Victorian Festival kicked off by 'royal' visitor

The Queen, alias Rita Clews, said everyone would make up for missing last year’s event as she declared the festivities open.

She said: “We are here in Llandrindod Wells to open this wonderful festival, may God let it go on for many, many years. We have all missed coming here but we will certainly make up for it this week.”

The festival will continue until Monday, which will be a Community Day with a dog show, live music from Fire Dog and Lucky Pierre and stalls, from 10am to 10pm.

This year the popular firework display and torch procession will not take place but there will be a Victorian Etiquette Ball on Sunday at the Strand Hall in Builth Wells.

Evening shows includes Gerald Dickens performing Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations at the Albert Hall on Friday. Gerald is the great, great-grandson of Charles Dickens and this will be his 7th visit to the Victorian Festival.

The daytime events at Temple Gardens include competitions, costume parades, a Cockney wedding, a picnic, the Bracken Singers, the Suffragettes and a Samba Band.

Pure Paloma, a Paloma Faith tribute act, will be performing in Temple Gardens on Sunday at 2.30pm.

Festival director Christopher Hartley said: “The Victorian Festival is probably the first chance for the town to come together again for some 18 months and it is wonderful to see new people and renew old acquaintances.”

For more information visit victorian-festival.co.uk.