Dragon festival fires up
A mid Wales autumn half term Dragon Festival is back, with event more events for the family.
Belrenin, Rhayader’s giant copper Dragon Queen has made her way to Rhayader Museum and Gallery at the centre of a host of activities, many of the free.
The Rhayader Dragon Festival is based around a large copper dragon sculpture created by artist Richard Taylor as a Community Arts Rhayader And District millennium community arts project.
She has been seen by millions of people both on television, for example at the Gardener’s world live event at the NEC and at other largescale city events. She most recently appeared on the finish line of the Powys stage of the 2017 Tour of Britain cycle race and took part in the only public procession in Wales to welcome the 2018 Commonwealth Games baton.
She was sculpted from recycled copper and her scales were made by people locally, from Birmingham and from all over the world. Scales were made by Brazilian street children and by people from the New Zealand and Australian Welsh diaspora, from remote regions of China to the Turks and Caicos Islands. She takes the form of an Ouroboros - a dragon or snake eating its own tail a symbol of eternal renewal, unity and of hope for the future.
One of those involved, Catherine Allan said the festival would begin with Dragon Day on October 27.
"To find our dragon weave your way through the magical labyrinth, make a scale for a new Dragon and have lots of fun on the way through. The Dragon Keeper will be there to talk to on October 27."
Other events during half term will include workshops and walks, trips and talks, stories and sculpture, craft and culture.
"Enjoy delicious themed food and drink around town and explore the beauty of our dark skies.
For full details see CARAD – Rhayader Museum and Gallery’s Facebook page or website. www.carad.org.uk
