Cardiff
Host City
The Iris Prize Festival takes place annually in Cardiff. The 2010 festival will take place between 6th - 9th, October.
Cardiff the Capital of Wales is a youthful city. The past 10 years has seen the city transformed into a vibrant capital city. The 75,000 capacity Millennium Stadium is home to sport and numerous music events and is complemented by the Wales Millennium Centre home to opera, theatre and music events. Dozens of new bars, restaurants and hotels have made Cardiff a new destination city.
The annual Mardi Gras has more than 40,000 visitors from all over the UK and beyond. The event takes over the gay scene which is focused on two main areas, Charles Street in the heart of the city centre and Bute Terrace, close to the train station. However the whole city participates during Mardi Gras weekend. The city is also home to Wales’s only gay rugby team, The Cardiff Lions RFC.
Many international Gay Icons hail from Cardiff. Ivor Novello was born in Cardiff in 1893. His leading man good looks made him one of the most famous matinee idols during the early part of the 20th century. The city, or Tiger Bay to be more precise, was the birthplace of Dame Shirley Bassey. The celebrated international singing star has become the much loved unofficial Queen of Wales.
Current film talent making its mark on the international stage is Cardiff born and bred Marc Evans whose credits include the smart psychological thriller My Little Eye. His latest feature Snow Cake, starring Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver opened the 2006 Berlin Film Festival.
Other well known Cardiffians as the locals call them include voice of an angel, Charlotte Church; Fantastic Four’s Ioan Gruffudd and not forgetting the new girl in town IRIS!
You can see a map showing Iris venues in Cardiff here.
Images © Crown Copyright 2006
