THE fifth Brecon Women’s Festival gets underway tomorrow, March 4, with a packed programme of events.

There will be a launch at 6pm at the Andrew Lamont Gallery, Theatr Brycheiniog, with the opening of this year’s Women’s Festival Art Show by bestselling author and forager Adele Nozedar. A warm invitation is extended to anyone who’d like to attend the launch.

This year’s Festival Art Show features work by more than 35 female artists from the area on the theme of Refuge and includes paintings, drawings, textiles and sculpture. The exhibition is now one of the most popular events of the annual festival and will this year run until Saturday, March 26.

Brecon Women’s Festival commemorates and coincides with International Women’s Day on Tuesday, March 8 which will be marked by members of the festival’s organising team handing out flowers in Brecon. It provides a wide variety of events, exhibitions, talks, and workshops. The festival is co-ordinated by a small team of women.

Leigh Hendre from The Hours Cafe and Bookshop says: “It seems impossible that five years have passed so quickly, yet here we are on the cusp of Spring with International Women’s Day and our fifth Brecon Women’s Festival upon us.

“It’s now an annual highlight for us at The Hours, the BWF Team and (we’d like to think!) the town - it signals lighter nights, longer days, regrowth and a time when anything is possible. As such it’s the perfect time to celebrate the talents, creativity and achievements of all the wonderful women in our midst - we hope you will come along and join us.“

This year’s programme includes a Craft Fair on Saturday, March 5 at St Mary’s Church which has been organised by feltmaker Emma Bevan. Emma will be there with her felt and fibre art along with local artists and craftspeople selling Paintings, handmade bunting/vintage picture frames, felted clothing, jewellery and more.

Music has always featured on the festival programme and this year the Wellington Hotel has become a venue and will be hosting an evening of jazz music on Saturday, March 5 in collaboration with Brecon Jazz Club, where leading jazz instrumentalist Tamasin Reardon will lead her band of musicians ahead of their European tour.

Other festival highlights include an opportunity to join the Alive & Kickin’ Community Choir for an open rehearsal, a film The Homesman specially selected by Brecon Film Society to be shown at the Coliseum Cinema and an Open Mic at The Hours Cafe & Bookshop which offers a chance for poets, writers and musicians to share new work or work by someone they admire.

In addition there are craft workshops and an evening at The Muse, Brecon staged by Angus Kings of Lastmark Productions where female performers will pay tribute to some of the female musical greats.

Also at The Muse will be a women-only burlesque for beginners workshop with Briony Gothard, aka burlesque performer Seren Dippity.

Briony says: “This Burlesque workshop will give women a guaranteed giggle and also body confidence.”

Brecon Women’s Festival will be commemorated with its now traditional tree planting ceremony which this year takes place on Saturday, March 12 at a location to be confirmed.

For further details of these and other events call 01874 622800 or visit the website www.breconwomensfestival.co.uk.