Elan Valley Trust announces the programme for Elan Dark Sky Festival
The first ever Elan Dark Sky Festival be held on March 27 and 28, taking place in locations across the Elan Valley and Rhayader
The full programme is now available to view and book here.
The festival hosted by the Elan Valley Trust, is celebrating over 10 years of International Dark Sky status in Cwm Elan and raising awareness about the importance of dark skies for wildlife, conservation and wellbeing.
The festival programme includes drop-in activities and ticketed events to suit different ages and interests.
The Festival kicks off on Friday evening with a nocturnal creature walk and talk with Sorcha Lewis, a dark sky bike ride with Pippa Boss, a starlit concert with musicians Toby Hay and Holly Blackshaw, a light painting photography workshop with Dafydd Wyn Morgan and drop-in stargazing at Claerwen car park with the Elan Valley Trust dark sky team.
On Saturday, March 28 audiences can drop-in to ‘Mission Control: Elan Dark Skies’ at the Elan Valley visitor centre for a dazzling array of free family friendly activities. Activities include solar observing with First Light Optics, and astro-archaeology craft activities from Timescape Archaeology, to name a few.
During the day you will also be able to watch a livestream video link of the view through a telescope of the dark skies of New Zealand and listen to an astronomy talk from renowned New Zealand astronomer Gareth Davies.
Throughout Saturday, the public can get a tour through the galaxy in one of three planetarium shows taking place in Community Arts Rhayader and District, Rhayader.
Young people from Radnorshire are also invited to take part in a lantern making workshop with artist Zoe Matthews, to create spectacular structures which will form the basis of a lantern procession later that evening.
On Saturday evening, audiences can enjoy a nocturnal bats, birds and moths walk and talk at dusk, followed by a lantern procession, astronomer Rob Davies will give a talk over dinner at Tŷ Penbont, and the captivating storyteller Mair Tomos Ifans will share stories about the moon, stars and the night under the night sky. To cap things off Rob Davies and Sam Price will hold a stargazing workshop for a small group of people at the Cosmic Cwtch.
The Elan Valley was awarded International Dark Sky Park status and granted the silver-tier status in June 2015 by the International Dark Sky Association.
This status now means that the entire 45,000 acres of the Elan Valley are protected against light pollution for the benefit of those who live and work here, in addition to the many visitors each year.
The status also provides sanctuary for the abundance of wildlife and nature which can be found by day or night on the estate. It is widely recognised as one of the best stargazing sites in the world.
For more information visit https://elanvalley.org.uk/elan-dark-sky-festival-2026-full-programme.
