well as wowing audiences at Wembley, the Royal Albert Hall and perhaps most impressively of all, showcased their talents to half a billion people in China!

So it’s little surprise that the town of Llandudno is buzzing for their performance in April. Known for offering some of the most eclectic and electric performances, they are masters at various styles of harmony and their pop covers always go down a storm. Venue Cymru will no doubt welcome the boys as they arrive for an intimate session at the seaside venue.

This is a show not to be missed and for as little as £18.50, you can experience an unforgettable night of music from one the best acts around today.