Nocturnal Creatures Walk

Friday 27th March – 5.45pm

Join Radnorshire Mammal recorder and livestock and wildlife farmer Sorcha Lewis for a walk and talk where you’ll find out more about the nocturnal creatures which live in Elan Valley and may meet one or two.  

Tickets: £7.65

‘Riding with Pippa’ Dark Skies Night Ride

Friday 27th March – 6.30pm

A night-time, off-road bike ride in Cwm Elan International Dark Sky Park. Hosted by mountain bike guide Pippa Boss, you will experience the magic of riding your bike under the night sky.

Tickets: £15.98

Starlit Concert with Toby Hay and Holly Blackshaw

Friday 27th March – 8.30pm

A one-off acoustic folk concert under the stars with enchanting musicians Toby Hay and Holly Blackshaw.

With elliptic, soaring vocals and impressionistic song writing, Holly sings songs of old and new, traditional and self-penned with the aid of an old guitar and the occasional shruti box.

Toby Hay is a guitar player and composer. Fascinated by the connection between landscape and music, he is inspired by the landscapes of the Cambrian Mountains.

In the case of wet weather, this concert will take place under cover. Attendees will receive instructions of where and how to go the day before.

Tickets: £10.80

Drop-in Stargazing

Friday 27th March – 9.00pm – 10.30pm

Location: Claerwen Dam Lower Car Park SN871633

Join the Elan Valley Dark Sky Team as they take you on a cosmic tour with their telescopes in the heart of the Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park. If the skies are clear, they will offer views of the Moon, Jupiter and glittering star clusters.

Wrap up warmly and feel free to drop in between 9.00pm-10.30pm!

Free Event. No need to book.

Light Painting

Friday 27th March – 9pm

Join astrophotographer Dafydd Wyn Morgan for this workshop where you can develop your night photography skills and create eye-catching images with ‘light painting’.

Inspired by the talented Eric Pare and Kim Henry, you’ll get to grips with how to capture short flashes of light in twilight/moonlight.

Ticket: £20.20

Mission Control: Elan Dark Skies

Saturday 28th March – 11am – 5pm

Location: Elan Valley Visitor Centre

Some events require registration

Join astronomers, artists, wildlife experts and more at Mission Control for a day of hands-on demonstrations, crafts and talks about everything under (and around) the sun. Find out how the stars, moon and planets shaped the beliefs of ancient cultures with Timescape Archaeology and make your own star-aligned artefact. Join Gary Palmer for a solar observing session and learn about how dark skies protect wildlife with Radnorshire Wildlife Trust. Plus much, much more!

Free Entry

Lantern Making

Saturday 28th March – 12pm at the Lost Arc, Rhayader

Learn how to make willow and paper lanterns inspired by nocturnal creatures in and around Elan Valley. Artist Zoe Matthews will lead groups through lantern making workshops using willow structures and crepe paper in preparation for a lantern procession at a secret location on Saturday evening.

Free Entry

Planetarium Shows

Saturday 28th March – Three shows – 11am, 2pm, and 4pm

The Elan Valley Dark Sky Team will be bringing the stars to Rhayader through their planetarium shows throughout the day! Come and learn about the Solar System, Celtic Constellation mythology and hear wonderful dark sky-themed tales under the stars with Welsh Storyteller Mair Tomos Ifans.

Location: CARAD, Rhayader

Solar System

Saturday 28th March – 11am

The Elan Valley Dark Sky Team will take you on a tour of the Solar System through their planetarium show. Starting from the Elan Valley International Dark Sky Park and finishing with the furthest man-made object in space, Voyager 1, this show is suitable for people of all ages.

Location: CARAD, Rhayader

Tickets: £4.50

Celtic Constellations and Mythology

Saturday 28th March – 2pm

Did you know the ancient Celtic people of the UK had their own stories and mythologies about the night sky? The Elan Valley Dark Sky Team will take you on a magical tour of the night sky and reveal our well-known constellations in a new light.

Location: CARAD, Rhayader

Tickets: £4.50

Storytelling Under the Stars

Saturday 28th March – 4pm

Storyteller Mair Tomas Ifans will present a magical collection of ancient Welsh tales about the night as the majesty of the cosmos spins overhead, interwoven by enchanting music from her harp.

Location: CARAD, Rhayader

Tickets: £4.50

Nocturnal Birds, Bats and Moth Walk

Saturday 28th March – 6.15pm

With Janice Vincett, Hsin-Jung Lu and Hazel Lee

Take a walk at dusk with local wildlife experts and learn about the winged creatures who call Elan Valley home. Use bat detectors to listen for newly emerged bats which depend upon dark skies for insects. Listen to the evening chorus and observe moths up close!

Tickets: £7.65

Lantern Procession / Flashmob

Saturday 28th March – 7pm

In celebration of our dark skies, join young people from Elan and beyond in a lantern procession to put Elan Valley on the map! We will form a spectacular procession across the dam, filmed by a professional videographer.

Free Entry

Talk and Dinner: How to Get Started in Astronomy

Saturday 28th March – 7.30pm

Location: Ty Penbont

Join astronomer Rob Davies for an introduction to astronomy and observing where you’ll learn what you need to get started with this amazing hobby. Rob will show us what we can expect to see in the sky across the different seasons.

Tickets: £15

Storytelling Under the Stars

Saturday 28th March – 8.45pm

Location: Ty Penbont

Mair Tomos Ifans is a teller of traditional legends, myths and tales, who draws on a deep repertoire of stories and folk songs from across Wales in her work as storyteller, singer, actress and wordsmith. Join her for an intimate outdoor performance under the stars where she’ll share a selection of stories set at night, accompanied by her enchanting harp.

Tickets: £8.20

Stargazing

Saturday 28th March – 10pm

Join stargazers Rob Davies and Sam Price as they take you to an exclusive stargazing site on top of a hill! If the weather plays ball and the skies clear, they will show you close-up views of the Moon, Jupiter, glittering star clusters and teach you about the constellations.

Tickets: £5.50