Nashville Comes to Porthcawl: Country to Cymru Takes Over the Welsh Coast
COWBOY boots, country bands, line dancing and a little taste of Nashville have arrived on the South Wales coast.
Country to Cymru is taking over The Hi Tide in Porthcawl this weekend for three days of live music, dancing, tribute acts, food and Western-themed entertainment.
The festival began on Friday and continues throughout Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September, with a mixture of free family-friendly entertainment and ticketed evening shows.
So what exactly happens when Nashville comes to Porthcawl?
WHAT IS COUNTRY TO CYMRU?
Country to Cymru is a new three-day celebration of American country music and culture beside the sea.
Rather than relying on one main stage, the programme is spread around different areas of The Hi Tide, including the Marquee, Harbour Lights and Bayside, with everything from full country bands to acoustic performances, line dancing, tribute shows, karaoke and DJs.
There are also food and trader stalls and Western-themed games in the courtyard. The organisers say the free shows are family-friendly, while paid shows are restricted to over-18s.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING ON SATURDAY?
Saturday is probably the busiest day of the festival.
The Marquee hosts free line dancing from 12 noon until 5pm, with Dusty Road, Annalee West and guests.
At 2pm, visitors can choose between another free Country All Stars Stage at Harbour Lights and the Bluebird Cafe Stage at Bayside, curated by Rebecca & Kristian.
The evening then divides into several different country experiences.
The Porthcawl Opry, running from 7pm until 11pm, features the Taynee Lord Band, Rebecca Richards Band and Buffalo Smoke Band.
Elsewhere, Darren Graceland Jones and Ernie Emmanuel bring an Elvis Country Stage to The Hi Tide, while the Giddy Up Bar offers Country-Oke, a honky-tonk DJ and jukebox until midnight. Some of the evening performances require tickets, so visitors should check availability with the venue before setting out.
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WHY ALL THE NASHVILLE REFERENCES?
Anyone familiar with country music will recognise some deliberate nods to Nashville.
The name Porthcawl Opry inevitably brings to mind the Grand Ole Opry, the legendary Nashville radio show that began in 1925 and has now spent more than a century showcasing country music.
Likewise, Saturday’s Bluebird Cafe Stage echoes Nashville’s famous Bluebird Cafe, the tiny 90-seat listening room renowned for putting songwriters at the centre of performances. Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift and many other artists have important connections with the venue.
There is no suggestion that the Porthcawl stages are officially connected with those Nashville institutions, but the names certainly help create the atmosphere Country to Cymru is trying to bring to the Welsh coast.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING ON SUNDAY?
There is still plenty to come on the final day.
The Hi Tide Hoedown runs in the Marquee from 12 noon until 6pm, with Andrew Hayes, Jukebox Country and Hat & Fiddle.
General entry to the hoedown is free, while a £10 VIP option offers guaranteed seating and a cocktail on arrival.
The Country All Stars return to Harbour Lights at 2pm, while Bayside stages Blue Grass Sunday at the same time.
Then, from 7pm, the weekend finishes with a free Honky Tonk Wrap Party.
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WHERE IS COUNTRY TO CYMRU?
The festival takes place at:
The Hi Tide
Mackworth Road
Porthcawl
CF36 5BT
The venue is right beside the coast and has direct beach access.
The Hi Tide also has its own private car park, currently charging £3 for all-day parking.
As always with live events, Ewegottalove recommends checking the official Country to Cymru/Hi Tide information before travelling, particularly for ticket availability and any late programme changes.
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IS COUNTRY TO CYMRU SUITABLE FOR FAMILIES?
Much of it is.
The organisers specifically describe the free shows as family-friendly, which means families can sample the atmosphere without necessarily buying tickets for an evening concert.
The ticketed shows, however, are for over-18s, so it is worth checking the programme before making plans.
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WHY PORTHCAWL?
Perhaps the better question is: why not?
Porthcawl already has something of a reputation for transforming itself around major music-themed weekends.
Its seaside setting gives Country to Cymru something different from a conventional indoor country concert. Visitors can move between live music, food, dancing and the waterfront, creating something closer to a mini destination festival.
It is also another example of the sort of international influence increasingly turning up in Wales.
This weekend, a corner of the south Wales coast is borrowing a little from Nashville, Tennessee.
And judging by the programme, visitors are being encouraged to bring their dancing shoes.
DID EWE KNOW?
Country to Cymru isn’t even Porthcawl’s biggest themed music takeover this month.
Next weekend the town stages its famous Porthcawl Elvis Festival, running from 25–27 September. Visit Bridgend describes Porthcawl as home to the world’s largest Elvis festival – meaning the seaside town effectively moves from country music to the King in the space of a week.