Record Numbers At Eisteddfod

The Cowra Eisteddfod has reported record entrant numbers in some categories, as the event returned for the first time in two years last week.

After COVID-19 restrictions stopped the Eisteddfod, one of the biggest annually in the Central West, last year, it has come back with a bang in 2021.

At the halfway point of the event, held at the Cowra Civic Centre and finishing on June 5, record entry numbers had been seen in the dancing and speech categories.

Cowra Eisteddfod Vice President Jan Munday it was great to see so many performers take the stage again after a one-year hiatus.

“We’ve had great feedback from the competitors on how good the event has been this year, and it’s great to see everyone back here again this year,” she said.

“We had to put on two extra days of dancing and one extra day of speeches, due to the high demand for those categories this year.”

The first week of the event saw the vocals, speech and drama categories take the stage, before the group dancing last weekend.

This week has seen the solo dancing take place, which will then be followed by instrumentals next week to see out the event. The grand concert of a variety of category winners will then take place on Saturday June 5, with tickets available to purchase from the Cowra Civic Centre.

Major event category winners so far include the following:

Farleigh Scholarship - Nathan Bryon, Castlecrag
Patricia Fagan Operatic Aria - Nathan Bryon, Castlecrag Cowra Arts Council Speech and Drama Scholarship - Toby Gough, Bathurst
Baby Dance - 1st: Matilda Lily Taylor, Cootamundra; 2nd: Scarlett Auvaa, Bathurst; 3rd: Maylana Kirwan, Cowra. Musical Theatre Championship - Olivia Oxley, Lane Cove.

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