Everyone is invited to the 18th Malad Valley Welsh Festival. There will be something for everyone – whether or not you are Welsh!

Interested in pioneer history?  The pedigree charts and census lists on display in the 2nd Ward cultural hall will provide information on some of the first families who settled Malad Valley. Heritage games, sponsored by the Malad Middle School MathCounts Team, will have kids of all ages playing the games pioneer children played as they crossed the Plains. The Malad Valley Heritage Square in Samaria will offer glimpses of pioneer life with authentic cabins built by the pioneers.  

Wondering about Malad history? The popular wagon rides will take visitors along the cutoff of the Oregon Trail that became Bannock Street and along the Gold Road to Montana that became Main Street while guides tell about the historic homes and businesses along the routes. Signs identifying homes and businesses from the 1910 Malad Village plat map will be placed by the MHS Academic Team. The historic Presbyterian Church will provide tours during the Festival. 

Like poetry? The youth poets will read/recite their poems on Friday afternoon with the winners in each grade category being “crowned.” The adult poet reading on Saturday will culminate in the “chairing” of the 2024 Malad Valley Welsh Festival Bard and the awarding of the Patsy Price Scott Poetry Prize.  With the theme of “DRAGONS” this year, over 300 poems were submitted, and the best of the best will be heard at the Festival.

How about music?  Musicians will perform on the outdoor amphitheater throughout the Festival.  In addition, the Friday evening concert will feature a harp trio, Bards and Nobles performing group, and Lee Ivie on western string instruments. Twenty talented youth musicians will perform at the youth concert, and a dozen piano ensembles will show off the keyboard abilities of adult pianists. The Malad Valley Men’s Welsh Chorus will perform at several events during the Festival.

Will there be art? Over 100 winning works of art by Malad Elementary School students will be on display throughout the Festival. Using Welsh symbols like castle, knights, and daffodils, the students created beautiful and unusual works of art. 

Want to travel to Wales? Presenters Blaine and Tara Scott and Luke Waldron will tell about their recent trips to Wales, especially about the delicious foods available in Wales as well as the scenery, castles, churches, and people. Welsh foods will be available at the “Taste of Wales” booth, sponsored by the MHS FCCLA and Samaria’s Heritage Square Committee.

The “Walk through Wales” exhibit will transport visitors to the sites and sights of Wales with castles, cathedrals, and beautiful scenery. 

Want to learn to speak some Welsh? New this year will be Welsh language classes on both days. Taught by Jonathan Shaw of Cache Valley, the classes will help visitors learn some basics of the difficult Welsh language.  Find out how to pronounce those double “Ls.”

Enjoy beautiful quilts?  The Oneida Quilters will hold their annual quilt show and bake sale at the Malad Co-op during the Festival.  Quilts of all colors, designs, and sizes will be on display.

What about kids” activities?  Coloring castles, capturing dragons, and many games and activities are being planned by the Oneida School District After-School Program. Face painting will be done by the MHS Dragonettes. A dunk tank sponsored by the MHS Wrestling Team will cool off kids of all ages. The Heritage Games will show kids how pioneer children had fun along the trails to the West. A scavenger hunt will be at Samaria’s Heritage Square with prizes for those who find hidden gems.

Is there anything for runners? The Dragon Half- and Quarter- Marathon will begin at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday at Devil Creek Reservoir and end at Malad City Park. The race is sponsored as a fund raiser for the MHS Cross Country Team.

Hungry?  Lots of food booths and trucks will have a variety of delicious fare, including corn dogs, burgers, fries, fish, drinks, and treats of all kinds. The “Taste of Wales” booth will feature authentic Welsh foods.

Like to shop?  Over 20 vendors will be selling their wares at the Festival.  Visitors are sure to find novel gifts for themselves and others at the craft booths. The Festival’s Country Store will have souvenir shirts and caps, family history books, home decorations, and all kinds of Welsh items.

What is new this year?  A model of the USS Idaho, the U.S. Navy’s newest nuclear submarine, will be displayed on Friday.  This will be the only time this model will be shown in Malad so everyone will want to visit the model.

Will there be a Sunday program? A Fireside will be on Sunday, June 30, at 5:00 at the 2nd Ward Church.  Bob Crowther will talk about the role of the Bible in preserving Welsh language and culture.

The 18th Malad Valley Welsh Festival will begin at 9:15 on Friday and Saturday with the Opening Ceremony, featuring past Bards in a procession led by the Knight of the Festival. Visitors will be welcomed to Malad Valley by the Malad Men’s Welsh Chorus, and Lucie Thomas Washburn will present about this year’s theme – “Dragons.”

The Welsh Festival is an all-community event that benefits many school groups, businesses, and families. Last year over 2000 people from 15 states attended the Festival.  Organizers are hoping for good weather again this year.

The Festival depends on the generous donations of local businesses and individuals, including Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital and Hess Pumice Products. Some events are partially funded by grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the Idaho Humanities Council, the Bistline Foundation, and the Idaho Blue Cross Foundation. Just follow the Welsh and American flags to Malad City Park for an entertaining weekend with something for everyone.

For more information and the schedule, see www.welshfestival.com.