NAFOW Schedule of Events 2026

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Daytime activities are held at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel,
 
One Monarch Place, Springfield, MA 01144
Please note that the event schedule may change.
Be sure to check on arrival for updated information. 
Register for NAFOW Tickets |  Menus | Suggested Attire |
Silent Auction Form
 WEDNESDAY September 2, 2026
  3:00pm - 6:00pm ~ Registration and Banquet Seating
  4:00pm - 4:45pm ~ Opening Ceremony
  5:30 pm - 6:30pm ~ Buffet dinner [ menu ]
  7:00pm - 8:30pm ~ Theatr Cymru Production ~ Parti Priodas
  8:30pm - 9:30pm ~ An Evening with Bryn Fôn

 THURSDAY September 3, 2026

  8:30am – 5:30pm ~ Registration Desk & Banquet Table Assignment Open

  8:15 am – 4:30pm ~ Tour: Historic Connecticut

  8:45 am - 2:30pm ~ Tour: Norman Rockwell Museum & Stockbridge

  9:00am - 5:00pm ~ Exhibit: Witch Panic and the Welsh Colonists

10:00am - 12:00pm ~ Walking Tour: Historic Springfield

12:00pm  -  5:00pm ~ Marketplace & Tea Room

12:00pm -   5:00pm ~ Silent Auction bidding starts (closes Saturday at 12pm)

  1:00pm - 2:00pm ~ Seminar: The Welsh in New England; Tales from Y Drych

  2:30pm - 3:30pm ~ Seminar: The Madoc Myth & the Welsh Founding Fathers

  3:00pm - 5:00pm ~ Walking Tour: Historic Springfield

  4:00pm - 5:00pm ~ Meet the Parsons: Witchcraft in Early Springfield

  4:00pm - 5:00pm ~ Hiraeth in Springfield - A reading from Pamela Petro’s memoir, The Long Field, 

  6:30pm - 8:30pm ~ Concert ~ Eve Goodman & Gwilym Bowen Rhys

  9:00 pm - Informal Singing

 FRIDAY September 4, 2026

  8:30am - 6:00pm ~ Registration Desk & Banquet Table Assignment Open

  8:00am - 9:00am  ~ 1st Time Attendees Welcome

 9:00am - 5:00pm ~ Exhibit: Witch Panic and the Welsh Colonists

  9:00am - 5:00pm ~ Marketplace & Tea Room

  9:00am - 10:00am ~ Seminar: Cymru-Ein Llais/Wales-Our Voice

  9:00am - 10:00am ~ Seminar: The House of Yale

  9:00 am - 10:00am ~ Seminar: National Library of Wales

10:00am -  10:30am ~ Coffee Talk: Investments and Legacies ~ David Allen

10:30am -  11:30am ~ Seminar: Amgueddfa Cymru

10:30am -  11:30am ~ Seminar: Iolo Morganwg: Forger or Visionary

10:30am -  11:30am ~ Seminar: Welsh Language I

10:30am -  11:30am ~ Performance: Songs With and Without Words

12:30pm -   5:00pm ~ Cinema Wales: TBA

12:00pm - 12:30pm ~ Slate Splitting Demonstration

12:30pm -  1:00pm ~  Cinema Wales: Counting Butterflies 

12:30pm -  1:30pm ~ Seminar: Meet the Parsons: Witchcraft in Early Springfield

12:30pm -  1:30pm ~ Seminar: Dafydd ap Gwilym, Poet of Fine Desire

12:30pm -  2:00pm ~ Seminar: Ysgol Gan                   

 1:00pm - 2:30pm ~ Cinema Wales: Mr Burton

2:00pm - 3:00pm ~ Welsh Folk Dancing 

  2:00pm - 3:00pm ~ Seminar: The Slate Quarry Immigrant in the 19th Century

  2:00pm - 3:00pm ~ Seminar: Exploring Welsh Colonists in Springfield

  2:30pm - 3:00pm ~ Cinema Wales: Welsh Communities in the USA            

  3:00pm - 4:00pm ~ Cinema Wales: Who Do You Think You are ~ Greg Davies

 3:30pm - 4:30pm ~ Seminar: The Welsh in New England: Tales from Y Drych

  3:30pm - 4:30pm ~ National Library of Wales

  3:30pm - 4:30pm ~ Iolo Morganwg Book Launch

  4:30pm - 5:30pm ~ Anglesey Roots Networking Session 

  5:00pm – 6:00pm ~ Welsh Language Meetup

  5:00pm – 6:00pm ~  PA Meeting                           

  6:00pm - 7:00pm ~  Pre-Banquet Social Hour                           

  7:00pm - 10:00pm ~ Heritage Award Banquet ~ soloist Caleb Nicholas ~ honoring Philip Davies *

                                      Attire is semi-formal, reserved seating is necessary [ menu ]

  9:00pm - 11:00pm ~ Pub Night with Festival performers and attendees

10:00 pm -12:00am ~ Informal Singing                        

  SATURDAY September 5, 2026                        

  8:00am - 9:00am ~ Welsh Soc Western New England member meet-up. Prospective members welcome 

 9:00am - 4:30pm ~ Registration Desk Open                            

  9:00am - 5:00pm ~ Marketplace & Tea Room     

  9:00am - 5:00pm ~   Exhibit: Witch Panic and the Welsh Colonists                   

  9:00am - 10:30am ~ Seminar: Iolo Morganwg: Forger or Visionary

  9:00am - 10:00am ~ Seminar: Between Two Worlds, a Poetry Reading

  9:00am - 10:00am ~ Seminar: National Library of Wales

 10:30am - 11:30am ~ Seminar: The Madoc Myth & the Welsh Founding Fathers

 10:30am - 11:30am ~ Performance: Plygain -- A True Welsh Caroling Tradition

 10:30 am - 11:30am ~ Seminar: The Slate Quarryman Immigrant of the 19th Century                

 10:30am -  11:30am ~ Seminar: Welsh Language II                

                    12:00pm ~ Silent Auction bidding ends

 12:00pm ~ 12:30pm ~ Slate Splitting Demonstration

 11:30am -  12:30pm ~ Meeting of the Affiliated Welsh Organizations 

 12:00pm - 12:30pm ~ Eisteddfod Competition ~ Welsh Language Recitation      

 12:30pm -  1:00pm ~ Eisteddfod Competition ~ English Language Recitation             

 12:30pm -  1:00pm ~ Cinema Wales:  Counting Butterflies         

 12:30pm -  1:30pm ~ Seminar: Amgueddfa Cymru

 12:30pm -  1:30pm ~ Seminar: Workshop ~ Preserving the Welsh Heritage of North America

 12:30pm -  1:30pm ~ Seminar: Dafydd ap Gwilym, Poet of Fine Desire   

 1:00pm - 2:30pm ~ Cinema Wales: Mr Burton

  1:30pm -  2:30pm ~ Eisteddfod Competition ~ Hymn Singing (solo)                

  2:00pm - 3:00pm ~ Seminar: National Library of Wales

  2:00pm - 3:00pm ~ Seminar: Forty Three Years of Cynefin 

  2:00pm - 3:00pm ~ Seminar: Exploring Welsh Colonists in Springfield

  2:30pm - 3:00pm ~ Cinema Wales: Welsh Communities in the USA    

 2:30pm - 3:30pm ~ Eisteddfod Competition ~Solo Voice/Semi-Professional (Welsh North American Prize)                            3:00pm ~ Silent Auction winners announced

3:00pm - 4:00pm ~ Cinema Wales: Who Do You Think You are ~ Greg Davies

  3:30pm - 4:30pm ~ Seminar: House of Yale

  3:30pm - 4:30pm ~ Seminar: Amgueddfa Cymry

  3:00pm - 5:00pm ~ Silent Auction items available for pickup at Registration Desk 

  4:00pm - 5:00pm ~ Eisteddfod Winners Concert     

  4:30pm - 5:30pm ~ Sesiwn Sgwrsio Undeb Cymru a’r Byd

   5:30pm - 6:30pm ~ Pre-Concert Dinner [ menu ]     

   7:00pm - 9:30pm ~ Voices of Wales * Off site at Symphony Hall

 10:00pm -12:00am ~ Informal Singing      

SUNDAY September 6, 2026
  9:00am - 10:00am ~ WNAA Annual General Meeting
  9:00am - 12:00pm ~ Marketplace  
 10:30am - 11:30pm ~ Worship Service, in English & Welsh          
  2:00pm - 3:30pm ~ Gymanfa Ganu Session I ~ offsite at Trinity United Methodist Church
                                 ~ directed by Tim Rhys Evans, accompanist, David Enlow
  3:30pm - 4:30pm ~ Complimentary Afternoon Tea 
  4:30pm - 6:00pm ~ Gymanfa Ganu Session II ~ held at Trinity United Methodist Church
                                     Closing Ceremony (at the conclusion of the Gymanfa)
  6:30pm - 7:30pm ~ Sunday Evening Meal ~ [ menu ]
  8:00pm - 10:00pm ~ Noson Lawen, sing folk songs and enjoy short, open-mic with
                                       Festival performers and attendees.
MONDAY September 7, 2026
 9:00am - 5:00pm ~ Tour: Old Sturbridge Village