One of Wales’ biggest and most important cultural celebrations is officially returning to Cardiff, with the National Eisteddfod of Wales set to take over the capital in 2028.
The announcement was made on the final day of this year’s festival in Pembrokeshire, close to where the roots of the Eisteddfod can be traced back around 850 years.
The 2028 event will mark the National Eisteddfod’s first visit to Cardiff in a decade, with thousands of performers, competitors and visitors expected to descend on the city for the week-long celebration of Welsh language and culture.
The National Eisteddfod is one of the biggest cultural festivals in Europe, bringing together music, literature, poetry, visual arts, dance and live performance alongside some of the most prestigious competitions in Welsh culture.
Cardiff last hosted the festival in 2018, when the Eisteddfod took a very different form, spreading across Cardiff Bay rather than being contained within the traditional festival site.
Organisers have confirmed that 2028 will return to a more traditional, ticketed Eisteddfod format, although exactly where in Cardiff the festival will be held has yet to be announced.
Cardiff Council cabinet member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said:
“Hosting the National Eisteddfod is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Cardiff’s cultural life in all its creative glory, as well as the city’s commitment to supporting the Welsh language.
“The festival brings people together through music, literature, arts and performance, and we’re excited to play our part in making sure there’s a warm welcome for every single performer, competitor and visitor in 2028.”
The announcement is particularly fitting given the remarkable history behind the festival.
The tradition of the Eisteddfod can be traced back to 1176, when Lord Rhys hosted a gathering of poets and musicians at Cardigan Castle. More than eight centuries later, the celebration of Welsh music, poetry, performance and language continues to attract visitors from across Wales and beyond.
While we’ll have to wait a little longer to discover exactly where Cardiff’s 2028 Maes will be located, its return is set to be one of the biggest cultural events in the city’s calendar that year.
