St David’s Day celebrations set to hit Swansea with long weekend of activities

Venues range from the city centre – featuring free-entry fun for all – to the Brangwyn Hall and Swansea Arena which are both set to offer memorable music events in top quality indoor settings.

The city’s St David’s Day Croeso celebrations are a taste of what’s to come through 2024 as the council’s Enjoy Swansea Bay team has a wide-ranging programme of events planned for the whole year.

Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said:

“We have a fantastic line-up of events planned throughout this year and it launches with Croeso’s burst of colour and song –an activity-packed series of St David’s Day celebrations across the city.

“Swansea people love events of all types and we’re delighted to be able to offer them a rich variety of live entertainment around St David’s Day and throughout the year.

“Throughout 2024, local events will range from free-entry and low-cost family entertainment to top quality big-name music in Singleton Park and world class athletics.”

Swansea’s annual Croeso festival takes place from Thursday, February 29 to Sunday, March 3.

It’ll see the city centre host a hive of free-entry activity including a series of cooking demonstrations from renowned chefs. They’re due to include Nathan Davies, of BBC’s Great British Menu, Hywel Griffith of the Beach House, Gower, Jonathan Woolway from the Shed, in SA1, John Taylor from SA1’s the Welsh House and Matt Waldron, of Pembrokeshire’s Stackpole Inn.

Confirmed live music acts for city centre visitors to enjoy at no cost include the Phoenix Choir of Wales plus renowned Welsh music acts Gwilym, Islet, Angel Hotel and Eädyth.

Welsh bands will also feature in the Nightworks night-time entertainment element of the event and The Bunkhouse, Elysium and Tŷ Tawe.

The weekend’s activities in St David’s Place will also include shows for children, walk-about acts, characters, crafts and a trail around the city with goody bags on offer for those who complete it. A St David’s parade will take place.

Croeso’s city centre activity is presented by the council in association with First Cymru Buses Ltd and supported by Food and Drink Wales and Nathaniel Cars.

Croeso launches on February 29 with a free event in the foyer of Swansea Arena between 6pm and 8pm which also marks the Cân i Gymru Song for Wales 2024 event which will take place the next night.

For the first time in the song writing competition’s history, it’ll be held and broadcast live on S4C from the arena stage.

It’ll feature performances from well-known artists alongside the competition’s final eight songs and a live band.

This launch will feature live and DJ sets from the best in contemporary Welsh language music including some former Cân i Gymru contestants.

The same night, across at the Brangwyn Hall, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales St David’s Day Stravaganza takes place with iconic Welsh composers such as Penclawdd-born Sir Karl Jenkins and William Mathias due to feature.

Stravaganza – with a host of favourite Welsh tunes – will also include the BBC National Chorus of Wales and the National Youth Choir of Wales.