It’s almost time!  The Malad Valley Welsh Festival is entering its final preparation phase for next week’s event.  Over the last month or so, we have brought you information in our pages about what to expect at the various events that make up the Welsh Festival, and introduced you to some of the people that will be helping to put it on.  It’s a lot of information, and this week we are presenting an overview of all the activities that have not been covered specifically, along with their relevant times and places, so that you can plan out your visit to the Festival.  A full schedule is included in the “Welcome to Malad” supplement included with your copy of the paper this week.

The Malad Valley Welsh Festival offers events and activities for everyone, whether or not you are Welsh. From games and races to the quilt show and book sale to Malad Valley history activities, residents and visitors will find something to do at the Festival.  

Lots of food and craft vendors will provide delicious snacks and meals and opportunities to buy novelty gifts throughout the Festival. Visit the Taste of Wales booth for authentic Welsh delicacies and the Country Store for souvenirs of the Festival.

Kids’ Activities

The Malad Elementary School After-School Program will provide games and make-it activities for youngsters on Friday, June 27, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in Malad City Park. 

The Malad Middle School Math Counts Team will teach kids of all ages about the games and activities pioneer children may have played as they crossed the Plains to Malad Valley. The Heritage Games will be on Saturday, June 28, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the Park.

The Malad High School Dragonettes will offer face painting as they serve as hostesses at the outdoor Information Booth on both days of the Festival.

Dragon’s Races

Sponsored by the Malad High School Cross Country Team, the Dragon’s Quarter- and Half-Marathon races will be on Saturday, June 28. The half-marathon will begin at the Summit at 6:00 a.m.  and the Quarter-Marathon will begin just below Devil Creek Reservoir on the old highway at 6:30 a.m.  The races will end at Malad City Park.  Registration is ongoing by contacting Coach Tia Talbot (435-757-3476); you must be registered by June 19 in order to get a t-shirt. The race fee is $30 with a shirt and $20 without a shirt.  All proceeds support the MHS Cross Country Team.

History Activities

The Festival theme of “Castles” will be featured in the “Walk through Wales” exhibit in the church next to Malad City Park. Wales is known as the “Land of Castles,” and its historic castles dot the landscape. Enlarged photographs of many of these beautiful historic Welsh castles will be on display.

Most of the early settlers to Malad Valley emigrated from Wales. The family trees and census data for 30 of these early families will be displayed. You may find some long-lost cousins!

Always popular at the Festival are the wagon rides along historic routes in Malad. Beginning in Malad City Park, authentic wagons drawn by pickups provided by Hess Pumice will travel along North Main Street and Bannock Street, the first roads through Malad.  Once known as the Montana Road or the Gold Road, North Main was one of the first areas settled by Henry Peck and his sons. Bannock Street was a cutoff of the Oregon Trail that headed west toward Oregon. Guides will point out sites of interest as the wagons travel along these historic streets.  The Malad High School Academic Team will place signs with information about homes and businesses from the earliest plat map available, dating to 1910 when Malad was just a village because it did not have a population large enough to qualify as a city.

Welsh Language Class

Welsh is one of the most difficult European languages. John Shaw from Cache Valley will conduct simple Welsh languages classes in the church from noon – 4:00 p.m. on both days of the Festival. 

Samaria Activities

Take the short drive to Samaria to tour authentic pioneer cabins in Malad Valley Heritage Square.  A different activity highlighting life in Wales and pioneer-era Malad Valley will be featured in each cabin. 

Malad Presbyterian Church

The “little church on the hill” will offer tours of the oldest church building in Malad. The 140-year-old building is still in use for Sunday services and has pictures of early graduating classes of the Presbyterian Mission School on display. Visitors will be able to hear about the history of the church, school, and bell during the tour and enjoy refreshments, including the best coffee in Malad. The wagon rides will make brief stops at the church.

Quilt Show

The Oneida Quilters will once again hold their annual Quilt Show during the Welsh Festival.  Dozens of handmade quilts of multiple designs and colors will be on exhibit in the Malad Co-op Building in downtown Malad.  Featured this year will be quilts of the traditional “log cabin” design. The Quilters will have baked goods for sale. Visitors may take a wagon ride to downtown Malad for easy access to the Quilt Show.

Book Sale

The Friends of the Oneida County Library will again hold their book sale on the south side of the Library during the Festival.  Visitors can browse through hundreds of books to find the authors or topics they enjoy.

Oneida Pioneer Museum

Located in downtown Malad, the Oneida Pioneer Museum will be open from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. during the Festival to allow visitors to see the new displays. Maps of the walking tour of 20 historic sites in downtown Malad will be available at the Museum.

As you can tell, there will be something for everyone, so come to the Festival and learn about what Malad Valley offers residents and visitors alike. 

Music at the Welsh Festival

Without music, there could be no Welsh Festival. The Welsh have been known for their music for centuries and continue that tradition at their annual eisteddfod, held in August every year.

The Malad Valley Welsh Festival has roots dating back to the 1880s when Welsh pioneers began their eisteddfod, holding it one year in Malad and the next in Samaria or St. John. The Malad Valley eisteddfod continued until World War I with competitors, judges, and attendees coming from as far as Salt Lake City.

The 19th Malad Valley Welsh Festival has scheduled many music events to entice people to come to hear Celtic music as well as Western country music.  The Festival will be on Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28, with a Fireside on Sunday evening.  You can also visit www.welshfestival.com for the complete schedule.

Malad Valley Men’s Welsh Chorus

Several years ago, the Malad Valley Men’s Welsh Chorus was founded to perform at the Welsh Festival.  The Chorus has sung at every Welsh Festival since then. They will sing the Welsh National Anthem (chorus in Welsh) and the traditional “We’ll Keep a Welcome in the Valley” with words adapted to fit Malad Valley instead of Wales.  They will perform several times during the Festival, singing other traditional Welsh songs.

Outdoor Music

Celtic and Western country musicians will perform on the outdoor amphitheater in Malad City Park on both days of the Festival.  Local musicians Lee Ivie & Company and Ken Currier will perform as well as the Haywire Ranch String Band from Downey.  Other outdoor performers will be Teton Skye and Idaho Rovers. 

Youth Concert

Some of Malad Valley’s most talented young people have been invited to perform at the Youth Concert on Friday, June 27, at 3:00 in the church next to Malad City Park. Students will perform piano, string, wind, and vocal numbers and demonstrate that Welsh music roots still run deep in Malad Valley.

Piano Ensemble Concert

Adults seldom get the opportunity to play piano ensembles, but many pianists will have that opportunity once again at the Welsh Festival.  Piano duets and quartets featuring many different types of music will be performed on Saturday, June 28, at 1:00 in the church next to Malad City Park. The concert will again conclude with Mack Wilburg’s rousing piano quartet arrangement of “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

Friday Evening Concert

Reflections, a women’s chorus from the Bear River Valley, will perform at the Friday Evening choral concert, followed by Rune Stone, a Celtic group from Idaho Falls. The Malad Valley Men’s Welsh Chorus will conclude the concert with traditional Welsh songs.

Gymanfa Ganu

Almost any time two or more Welsh people gather, it turns into a Gymanfa Ganu, a Welsh term meaning “a gathering for the purpose of singing,” usually the singing of hymns. A short Gymanfa Ganu will conclude the Festival on Saturday as the attendees will be able to sing such favorites as “All Through the Night.” 

Everyone is invited to these music programs that are the heart of the Welsh Festival. The concerts are partially funded by a grant from the Bistline Family Foundation.