A NEW winter event managed to draw in thousands of people, but also left many folk scratching their heads

An impressive 15,000 people turned out for the first Winter Light - Chapter I in Llandudno on Saturday, November 16. During the day, the event featured workshops, textile art drop-in, storytelling, retro games, roaming Pierrot artists, heritage talks, Welsh National Opera Community Chorus, light projections and fire performances.

The main procession on Mostyn Street attracted mixed reviews.

One attendee wrote on the Events Conwy Facebook: “Fantastic evening, cannot wait for the next one. There was such a lovely atmosphere in town.”

Another wrote: “Fabulous premier of Winter Light 2019, awesome parade, projections and light plus great atmosphere and fabulous audience. Llandudno was buzzing.”

North Wales Pioneer:

Two performers on the night. Pictures: Dave Thomas

However, some spectators were critical of crowd management and the story behind the parade.

One person posted: said: “It was good. But I do feel barriers need to be put in place for the spectators. They were getting too close to the torchbearers.”

Another said: “I really have no idea if the context of the parade. What was the story? I also thought that there should have been louder more atmospheric music as the float passed.”

Organisers have vowed to use customer feedback to shape their next event.

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Rachael Gill, corporate events, communications and marketing manager at Conwy County Borough Council, said discussions had taken place.

The team now looking ahead to Chapter II, which unfolds on December 14 at 7pm with The Mermaid’s Purse.

This will be told through a series of projections by Illuminos on the strip of nine buildings running from the King’s Arms to the edge of Mostyn Street, opposite North Western Gardens.

Ms Gill said: “We had an amazing turn out on Saturday.

“It is a new event. We are always learning when it comes to new events and how we can tweak.

North Wales Pioneer:

Trinity Church is lit up

“As part of Saturday’s event, we had Fringe Activities, storytelling and young people enjoying the atmosphere.

“In response to people saying there was no crowd control, there was crowd management at the parade - they were jut not in high vis. The direction of the event was not to have high vis, so I can understand that it is different to what people are use to. There was a large amount of security which blended in.

“It was about the artistic nature. We didn’t want to create a barrier. There was security on the street but not marshals as such in the parade.”

Ms Gill also responded to the story element behind the parade.

North Wales Pioneer:

Some of the performers on the night

“It is one of our points we are looking at, how we can get the message out and how to get the narrative out so people can understand. A lot of work was done on the artistic side and some elements of the story, it seems from the feedback, the narrative didn’t come out and wasn’t achievable.”

The team at Conwy worked with organisation Walk the Plank for the event.

“Walk the Plank wanted mystery - people on the streets, engaging, no barrier. The idea was to come to town, and for it to be free flowing. Some people said there need to be more noise.

“There is a lot of feedback and we can use the feedback to better the experience.

“The idea behind the event was to drive footfall which we achieved, and encourage people to come to town to buy things and to show Llandudno is open for business for 12 months of the year.”

There will be no procession at Chapter II.

Ms Gill added: “There is nothing similar locally like this event. This is a new event as well

“It is great to have the feedback going into planning Chapter II.

“We will be looking at the future of the event.”

Keep an eye on Events Conwy on Facebook for more details about Chapter II.