12 family-friendly activities to celebrate St David’s Day in and around Cardiff 2019
Friday 1 March is St David’s Day – a celebration of our national patron saint and all things Welsh. Usually when the children are in school they’re sent in wearing traditional Welsh costume or Welsh rugby or football shirts. But this year, St David’s Day fall in half term and several places across South Wales are putting on events to celebrate. (Click here to read my full half-term listings of things that are also happening today but aren’t specifically St David’s Day-themed.)
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FREE Free entry to Cadw sites across Wales
Friday 1 March
To celebrate St David’s Day and mark Visit Wales’ Year of Discovery, 16 Cadw sites, that normally charge for admission, will open their doors as part of the programme — including the spectacular St David’s Bishop’s Palace, located near the site Saint David himself founded his monastery. More information here.
Sites in South Wales include Chepstow Castle, Raglan Castle, Caerphilly Castle and Castell Coch (due to limited capacity at Castell Coch visitor must advance book here.
FREE St David’s Day Parade
Cardiff City Centre
Friday 1 March
The annual St David’s Day parade in the city centre. This non-military parade is an opportunity for those who live in Wales,
regardless of age, ethnic or social background, to join a dignified and imaginative celebration of Welsh heritage and culture. More information here.
11.30 Assemble in King Edward VII Drive.
12.30 Parade starts – see the map for the route
13.00 Parade starts to arrive at the Hayes
13.30 Hen Wlad fy Nhadau
FREE St David’s Day Celebrations
The Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay
Friday 1 March 12pm-4pm
Get creative with eco friendly arts and crafts where you can make wondrous dragons and beautiful daffodils to take home between 12-4pm. Families can also meet two beautiful baby dragons at 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm. Plus cinema bowling and restaurants and cafes to keep you fuelled and entertained. Free parking for six hours subject to minimum spend and ticket validation.
More information here.
FREE St David’s Day
National Museum Cardiff
Friday 1 March, 10am-5pm
Celebrate St David’s Day in the National Museum of Wales. Take a walk through Welsh history in the Evolution of Wales gallery and explore Welsh art. The cafes will be serving a special menu of a steaming bowl of traditional cawl as well as homemade Welsh cakes hot off the griddle. More information here.
FREE St David’s Day activities
St Fagans National Museum of History
Friday March 1
Family friendly craft activities for Wales’ special day.
More information here.
FREE Meet the Objects
St Fagans National Museum of History
Friday 1 March, 11.30am English, 1pm Welsh, 2.30pm English
Come along to the Wales is… Gallery to learn more about the tradition of wearing the Welsh costume and see the harp that once belonged to the composer of the Welsh national anthem.
FREE The Daff Trail
Cardiff Castle
Friday 1 and Saturday 2 March
Giant daffodils have been floating across the city all this week in celebration of St David’s Day. The iconic symbols of Welshness are six metres in diameter and float up to 60 metres in the sky. They have been appearing at 15 iconic locations including The Principality Stadium, Cardiff Arms Park and City Hall, before making a budding finale on St David’s Day at Cardiff Castle. Follow #TheDaffTrail on social media.
More information here.
St David’s Day with the Gould Piano Trio
Dora Stoutzker Hall, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff
Friday 1 March 1.15pm
£6 in advance; £8 on the door
Beethoven never came to Wales, but he knew its music – and his trio settings of what he thought were Welsh folk songs are one of the hidden treasures of the chamber repertoire. This concert by the College’s Chamber ensemble in residence the Gould Piano Trio begins with Beethoven’s Miniatures, followed by one of Dvorak’s most personal – and passionate – masterpieces, the Piano Trio no.3 in F minor.
More information here.
Dragons and daffodils crafts and face painting
Big Pit National Coal Museum
Friday 1 March, 11am-4pm
£2 per child; entry to Big Pit is free
Celebrate St David’s da at Big Pit. Wear your rugby shirt, your traditional Welsh costume or even dress as a coal miner and take part in Welsh-themed crafts and have your face painted. More information here.
Free entry for children in Welsh costume
Greenmeadow Community Farm, Cwmbran
Saturday 23 February-Sunday 3 March
Adults £6.50, children £5.40, family (2+3) £23.50
Every day of half term is packed full of activities including cuddle corner with some of the farm’s smaller animals; tractor and trailer rides; goat milking; greet and groom with the ponies plus lots more. There’s also a Stick Man trail, featuring brightly-coloured boatds from the picture book, to help children aged three to seven find out more about the natural world and learn how things grow. Sthe website for full details and event timings and listings.
On Friday 1 March the farm will be celebrating St David’s Day with free entry for all children attending in Welsh costume. More information here.
Miri Meithrin
Fairwater Leisure Centre, Cardiff
Friday 1 March, 11.30am-1pm
£4; ages 0-5
Pre-schoolers are invited to wear their best Welsh fancy dress and celebrate St David’s Day with a party full of soft play, craft activities, bouncy castle fun and singing and dancing with Rhianna Loren. More information here.
St David’s Day at TeeRex Softplay
TeeRex Golf, Old St Mellons
£1 off softplay entry for all children dressed in Welsh costume.
Tea and Welsh cake for £2.50. Soft play best suited for younger children. More information here.
FREE St David’s Day Giveaway
Tacoma Square, Mermaid Quay
Friday 1 March, 12pm-3pm
Free bunches of daffodils being given away while stocks last. More information here.
FREE St David’s Day crafts
Margam Country Park, near Port Talbot
Friday 1 March, 11am-3pm
Entry to the park is free; parking £5.60
Spring and St David’s Day craft activities with the Friends of Margam Park in the Castle.
More information here.
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