Merlin Festival 2012
Step back in time for the Merlin Festival taking place in throughout the town of Carmarthen on the 11th August 2012.
The Festival celebrates the legend and lore of Carmarthen’s ancient links with possibly the world’s most famous wizard, Merlin. Join in the festival fun and come into town in your best fancy dress we want to blitz the town with wizards, magicians, harry potter look alikes. Live performances will transform the town’s streets into colourful seas of bunting and costume with the day’s festivities including a Magic Academy, themed stilt walkers, storytelling and mix 'n' mingle with entertainers, Epico the Dragon, Welsh folk music and arts and craft workshops and lots more.
A Merlin hunt has also been organised around the town. Take a look at the clues below to see if you can find the 8 hidden Merlin’s. A prize of a bike worth £100 and a family cinema ticket to the Apollo cinema is up for grabs thanks to Merlin’s Walk Shopping Centre and St Catherine’s Walk. Can you find them? Entry forms available from Carmarthen Tourist Information Centre, Castle House, adjacent to County Hall, or click here to download.
Clues for the hunt:
- KING STREET - One for sorrow two for joy - King street.
- LAMMAS STREET - A birds name
- JACKSONS LANE - pop in for a coffee
- INDOOR MARKET - Something fishy
- ST. CATHERINES WALK SHOPPING CENTRE - For your latest blockbuster
- NOTTS SQUARE - Get Locked up
- MERLINS WALK - Find The Skateboarder
- MERLINS WALK - Find a canvas here
Entries should be handed in on the day in the County Council Marquee or Profile Clothing on Merlin's Walk. Organisers will get in touch with the prize winner.
Why Carmarthen?
Carmarthen is reputedly Wales’s oldest town, with a history dating back more than 2,000 years and is linked to Merlin through its name and celebrates its links with the legendary wizard each year. Merlin is best known as the magician of Arthurian legend but Carmarthen lays its own claim to the man of mystery from the past.The name Myrddin may have arisen from the Roman period Celtic name for a place in Wales, Mori-dunon meaning 'sea fort.' The name became Carmarthen / Caerfyrddin, which can be loosely translated as Fort of Moridunum, since a caer is a fortified royal residence. It seems that the name was taken to mean 'Caer of some man called Myrddin'.
Mini Merlin Festival Fun Run & Scooter Race (August 11th)
Merlin’s Walk. 3.30pm. Purely a fun run and no winners trophies will be awarded but all those taking part will receive a medal. They will also be provided with a hat and we will have spotting for the best dressed Mini Merlin’s.
Merlin Festival Half Marathon (August 12th)
St Catherine’s Walk Shopping Centre. 9.00am. There will be a fancy dress category and a prize given for the best dressed Merlin.
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