Organisers are celebrating that there are only 500 days to go until the Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod by giving local events and activities a kick-start again after two long years.

As part of the celebrations, a fundraising appeal has been launched. Local committee fundraisers will go from door to door across the region, raising awareness of the Eisteddfod’s visit next year, as well as raising much-needed funds for the festival.

Chair of the 2023 local fund committee, Dafydd Rhun, said: “We’ve got a target of £400,000 to raise by August next year, and this total is our local contribution to the festival. The benefit to the Llŷn and Eifionydd area will, of course, be far greater than £400,000, not only during Eisteddfod week itself but also over the next few months, as we prepare and organise hundreds of community activities.

“We’re grateful to everyone who’s already part of the team, helping us to organise and attend events and activities and raise funds. We’d also love to hear from anyone who’d like to get involved in preparing for our National Eisteddfod next year – so do please get in touch.”

The 500 day milestone was also the perfect opportunity for organisers to announce that communities from the Llŷn, Eifionydd, Arfon and Penrhyndeudraeth areas will come together in June for the popular Proclamation Ceremony in Porthmadog on Saturday, 25 June. The festival will take place just over a year and a day to go before over 150,000 visitors flock to Boduan for the Eisteddfod.

It’s also the day when chair of the local executive committee, Michael Strain, will present the first copy of the 2023 List of Competitions to the Archdruid, Myrddin ap Dafydd, proclaiming that the competitions are now open.

Looking forward to the event, Michael Strain said: “We may have originally planned to host the Eisteddfod in 2021, but I can promise you that our festival will be worth the wait! We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to join us on the outskirts of Boduan from 5-12 August 2023, and the Proclamation Festival is a fantastic way of starting our celebrations just over a year early.”

More details on the Proclamation Ceremony will be announced soon, and for more information on the 2023 Eisteddfod itself and to donate to the local fund, go to www.eisteddfod.wales.