A SPECIAL St David’s Festival next month will kick-off a year-long series of monthly foodie fiestas as Denbigh seeks to become the events capital of North Wales.
The plan is to rejuvenate and regenerate the town based on its wealth of high quality local produce and to build on the success of last year’s series of festivals.
This saw the town come together to promote itself at home, through the Denbigh Plum Festival and the Christmas Festivities, and abroad when the Denbigh Twinning Association visited twin town Biebertal, in Germany
Denbigh Business Growth Officer Sue Muse is the driving force behind this year's programme.
She said: “We’ve got such a lot going on this year and so much to celebrate here in Denbigh.
“We’re starting with the St David’s Day Festival on Saturday, February 27, when the town will be full of good food, good music and good times.
“Crown Square will be crammed with stalls selling everything from chocolate and Welsh cakes to leeks and lamb.
“It’s a celebration of Wales and Welshness and the wealth of good things we have here.”
The plan to promote food from Denbigh and the surrounding area is being backed by rural regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd as part of their Denbighshire Agri-Food Project and Project Officer Robert Price said: “This part of the Vale of Clwyd is very much the garden of Wales and all year there are good things to eat and enjoy and celebrate and we want people to appreciate that and to get involved in it.”
The first of the year’s festivals promises to kick off with a bang with displays of spectacular axework by Simon Belfield and the Clwyd Axemen whose skills will perfectly complement the woodland crafts of the Bodfari Charcoal Company.
There will also be music with the Denbigh Stones performing live while themed St David’s Day competitions are being organised for children from local schools and Sali Mali and Sam Tan will both put in an appearance.
There will be a food and crafts market and a hog roast laid on by local butcher John Williams, of Vale Street.
Sue Muse, who is also the secretary of the Denbigh Business Group, added:
“Denbigh really does have a lot to offer and we will be making the most of that with story-teller and entertainer Ruth Moore-Williams in attendance on the day and guided tours involving the historic castle and the town walls.
“What counts too is that it is helping the town to thrive.
“A year or two ago we had lots of empty shops but now they’re virtually all full and we have the sort of interesting, independent shops that make visiting the town a pleasure.”
As well as the St David’s Day Festival, already scheduled for this year in Denbigh are:
Music and Food Festival on Saturday, May 22.
The three-day Midsummer Festival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 18, 19, and 20.
The Open Heritage Weekend on the weekend of September 11 and 12.
The Beer Festival on Saturday, September 18.
The Plum Festival on Saturday, October 30.
A Fireworks Festival on Friday, November 5; and the Christmas Festivities on Friday, November 26.
The Gwaenynog Country Show is on Saturday and Sunday, July 10 and 11.
The Denbigh and Flint County Show is on Thursday, August 19.
The Denbigh Flower Show on Saturday, August 29.