A week of events to celebrate Rhayader's 121st carnival will kick off on Sunday
A week to celebrate Rhayader Carnival’s 121st year will kick off on Sunday with a series of events for all the family, culminating in carnival day itself on Saturday, July 19.
There will be a week-long celebration of evening events including the ever popular hill races. There will also be quizzes, the ‘It's a Knockout‘ competition and much more.
Junior and senior treasure hunts on foot around Rhayader will be the first events on Sunday (July 13). They will start at the Castle at 10am.
Also starting at 10am will be Rhayader and District Vintage Show at the Smithfield with a procession around the town. The show will continue until 4pm and entry is free.
At 5.30pm there will be a car treasure hunt starting at Dark Lane car park and finishing at the Elan Hotel. Entry is £5 per car.
An exhibition will start on Monday, July 14, the grand quiz will also be held at Cwmdauddwr Community Centre and drinks can be bought at The Triangle and taken to the venue.
Teams of three people can take part and registration is from 7.30pm with the quiz starting at 8pm.
The Gwastedyn Hill Race will be held on Tuesday, July 15 with registration from 6pm at the leisure centre. The race will start at 7.30pm for the juniors and 7.40pm for the seniors from the Smithfield. Entry is £2.50 for juniors aged nine to 15 and £5 for seniors aged 16 and over.
The trophies will be presented at Hafod Hardware later including the Carl Edwards Perpetual Memorial Trophy for the first senior man, the Amie Smith Perpetual Memorial Trophy for the first local lady and the Barbara Lawrence Perpetual Memorial Trophy for the first senior lady.
World Championship Wednesday at the Smithfield will include a welly wanging competition at 5.30pm, a wheelbarrow race for juniors at 7pm and a senior race at 7.30pm, and finally a rock-paper-scissors competition at 9.30pm at The Lamb.
Entries will be taken for single and multiple wheels in the wheelbarrow race at a cost of £5 per pair and there will be prizes for the best decorated barrow and the first pair.
Thursday, July 17 will see a toddler teddy bear’s picnic and activities at the cricket pitch at 12pm. Everyone should take along their own picnic and bear.
The fire service ‘It’s a Knockout’ and open evening will take place later at the fire station. Registration will be held from about 5.30pm. Registration will take place from 5pm with teams of four juniors over eight years of age costing £4 and teams for high school youths and adults costing £8
The Groe Gathering complete with live music, food and more will take place on Friday, July 18. There will also be a darts tournament at Rhayader Football Clubhouse with registration at 6pm, and the tournament starting at 7pm.
Carnival day will then be celebrated on Saturday, July 19 with a grand procession, the judging of floats and fancy dress entrants and entertainment and fun on the Groe at Cwmdauddwr.
The entertainment will include Mighty Smith the Strongman, the Wye Valley Axemen, many side stalls, games, children’s attractions and lots more.
Carnival week will end with knockout cricket at the Groe on Sunday, July 20 at 10.30am.
