101 places to go – Brecon Beacons festivals
With spectacular natural landforms, offering majestic views of the stunning surrounding expanse, the Brecon Beacons mountain range in Wales makes for an ideal playground to explore on foot. But the appeal of the Beacons goes far beyond its looks; the region also boasts an equally rich and varied programme of events, with celebrations of culture, history and local produce taking place all year round.
We think walking around the Brecon Beacons is a given, so for the region’s entry to ‘101 Places to Go in the UK, Ireland and France’ we’ve chosen to focus on some of the other events available in the area. As always, we’d love to hear yours too! Please leave a comment below with your suggestions for things to see and do in the Brecon Beacons.
• The hills are alive with the sound of jazz in the summer months as the Brecon Jazz Festival offers a packed 3-day schedule of events, set against the stunning backdrop of Pen-y-Fan, the highest mountain in the south of the country. 2011’s event offers headline slots from Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, Allen Toussaint and Monty Alexander plus a number of up and comers at The Fringe festival.
• Perhaps with a slightly more diverse line-up, but in an equally lovely location, the Green Man Festival offers a wide range of musical acts with a focus on folk and dance. This year’s festival takes place on the 19, 20 and 21 August and features performances from Fleet Foxes, Laura Marling, Iron and Wine and many more!
• Most events in the Brecon Beacons include some kind of celebration of the local area. After all, few places are as naturally stunning as this particular part of Wales. Likewise few events in the region are as immediately satisfying as the Brecon Beacons’ many food festivals. With the Food Festival taking place in October, closely followed by the Winter Food festival, there are few better ways to prepare for the colder climes!
