Its where us welsh cut our competitive performing edge.
The thought of sitting through 20 individuals, duos or groups, singing,reciting and then listening to the following adjudication and placing of the best three in order of merit may be how the current'Pop-Stars'based its format.
Certainly not a 'Festival' just cut-thraot competition, and all it entails!
We started as young under 5s, I well remember when I was that age one little girl, while waitng her turn wetting herself while standing on stage!
Its part of the Welsh heritage, and I am thankful.
The English have nothing to compare it with, hence the lack of taste amoung its youth and adult population and why so many are pathetic as performers.
I think the name is being usurped.
Is there competition in different classes? If not its not an Eisteddfod.
5 of us in 1975 ish drove down from London to Cardiff late at night as part of the London Welsh folk group, to play on a big stage in a cinema at 2.00.pm, sang four songs in welsh to a full house then drove home. Was it worth it? YES. This was 'party-time'. Is this what your after?
Do these Eisteddfodau still take place in the Principality?
It was a highlight of our year and bought the exiled Welsh communty together in London after the war years