THE Gŵyl y Felinheli festival is set to return for the first time since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Having been cancelled for the last two years, the eight-day festival will be back on the banks of the Menai Straits from Thursday, 24 June until Saturday, 2 July.

On the Thursday, a large tent will be erected on the village green, ready to host the week (and more) of events, including the Noson Lawen, Local Produce Fair, Cheese and Wine Night, Quiz, and the Carnival day itself.

Osian Owen, a member of the Festival’s committee, said: “It really does feel as if the heart of the community is beating again.

“Ask anyone who comes from y Felinheli and they will tell you how important the festival is to village life.

“We feel proud of the festival. It is where the whole village comes together, all generations, to celebrate this distinctive community.

“The festival has a long history; therefore, the exact dates are rather ambiguous. A traditional village carnival preceded the festival in its current form, and the carnival had its roots in the annual Regatta.

“The first Regatta was held in 1873.

“So, in a way, you could claim that Gŵyl y Felinheli has been held for nearly as long as the modern Eisteddfod, and longer than the Albert Halls Proms!”

The community festival had been held uninterrupted in its current form since the 1990s, but the committee was forced to postpone two years running due to the public health situation.

“This year’s festival is jam-packed with activities, to compensate for the two-year interval,” continued Mr Owen.

“The exact times and details can be found on our website, but among activities on offer this year is the bingo, a taste of sailing, a village talent show, the Eden Project’s Big Lunch, the local school’s show, a treasure hunt, the 10K, a quiz, a produce fair, and much, much more.

“It all culminates on the last day when the Carnival is held.

“We’re looking forward greatly to welcoming visitors to the festival again this year. There will be an electric feeling on the banks of the Menai Strait as the village comes together properly for the first time in years.

“It’s been a tough couple of years for y Felinheli, as it has been for other villages. We have lost a lot of well-loved residents, and real characters have left us.

“But this will be an opportunity to put the past two years behind us and celebrate our village.”

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