The 29th Llandrindod Wells Victorian Festival got off to a great start with scores of people surrounding the Bandstand on Temple Gardens for the official opening.
Civic leaders from all over Powys attended the event on Saturday, which was led by Queen Victoria, alias Sue Spoonley. Also present were the Mayor of Llandrindod Wells, Councillor Mike Hodges representing the chairman of the Radnorshire Committee, Councillor John Evans, and Brecon and Radnorshire Assembly Member Kirsty Williams.
Powys County Council chairman Councillor Garry Banks declared the nine day festival open. “What better setting could there be than Llandrindod Wells for such a festival? Your attention to detail and the variety of performances is to be commended,” he said.
He thanked the chairman of the Victorian Festival Committee, Anne Smith, and her committee for all their hard work and he said he sincerely wished the festival every success.
Anne then announced the winners of the best shop window awards. A and M Milwards furniture shop in Middleton Street scooped the best town centre and best overall awards, with Aspidistra restaurant winning the best floral display, Haydn Lewis Insurance winning the most humorous shop window and Evans and Jones Opticians picking up the shop window most relevant to business.
The brand new Samaritans shop collected the prize for the best charity shop window while Candyman sweetshop won the best non-town centre award.
The fun continued on Sunday with Mr and Mrs and Miss and Master Llandrindod Wells being selected, and then leading a grand parade through the town. The winners were Abigail Seabrook, David Higham, Anne Baines and Tim Bellingham respectively.
Monday’s entertainment included a circus workshop by the Buttered Muffins Theatre Company, the best dressed lady, gentleman and child competition, a children’s fancy dress with the title Over the Rainbow, and a ball at the Pavilion in the evening.
Tomorrow (Saturday) the fourth annual historic vintage display will take place at the festival, on Powys County Council’s car park from 10am until 5pm. There will be more than 200 exhibits including historic cars, motorcycles, tractors, military vehicles and static engines.
Some of the highlights of the show include a unique 1941 Pontiac US staff car. It is the only remaining running model out of just 400 that were produced and a 1965 Auto Union Munga Jeep used by the Dutch Army, a 1976 Norton MK 3 Commando motorcycle, which was one of the last Commandos made between 1975 and 1978, a Nissan Figaro Convertible, which is a rare sought after model the same as used by Andrew Marr of the politics show.
One of the cars on show, a 1938 Haywood, is owned by James Andrew Lloyd. It was built by his father Cecil Lloyd, Percy Hughes and Idwal Williams in 1938, all employees at the Auto Palace in Llandrindod Wells.
The car was entered in the 1938 six day trials but it retired on the first day, was repaired, and completed the trials as a course car.
The vehicle was owned by Cecil until approximately 1963/4 before it was bought by Idwal Williams and was lovingly restored. James acquired it this year.
The festival will come to a climax on Sunday with the spectacular firework display at the lake and a torchlight parade through the town.
The procession will start at the Llanerch Inn at 9pm and travel to the Bandstand on Temple Gardens through Middleton Street, Station Crescent, Temple Street and Princess Avenue. The parade will then continue up to the lake ready for the fireworks display which starts at 9.30pm.
PICTURES
TOP: Part of the Grand Costume Parade through Llandrindod Wells on Sunday afternoon, as part of the town’s Victorian Festival.
BOTTOM: Victorian bathing belles outside their ‘beach hut’: Anne Smith, festival chairman, Sheila Richards, vice chairman and administrator, and Lorraine Cadwallader Jones.
Pictures by: Ernie Husson
DON’T FORGET: You’ll find more of Ernie’s Victorian Festival pictures in this week’s Mid Wales Journal, on sale now.