Pontardawe Festival 2009

The Pontardawe festival is an annual celebration of world music and dance which has taken place every August, with one exception, since 1978. It has developed from a small essentially Celtic folk music-based event into an important international family friendly music festival attracting up to 20,000 visitors.

The acts confirmed for 2009 include the iconic Welsh band Man opening the festival a day earlier than usual on Thursday, supported by two emerging local bands, Bambi Killers, and The Last Republic.

Friday's line-up includes Up The Creek, Ashley Hutchings & Rainbow Chasers, Neil Brophy Band, and Edward II.
Saturday afternoon the bill includes Railroad Bill, Rory McLeod, ANOther (tbc), with MRF Band, Dulci (USA), Zoox, and Harare (Zimbabwe) playing Saturday night.
Sunday Afternoon's line-up features Amy Newton, Vin Garbutt, Martyn Joseph, and the Sunday Night has a competition winner (tbc), Delyth Jenkins, and Calan.

Venues include the Valley Folk Club, Dance Stage, New Music Stage, and the Children's Circus who all make a return.

Expect music, dance and song with the odd bit of poetry and arts of all description thrown in for all the family.

Tickets are on sale and priced as follows:
Adult festival ticket (Friday, Saturday all day and night & Sunday) - £75.
Concessionary concert ticket (Friday, Saturday all day and night & Sunday). Only available to ES40 claimants, Students, over 60s - £65
Children's festival ticket (Friday, Saturday all day and night & Sunday). Only available to children aged 10 to 15 accompanied by an adult aged 18 and over - £15.
Child 9 And Under Weekend Ticket (Friday, Saturday all day and night & Sunday). Only available for children aged 9 and under accompanied by an adult aged 18 and over - Free.
Family festival ticket (Friday, Saturday all day and night & Sunday). 2 Adults and up to 3 Children - £160
Disabled Weekend Ticket '2 for 1' - Two festival tickets (Friday, Saturday all day and night & Sunday - for one Disabled person and an assistant/carer) may be purchased for the price of one (for people who require a personal assistant or carer in order to attend the festival). - £65.
Weekend Camping (Camping is only available to weekend ticket holders.) - £20.
Thursday Camping supplement for campers who wish to arrive on Thursday (only available to weekend ticket holders) - £10.

To buy tickets for this event, click here.


The famous Ponty torchlit parade is to return this year, after a break of almost ten years. The torchlights return on Friday night - August 21 - starting at 9.15pm from the Pontardawe Arts Centre and finishing there around 10pm.

Then on Saturday afternoon, the traditional festival carnival parade will return starting from St Peter's Church and going to the festival field via the canal path and the retail park.

There'll be more information here when available.

Latest Updates