Caradogfest
July 4th to 6th 2025
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Join us from July 4th to 6th for Caradogfest, our annual celebration of the Welsh choral tradition, here in Aberdare "Town of Song". Tickets for the 2025 event are now on sale, and feature our Friday evening Gala Concert with Welsh West End sensation Sophie Evans. Star of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Over The Rainbow" televised search for Dorothy, Sophie has also played Glinda in Wicked, featured in the hit movie "Pride", and has performed as featured soloist with Only Men Aloud, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh of the West End at the Welsh Proms Cymru, Wales Millennium Centre, London Palladium - and more! We are delighted to have Sophie with us as the featured artist of Caradogfest 2025
In addition to the Friday evening Gala Concert with Sophie and the Cor Mawr, additional 2025 Caradogfest events include a FREE day long Ukulele Festival with Highly Strung and the Wales Ukulele Project, and a traditional Twmpath folk dance evening featuring live band Celtic Spirit on Saturday July 5th; plus a morning Festival Service and traditional afternoon Cymanfa Ganu to close the weekend on Sunday July 6th For full information, visit www.caradogfest.com and for tickets, visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/stelvans |
Caradogfest: Our Story
Every resident and visitor to Aberdare will be familiar with Caradog (Griffith Rhys Jones). His statue stands in the centre of the town, and has dominated Victoria Square since 1920
A former blacksmith at the Llwydcoed ironworks, Caradog was an accomplished violinist, conductor and choral leader. When, in 1872, a virtuoso mixed choir was created in South Wales to compete at the Crystal Palace, London for a One Thousand Guineas Challenge Cup, Caradog was chosen to train and lead it
The members of that choir, the Côr Mawr, came from across South West Wales - Llanelli, Neath, Merthyr, Rhondda, Pontypridd -and, of course, Aberdare. Aberdare was the choir headquarters, its chairman, treasurer and secretary were all Aberdare men, and the largest number of singers (150) were from Aberdare. Many rehearsals were held in the town including the final rehearsal
The competition was held at the Crystal Palace in July 1872, and the One Thousand Guinea Trophy was brought home to Wales. Today, it resides at St Fagans National Museum of History and is on permanent display as the "Caradog Cup"
Every resident and visitor to Aberdare will be familiar with Caradog (Griffith Rhys Jones). His statue stands in the centre of the town, and has dominated Victoria Square since 1920
A former blacksmith at the Llwydcoed ironworks, Caradog was an accomplished violinist, conductor and choral leader. When, in 1872, a virtuoso mixed choir was created in South Wales to compete at the Crystal Palace, London for a One Thousand Guineas Challenge Cup, Caradog was chosen to train and lead it
The members of that choir, the Côr Mawr, came from across South West Wales - Llanelli, Neath, Merthyr, Rhondda, Pontypridd -and, of course, Aberdare. Aberdare was the choir headquarters, its chairman, treasurer and secretary were all Aberdare men, and the largest number of singers (150) were from Aberdare. Many rehearsals were held in the town including the final rehearsal
The competition was held at the Crystal Palace in July 1872, and the One Thousand Guinea Trophy was brought home to Wales. Today, it resides at St Fagans National Museum of History and is on permanent display as the "Caradog Cup"
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The inaugural Caradogfest
July 2022 marked the 150th anniversary of the epic achievements of Caradog and the Cor Mawr. In honour of the occasion, a 400 strong choir from Aberdare was drawn together, recreating the epic performance of the Côr Mawr at Library Square, Aberdare The event also featured massed children's chorus, brass band and guest soloists, plus individual choral performances throughout Aberdare town centre throughout the day The event was a tremendous success drawing large crowds at all locations throughout the town, and - such was the success of the event - that the gala concert will be repeated again on the 150th anniversary of the Cor Mawr's second performance at the Crystal Palace, London which took place in 1873 A Gallery of images from the inaugural event is available here while details of the 2023 & 2024 events are outlined below |
Caradogfest 2023-24
In 2023, such was the success of the inaugural 2022 Caradogfest, that the event was repeated and has now become a much loved annual fixture for the church and town. Caradogfest 2023 again featured Aberdare's own star of "The Voice" Ragsy, the inestimable Cat Southall plus 300 strong Cor Mawr! A FREE open daytime Ukulele Festival was also added, which proved incredibly popular, and again became an annual fixture of the growing festival
In 2024, Caradogfest focused on the 40th anniversary of the 1984 | 85 Miners Strikes, and, in addition to the Friday night Gala Concert, a daytime "Gala In The Grounds" was held in and around St Elvan's on the Saturday, featuring FREE children's activities, FREE live music throughout the day and a traditional Welsh Twmpath to close. A Festival Service was then added on the Sunday morning, followed by a Cymanfa Ganu, to mark the National Eisteddfod coming to Rhondda Cynon Taf that same year. The guest artist for Caradogfest 2024 was Aberdare born actress and singer Laura Evans
Further details of all the Caradogfest 2024 events, together with a series of images from previous year's events, are all now available at the Caradogfest website www.caradogfest.com
In 2023, such was the success of the inaugural 2022 Caradogfest, that the event was repeated and has now become a much loved annual fixture for the church and town. Caradogfest 2023 again featured Aberdare's own star of "The Voice" Ragsy, the inestimable Cat Southall plus 300 strong Cor Mawr! A FREE open daytime Ukulele Festival was also added, which proved incredibly popular, and again became an annual fixture of the growing festival
In 2024, Caradogfest focused on the 40th anniversary of the 1984 | 85 Miners Strikes, and, in addition to the Friday night Gala Concert, a daytime "Gala In The Grounds" was held in and around St Elvan's on the Saturday, featuring FREE children's activities, FREE live music throughout the day and a traditional Welsh Twmpath to close. A Festival Service was then added on the Sunday morning, followed by a Cymanfa Ganu, to mark the National Eisteddfod coming to Rhondda Cynon Taf that same year. The guest artist for Caradogfest 2024 was Aberdare born actress and singer Laura Evans
Further details of all the Caradogfest 2024 events, together with a series of images from previous year's events, are all now available at the Caradogfest website www.caradogfest.com
