Beaufort Male Voice Choir and Blaenavon Intergenerational Group are apart of the fantastic line up that are celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the Big Pit.

On Saturday 22nd April, 10am-4pm, Big Pit will be welcoming visitors for a day of celebration -to revisit the past, enjoy the present and look forward to the next 40 years!

A host of activities will be on offer including an artisan food, craft & gift market supplied by Green Top Events, performances from local rock band Full Dark, No Stars, Beaufort Male Voice Choir & Blaenavon Intergenerational Group, children’s craft activities, speeches, the world-famous underground tour and of course a birthday cake!

Chris Evans of the Beaufort Male Voice Choir shared his delight in having to perform at the event. Chris said: "The choir has been going for 160 years. Historically, we have deep roots within the mining industry; people who sang in the choir had worked in the pits; had family and friends who worked in the pits.

"Another link between the choir and the mining industry is through the collaboration with Public Service Broadcasting, we did five years ago. We sang several songs on their album - which was recored primarily in Ebbw Vale, something kept very under wraps - including Take Me Home... a poignant song that includes the lyrics: The sun set in the west over South Wales / And mine and steelworks and factory spilled out their people to the evening and leisure.

We have performed at the Big Pit three times before, including two open days and a special performance for a BBC Wales travel series. While it isn't our first time and we are used to performing, we couldn't be more delighted to be apart of the celebrations."

Since opening in April 1983, Big Pit has welcomed over 4 million visitors from across the globe. Visitors are guided 300 feet underground to find out what life was like for the thousands of men who worked at the coal face, as well as experiencing a multi-media tour of a modern coal mine with a virtual miner in the Mining Galleries, exhibitions in the Pithead Baths and historic colliery buildings.

A spokesperson said: “Big Pit has seen many developments over the last 40 years – from its conception as a charitable trust in 1983, to joining the family of Amgueddfa Cymru-Museum Wales, achieving lottery funding, winning the Gulbenkian Museum of the Year Award and more recently the development and growth of our succession planning and apprenticeship scheme. We are delighted to be celebrating our 40th Anniversary and look forward to welcome visitors and the local community to help us celebrate!”