Crickhowell was buzzing on 27–28 June, as the town welcomed visitors for its second Summer Weekend – a joyful annual celebration of local food, drink, craft and community.

With Crickhowell High Street closed to traffic and a large marquee erected for stallholders, the town centre became a relaxed, family-friendly festival space alive with colour, music and energy.

The weekend opened with a vibrant Food Festival on Saturday, showcasing more than 30 Welsh food and drink producers. Crowds enjoyed an impressive spread of foodie treats, from artisan cheeses and organic spirits to local wines, luscious preserves, tangy ferments, charcuterie and fiery chilli sauces. Sweet-toothed visitors were well catered for too, with decadent brownies, handmade fudge, traditional Welsh cakes and plenty more tempting delights.

Food festival organiser Andrew Powell, who also runs the long-established Brecon Beacons Food Festival in Brecon each Autumn, said the volunteer-run event aimed “to promote the quality and diversity of Welsh grown and produced food and to celebrate Crickhowell as a great place to shop, eat and relax.”

“Independent high streets are precious,” he added, “so we wanted to find a way to bring more visitors in to discover our fabulous town. We could have gone down the route of other food festivals and made it all about fast-food trucks. But we wanted people to enjoy a unique range of stalls, then discover the amazing food and drink served up by the town’s own businesses.”

Crickhowell’s cafés, pubs and food shops were kept busy throughout the day, welcoming both regulars and new faces. The festival also offered a warm introduction to the town’s newest trader, Blas Crickhowell, an independent wine, beer and spirits shop with a tasting table and a strong focus on Welsh producers.

On Saturday evening, once the stalls were packed away, the marquee became the venue for a lively Community Street Party, hosted by the town’s Treebeards Bar. With a fun beach theme, party-goers arrived with deckchairs, inflatables and plenty of holiday spirit. Live music from the Crickhowell and District Players, Hay Shantymen and Red Kite kept the atmosphere upbeat well into the evening.

Traditional sideshow games, including medieval-style stocks for wet sponge throwing, added to the laughter and helped raise over £800 for Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice.

Accessibility Powys, which champions better access for people with disabilities, ran paid parking in the High School car park with the £500 proceeds split equally between the charity and the school.

On Sunday, the High Street marquee transformed into a bustling arts and crafts market, filled with talented creatives selling hand-made jewellery, artwork, ceramics and thoughtfully produced homewares.

Arts curator Emma Bevan-Henderson, of Artisan Events Wales, said she was delighted by the turnout, which saw visitors flocking from across South Wales and the border counties. “Crickhowell champions independent traders, so the High Street is the perfect venue for this kind of event. It’s great to have such a lovely setting to showcase local artists and makers — and to have such an appreciative audience of shoppers!”

Now in its second year, the Crickhowell Summer Weekend once again highlighted the strength of community-led events – drawing visitors into the town, supporting independent businesses, and showcasing the creativity and passion of producers, makers and performers from across the region.