Saturday 25 April sees Barley Saturday take place in the centre of Cardigan. Read on to discover more about this annual event that celebrates the best of Welsh traditions.
What is Barley Saturday?
Barley Saturday is an annual event that takes place in the picturesque market town of Cardigan in West Wales. Over the years it has evolved and grown, but it continues to be centred on horses – which is why it was originally created.
In its current form visitors to the event can enjoy various horse competitions, with judging taking place at 12 noon. After that everyone finds a good spot to watch the horses and vintage vehicles parade through the town of Cardigan at around 2pm, with the parade running along the town’s main streets.
Where does it come from?
First held back in the 19th Century, Barley Saturday has been held regularly ever since – always on the last Saturday in April. Originally it would see farmers from across the surrounding areas of West Wales come to Cardigan – the main market town of the region – to inspect stallions that were put out to stud and to hire workers for their farms.
It was a popular social event, giving local farmers the chance to meet, share news and discuss local issues.
What is involved in this year’s event?
This year there’s a stallion show at 11am. This will be held at Cardigan Secondary School Field, and it offers a chance to see some of the region’s most beautiful horses. There is a wide range of classes competing for the best in show prizes, including classifications for Welsh mountain ponies, Welsh cobs, hunters, coloured stallions, paliminos and donkeys.
This will be followed by a parade of the stallions through the town, which will also see horse drawn vehicles taking part. The horses are followed by a parade of vintage cars, motorbikes, steam engines, tractors, milk floats and gypsy wagons, creating a fabulous opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of Welsh history.
The event is sponsored by a range of local companies who are supporting this traditional event, including Castell Howell, Richards Bros and In the Welsh Wind Distillery – thank you to all the sponsors for making this year’s event possible.
How much does it cost?
It’s free to go and watch the parade through the town – charges may apply to enter the school field to watch the various events taking place on the day. There will also be the chance to shop in Cardigan’s lovely local shops and enjoy local foods. You can find out more here.
The Cardigan Bay Properties team will be going, so maybe we’ll see you there!