Saint David's Day

Saint David's Day is the feast (celebration) day of Saint David. He is the patron saint of Wales. His feast day falls on the 1st of March each year. The day is celebrated by the people of Wales and people of Welsh background throughout the world. The first day of March was chosen in memory of the death of Saint David. It is believed that he died on that day in 589. The date was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century.

Saint David's Day
St David
Official name	Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant
Observed by	Wales, Welsh people, Welsh diaspora
Type	National day in Wales.
Date	1 March
Celebrations	Children take part in eisteddfodau.
Observances	Parades; wearing Welsh emblems, etc.

Everyone in the National Assembly for Wales voted to make St. David's Day a public holiday in 2000. A poll conducted for Saint David's Day in 2006 found that 87% of people in Wales wanted it to be a bank holiday, with 65% prepared to sacrifice a different bank holiday to ensure this. A petition in 2007 to make St. David's Day a bank holiday was rejected by the office of the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

Parades are held in Wales on St. David's Day. The largest parade is held in Cardiff. It is formally attended by either the British Monarch or the Prince of Wales. Parades are a mixture of folklore and military parade. On 1 March 2010, the seventh National St. David's Day Parade took place in Cardiff city centre. Celebrations included concerts, a parade and a food festival featuring all Welsh produce.

Saint David's Day Media

• St. David's Day parade, Cardiff - geograph.org.uk - 3867279.jpg

  2014 Saint David's Day celebrations, Cardiff, with the flags of Saint David being waved.

• Error missing media source

  Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales gives his annual Saint David's Day Message to the Nation.

• 2017 Saint David's Day celebrations, Aberystwyth

• Water in Swansea Castle Square fountain dyed red for Saint David's Day