A Day in the Life
of a Welsh Food Festival: Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon, May 11th, 2019 As we hunker down for autumn, it’s worth reflecting on a successful Welsh summer. The fourth annual Caernarfon Food Festival - one of Wales’ biggest food attractions - returned to Snowdonia in May, powered by an army of local volunteers. Established in 2016, the first ‘Gŵyl Fwyd’ drew 15,000 visitors, while this year’s event drew 60, 857 festival-goers. To put that into perspective, Caernarfon’s population is just under 10,000 residents, which – combined with holidaymakers - swells to an average daily number of 18,000 over summer. Described by festival Chairperson Nici Beech, as ‘bigger than the National Eisteddfod and Christmas combined’, editor Lowri Haf Cooke experienced this year’s ‘Gŵyl Fwyd’ to discover the secrets of this Welsh food fest’s success... 00.00 ’Twas the night before Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon, and on every street people were dreaming of sun and all kinds of Welsh treats...’ Festival Chair Nici Beech is sound asleep following a year of meetings and arrangements with an incredible team of volunteers. Secretary Eleri Lovgreen was spotted on the Maes at 19.30 guiding keenbean stall-holders to their spots, including Iwan Davies of Welsh Luing Beef. Around 8pm, festival team-member Marged Rhys, was welcoming concert-goers to the ‘Noson 4 a 6’ (‘Four and Six Night’) Candelas gig in town, noting, ‘There’s definitely excitement in the air – and just a touch of anxiety! We learn more every year, so as far as we’re concerned, everything’s in place for tomorrow’. A dream Caernarfon sunset is recorded at 21.01 in front of the Anglesey pub, which bodes well for the big day ahead. Gareth Fôn Jones – co-owner of Tŷ Castell restaurant hotel - is enjoying the ‘calm before the storm’... 06.30 Team meeting on the ‘Maes’ – the central square in the shadow of Caernarfon’s 13th Century castle. Stall-holders, including Red Boat Ice Cream from Anglesey, and Becws Islyn bakery of Pen Llŷn are spotted arriving. Welsh Prifardd (Chief-Poet) Rhys
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Iorwerth is among the volunteers helping to guide stall-holders to their allocated spaces, specifically noted on the committee’s ‘jig-saw’. 07.00 Daniel Owen arrives on the Maes to set up his stall from Let the Day Be Gin – he’ll be selling Anglesey Môn Distillery’s products from Pentraeth, including Raspberry and Elderflower gins. One of his neighbours on the Maes is Hazel Jones, from Chwilog. This is her 4th year at the Gŵyl Fwyd, promoting Aerona black chokeberry products from her farm in Eifionydd. 09.00 BBC presenter and comedian Tudur Owen broadcasts live from Caernarfon’s Sailing Club, not far from the BBC Radio Cymru entertainment stage. 10.00 The festival is officially open! It’s a big day for the ladies of Teioni Kombucha of Gaerwen, Anglesey, as they launch their healthy fermented jasmine green tea today. Nearby on the Maes, Daniel Owen, from Let the Day Be Gin serves the first Raspberry G&T of the day at 10.45! 12.00 Festival treasurers Yasmin Khan and Trystan Iorwerth, buckets in hand, are handing out food festival stickers to visitors, who are streaming into Caernarfon from the Welsh Mountain Railway terminal entrance. ‘It costs £30,000 to host the Gŵyl Fwyd, so if everyone could contribute a pound each, it goes a very long way.’ Towards the castle, visitors make a left at the quayside to visit ‘Lloc yr Anifeiliaid’ (the livestock pen), provided by Coleg Meirion Dwyfor’s Glynllifon Agricultural College – the ponies, the piglets and pigmy goats are a big hit with kids. 12.30 The longest queue on the Maes at the moment is
