Your Complete Guide to Brecon Choir Festival 2024
We are just a few days away from the third Brecon Choir Festival.
The finest Choral Festival held in the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons
We have compiled below a few FAQs which we hope will make your life a bit easier over the weekend.
Please do give them a follow on Instagram and Facebook for updates over the course of the weekend.
I’m still undecided about coming to the choir festival. Why should I?
Four days of joyous singing and a uniquely welcoming community set in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK.
You can expect world class singing, rousing afterglows and to make friends and experiences that will last a lifetime!
Where can I stay as I’ve only just decided this is for me?
Self Catering
Bed & Breakfasts
Bunkhouses
Camping & Glamping
Hotels & Inns
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets are best purchased online but will also be available at the Found Gallery.
Where can I go between events?
The Muse will act as our Festival Hub for the weekend where you can enjoy teas, coffees, a light lunch as well as breakfast on Sunday. Programmes will be available to buy and it will offer you the chance to catch up with other festival goers. Volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about the programme or anything else.
Where can I park in Brecon?
Brecon’s car parks can be seen here.
Please note the cathedral only has a very small Pay & Display car park so the majority of you will need to find parking elsewhere.
The surrounding residential streets are all free parking but please do be considerate as to where you leave your car.
The theatre has a Pay & Display car park which also fills up very quickly but there are further car parks along Canal Road very close to the venue. The closest car park to The Muse & The Plough is at y Gaer.
Where can I eat and drink in Brecon?
As well as the food on offer at The Muse each day there are plenty of cafes throughout the town where you can pick up something to eat.
We have provided a list of where you can eat in the evening here.
Please note for those attending the talk and concert at Christ College on Saturday morning there will be sandwiches available to buy between the panel discussion and Continuum concert.
The Hours Cafe are open throughout the festival serving breakfast & lunch along with their usual much needed cake & coffee or tea, all in their beautiful & tranquil setting.
They also have the option of pre-concert suppers on Thursday & Saturday in the Cathedral Close along with, what we assured is the best Sunday Lunch in Brecon, on the Sunday but please ensure you have pre-booked to avoid disappointment (and to avoid not getting out to next performance on your schedule on time)
Do email them on hello@thehoursbrecon.co.uk or call 07726375274 for reservations
Other places around Brecon to eat and drink
Eating & drinking – Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales
What is the Festival Choir Trail?
Previously the Walking Tour of Town, the Choir Trail is a centrepiece of the festival. Starting at 3pm on Saturday afternoon at the Canal Basin by the theatre with The Men’s Shed Shanty Chorus.
Different choirs will then sing at y Gaer, St Mary’s Church, outside The Wellington Hotel and The Plough in sequence.
The final event is Renaissance Masterpieces with The Dolor Consort at 5pm in The Plough.
Both the trail and Dolor’s Renaissance Masterpieces are free.
You can decide to join for the whole trail or indeed pick and choose which acts you wish to see. We hope it won’t be the case but an umbrella might be handy.
The trail will go ahead whatever the weather, there will be cover nearby at all stops in the event of a downpour!
What is an Afterglow?
An Afterglow is a post-concert celebration held in a pub near the concert venue.
Our Afterglow venue for 2024 is once again The Clarence Inn, where you can rub shoulders with the singers and join in with the singing long into the night.
For many this is the real magic of the festival.
What is a Cymanfa Ganu and is it for me?
A distinctively Welsh tradition, where the audience ‘sings the hymn book’ under the baton of a Musical Director responsible for keeping the pace!
We ensure that our Cymanfa has English as well as Welsh hymns.
No prior singing experience or Welsh language is required.
If you are a little bit curious, just come and see for yourself how we close the festival!
Opportunities to sing
As well as being able to join in at The Afterglows and the Cymanfa Ganu we have a two hour Singing Fundamentals Workshop on Saturday morning with singing coach Gigi Galletta.
A wonderful opportunity to limber up your voice as we head into the weekend.
Which events are free to attend?
We have many free events including the Festival Hike and the Festival Meet and Greet on Friday afternoon (tea and cakes available to purchase).
Enjoy The Children’s Voices in St Mary’s Church on Saturday morning and the Festival Choir Trail in the afternoon.
On Sunday morning there is Morning Eucharist at St Mary’s followed by the Henry Vaughan Walking Tour.
On Sunday afternoon don’t miss the Festival Evensong at Brecon Cathedral.
Several events are also very inexpensive set at just £5.