That moment you have been waiting for, it’s here. The moment that this movement gets up on it’s feet (its bare, rascally troed noeth feet) and dances.
It’s time.
Are you ready?
Where are you going to be on the 16th of September 2017, from midday until late? Are you going to be on Womanby Street, making history? Are you going to be at the first Festival of Independence held in our Nation’s Capital?
Are you going to be rubbing shoulders with the indyconfident and indycurious of Cardiff and beyond?
Because whatever else is pressing you that weekend, even if it’s something really tempting (like spending all weekend in your pyjamas and re-watching the original series of House of Cards), I think you are going to want to be at IndyFest instead.
Because this isn’t just any festival, it’s the first of many. And when you think about how you are going to feel in, say 2033, at the 17th Festival of Independence ever held in Cardiff, you are going to want to be able to say that you were at the first one, and that you bought the T-shirt.
When you look back in September 2033, across the years, at all the IndyFests, and how they grew, and how they pulled people in, it will be a good feeling, and even better if you can remember being there when it all first kicked off.
We’ll all remember how we felt a tingling down our spine watching Gadael Tir, how we joined in and sang along and marvelled at how much of Wales’ history we had forgotten, or never even known.
We will remember (but not clearly, if we drank too much YesCwrw) how we danced and how packed Clwb was by the time the Barry Horns played out the night, hot on the heels of Cian Ciaran, ARGRPH, Martin Carr, Los Blancos and the Baby Queens.
We’ll still have our copies of Gwales by Catrin Dafydd, and Independence in Your Pocket, that we scribbled notes in afterwards at the Indymedia workshop. Maybe we added a line or two of inspiration from Bragdy y Beirdd or the Red Poets.
We’ll remember some of the conversations we had that day. How some big ideas had their early genesis at the bottom of pints, huddled in the corner of packed out venues, under the bright banner-filled skies of Womanby Street.
We’ll know we felt independent.
Emboldened.
Rebellious.
And rascally.
In 2033 my daughter (currently aged 22 months) will be old enough to drink legally in Clwb.
So in 2033, which is when I’m aiming for, (I don’t know about you) IndyFest will be different. It will be a Festival of Independence, but from the other side. From an independent Wales.
If you want it to be.
Because we decide, remember. So let’s do it. Let’s dance, let’s sing and let’s Stand Up for Wales. Let’s paint our faces and our children’s faces with colourful, playful emblems of Celtic expression (or butterflies).
Let’s invoke Wales’ rebellious spirit.
Let’s celebrate our diversity and resilience, explore how we can increase our independence as individuals, as communities and as a country.
Let’s have some big conversations, and a lot of fun.
Have you got your IndyFest ticket yet?
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IndyFest is a partnership event hosted by Yes Cymru Caerdydd and Bare Foot Rascal Day. You can find out more here.
You can follow @indyfestcymru on Twitter and Facebook.
Email post@indyfest.cymru to get involved or volunteer on the day.
IndyMam is now on Twitter @indymamcymru
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