Ottawa Welsh Film Festival 2023
Date: March, 2023
The Ottawa Welsh Society is very pleased and proud to announce our second film festival, which will take place at the Bytowne Cinema on four consecutive Monday evenings in March 2023, starting on Monday, March 6. The showings are scheduled to start at approximately 6:45 pm. We have a fascinating and varied lineup of films for you.
March 27: American Interior In English and Welsh, with subtitles. 2018
This quirky film follows Gruff Rhys of the Welsh rock group Super Furry Animals as he traces the route of his 18th century ancestor, John Evans, across the great plains of the United States of America. Evans was searching for a lost tribe of Welsh speaking Indigenous Americans – the Madogwys. It will take you by surprise!
“There are maps, cartoons, lantern slides. It’s high entertainment, like Mark Twain gone multimedia” -Nigel Andrews, Financial Times, May 2014.
——-
Ontario Welsh Festival 2023
Date: April 21-23, 2023
Plans are well in hand for the Ontario Welsh Festival for 2023. It will be held at the downtown Hilton Garden Inn and the concert and Gymanfa will take place at Christ Church Cathedral, just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel.
While some events are still in the planning stages, you can be assured that there will be all your usual favourites: the Welcome Tea, with Mary Muckle at the harp, the Marketplace, the Friday evening Noson Lawen, followed of course by informal singing, and the formal Banquet with the presentation of the Gold Award on Saturday.
A very special tour of Ottawa with a ‘Welsh Flavour’ is being planned by David Jeanes for Saturday afternoon, with special emphasis on Welsh settlers, personalities and connections in the city. Other events for Saturday, including a possible seminar or a film, are in the planning stages.
Our Saturday evening concert, to be held at Christ Church Cathedral, will feature several solo artists from Wales. Renowned baritone John Ieuan Jones has accepted our invitation to headline the concert, and negotiations continue with other talented singers.
We will share a friendly brunch at the hotel on Sunday morning, before walking to the cathedral for the highlight of the weekend, the Gymanfa, with Alan Thomas at the organ. It will start at 12.30 p.m.
Registration for the Festival will begin at the end of January- check out our website then: Ontario Welsh Festival
Some of us enjoyed a mini holiday the last time the Gymanfa was in town by staying at the Festival hotel. If you’d like to do this again, the hotel is offering a special Festival rate of $179 plus taxes per night. Just phone them at 1-800-445-8667 or 613-234-6363 to reserve a room (mention you are with the Ontario Welsh Festival) or use this link to book online: Hilton Garden Inn – Events
It will be a wonderful weekend – an opportunity to meet old friends, make new ones and sing your hearts out! Please reserve the date and join us. And if you’d like to help out in any way, please email Alison Lawson at alisonlawson@rogers.com.
——-
If you speak Welsh there’s a gathering of the ‘Awr Sgwrsio’ conversation group held every first or second Monday of the month at the Clock Tower, 575 Bank Street at 7pm.
For more information, please contact Alison Lawson, 613-725-2704 or e-mail at alisonlawson@rogers.com
Ottawa Welsh Society 