Archbishop teams up with dragon to fire up festival
The Archbishop of Wales will team up with a dragon next month to launch a festival designed to rekindle community life in a village in the Conwy Valley.
The Gŵyl Garrog Festival is being organised by villagers in Dolgarrog who want to keep the traditions, language, knowledge and landscape of the village alive. It will be officially opened by Archbishop Andrew John and will feature a re-telling by local schoolchildren of the story of the village’s mythical dragon, the Garrog of Dolgarrog.
The festival, organised by the Caru Dolgarrog Community Group, takes place on September 10, from 12-6pm, on the Adventure Park site.
The Revd Stuart Elliott, vicar of St Mary’s Church which is part of the Bro Gwydyr Ministry Area, says the idea for the festival was hatched a year ago.
“A group of villagers from Dolgarrog came together to put on an archive show of photographs of life in the village. The interest and success of this little event in St Mary’s Church started a discussion about how we might rekindle some of the fantastic community events and opportunities that no longer existed due to the closure of much of the village infrastructure.
“The church community embraced this project and offered the church space as a location for events. Very soon the Caru Dolgarrog Community Group was established and alongside our commercial, industry, church and educational partners we are putting on this small festival on the Adventure Park site. The story of the Garrog is being re-told through music and performance as a catalyst for community regeneration. We will also be encouraging those who come to share their ideas and thoughts, hopes and dreams for the future of Dolgarrog. Hopefully it will be the first of many annual events delivered ‘for the village by the village’.”
Archbishop Andrew John says, “The story of Garrog and the energies of the local community have created a wonderful combination of creativity and hope. This festival will showcase the community’s enterprising and energetic potential and I’m delighted to have been invited. Many congratulations to all those who are involved – this is truly inspiring.”
The festival is open to everyone.