The first ‘Wells Weekend’ will take place in Ceredigion on 5 and 6 July.
The Friends of the Well weekend at Ffynnon Garon in Tregaron promises two nights of music and talks about holy wells, dowsing, wells in Wales and Ireland, creativity, poetry and the 19th century charms of Welsh cunning men.
The weekend has been organised by Tregaron local, Dr Dafydd Roberts.
This is the first event of its kind in Tregaron, a town once renowned for its four noteworthy wells.
Explaining more about one of the wells and the weekend, Dr Roberts said: “Thanks to local volunteers we’ve been able to trim back the site of Ffynnon Garon.
“It had become somewhat obscure, hard to find and thoroughly overgrown.
“It’s intriguing to wonder where the other similarly once noteworthy wells of Tregaron are.
“We are hoping many will enjoy our ‘wells weekend’ and want to become a ‘Friend of the Well’.”
The Wells Weekend kicks off in style with visiting Australian, cult acid folk troubadour Adam Geofrey Coles making his only Wales gig in Tregaron. Adam will promote his latest album, ‘Walk to Paradise Garden’, a collection of refined and personal songs.
Wales’ foremost expert on holy wells and springs, Phil Cope, will lead the talks on Saturday, 6 July, from 10.30am onwards. He will be joined by Judith Tulfer to talk about 19th charms, Rowan O Neill who will discuss Wales and Irish wells, Amy Grandvoinet who delivers information about the poetry of wells and Ros Briagha, on speaking to sacred waters and the landscape.
![Wales’ foremost expert on holy wells and springs, Phil Cope, whose books are pictured here, will lead the talks on Saturday, 6 July, from 10.30am onwards](https://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/tindle-static/image/2024/06/26/13/39/Untitled-design-(80).jpg?width=669&height=445&crop=669:445)
There will be time in the day to walk to the well and experiment with dowsing.
Saturday night features a concert with Elizabeth Still’s fretboard dancing and bucolic singing, and Pefkin’s hauntological ambience. Pefkin's sound comprises a mesmerising and enigmatic layering of vocals, violin, analogue synth, zither, psaltery, harp, guitar, found objects and field recordings.
Weekend and day tickets are available to buy from the Riverbank Cafe, Tregaron and online through Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gwyl-mini-ffynnon-garon-music-and-talks-about-folklore-wells-charms-tickets-913365419557