THE organisers of the Urdd Eisteddfod are delighted to announce that this year’s event has been a major success. Tens of thousands of visitors from all around Wales and beyond came to enjoy the myriad of attractions at Europe’s largest competitive youth festival. Returning to Conwy, and to the very same site eight years on, much of the original infrastructure could be used again, and the accessible Eisteddfod maes proved a popular venue for competitors and visitors alike over Whitsun half term week. New developments included Pentref Mistar Urdd. Showcasing all the Urdd has to offer, Pentref Mistar Urdd drew the crowds daily with the tepees, trampolines, sport sessions, non-alcoholic cocktail bar, Lego exhibition and karaoke machine keeping children of all ages busy all week long. One of the week's highlights was the lively party on Tuesday to celebrate Cip’s 21st birthday. In another new development, pupils from Ysgol y Creuddyn spent the week filming daily podcasts giving a taste of all the Eisteddfod has to offer. The films can be viewed on the Urdd website. Once again, all the preliminaries were held on the Eisteddfod field this year, which ensures the maes was buzzing from 7am onwards each day. The evening entertainment was also successful with a full capacity audience attending the youth show Hedfan, held on Sunday. The primary school show Swyn Stori also raised the roof of the pavilion, and the opening concert Noson Ola’r Prom on the first Saturday night was a success as well. The last event of the Eisteddfod was the Cymanfa Ganu held in Sunday at Seion Chapel, Llanrwst. Trystan Lewis from Deganwy conducted the event with Euryn Jones accompanying on the organ. Dilwyn Price, Chair of the Local Executive Committee, said: “The Gymanfa brought closure to a fantastic week of activities at Eisteddfod yr Urdd in Conwy County. It has been a memorable week, full of highlights. Seeing Conwy’s children and young people star on the stage alongside Urdd members from all over Wales has been a treat, and it is a great feeling that all the hard work has been worth it!" Tudur Dylan Jones, Chair of the Eisteddfod and the Arts Board, says: "There are hundreds of volunteers on the maes each day, from the clerks who attend the preliminaries at 7.30am to the stewards at the evening concerts, and it is possible that they, and the other volunteers, will not be thanked personally. It's impossible for the Urdd to thank everybody who has contributed to this Eisteddfod personally, but hopefully they will accept the organisation's heartfelt thanks. Without their contribution the Eisteddfod could not succeed." | 
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