2008 is the Year of Wales at the Festival Interceltique Lorient from 1 to 10 August and around 200 performers will be making the journey to South Brittany to represent Wales. The Festival provides a showcase for the traditional and contemporary cultures of eight Celtic nations and has been held annually since 1971.
Now attracting more than 700,000 people, it will take place at the same time as Wales’ own National Eisteddfod. Visitors to the Wales pavilion in Lorient will also be able to watch the National Eisteddfod’s main ceremonies on the big screen, and a number of performers will be appearing at both events. The programme will include performances from Clerorfa, a 50-strong folk orchestra of harps, fiddles, flutes, Welsh hornpipes and bagpipes, the trio Sidan, Dowlais Male Voice Choir, harpist and singer Bethan Nia, who won the Celtic Connections Open Stage competition earlier this year, and Welsh musicians Carreg Lafar (pictured). The Lorient Festival is being seen by Welsh politicians as an opportunity to promote Wales as a tourism, business and educational destination.