One of the purposes of the Malad Valley Welsh Festival is to preserve the culture and traditions of the Welsh pioneers who settled the Valley in the 1860s.  The Festival invites presenters to entertain and educate attendees about Wales and those centuries-old traditions.  Three of the presentations will be on both days of the Festival – Friday, June 28, and Saturday, June 29 – in the 2nd Ward Church (the church next to Malad City Park).  The other presentation will be at the Fireside on Sunday, June 30. See www.welshfestivalcom for the complete Festival schedule. 

Blaine and Tara Scott

Pleasanview native Blaine Scott and his wife Tara, who live in Layton, Utah, spent several weeks last year in Wales, tracking down ancestral homes, exploring the countryside, and enjoying beautiful Welsh scenery, castles, and churches.  During their presentation, “Traveling through Wales,” they will share what they learned about Wales during their trip. If you have been to Wales, this presentation will bring back memories.  If you have not been to Wales, you will learn why people want to visit, especially when their ancestors came from Wales.

Luke Waldron

Samaria native Luke Waldron also spent time in Wales last year after finding a cousin who guided him to important historic sites.  During the trip, Luke enjoyed delicious Welsh food, and his presentation, “A Culinary Journey through Wales: Exploring Traditional Welsh Cooking,” will show that traditional Welsh foods, especially breads and desserts, are a little-known part of Welsh culture.  After the presentation, attendees will be invited to visit the Taste of Wales Booth, sponsored by the Malad High School FCCLA students and Samaria’s Malad Valley  Heritage Square, to enjoy some of these authentic Welsh foods.

Lucie Thomas Washburn

At the Opening Ceremony on both days, Lucie Thomas Washburn will introduce this year’s Festival theme: “The Welsh Dragon: A Symbol for a Nation.” The red dragon flies proudly on the Welsh flag, but the dragon is very important to understanding the history of Wales (and is important to Malad High School students, too). 

Bob Crowther

On Sunday evening, the Festival’s concluding event will feature Bob Crowther as the Fireside presenter at 5:00 p.m. at the 2nd Ward Church. On display will be two large, very old Welsh Bibles as Bob talks about “The Role of the Bible in Preserving the Welsh Language.” One Bible was presented to the Oneida County Library by Lucile Harrison on behalf of the Presbyterian Church, and the other Bible was given to the Welsh Festival by the Garden City (Idaho) Historical Society. 

All presentations are free.  Everyone is invited to learn more about the “Land of Our Fathers” during these Festival events. The presentations are partially funded by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council.