LLANDUDNO VICTORIAN EXTRAVAGANZA

The Twenty-third Annual Extravaganza
Sponsored by the leading businesses of Llandudno
Main Sponsor in 2009: Regency Royal Hotel.

Llandudno welcomed many famous attractions in 2009. On the Saturday and Sunday the Wormhout giants, their town band and the Mayor of Wormhout with his consort visited from Llandudno's twin town in France.  Right  -  The Wormhout King of Giants  -  in the 2009 Saturday Mid-Day Parade.

The "Welsh Mountaineer" special train from Worcester to Blaenau Ffestiniog called at Llandudno on the Saturday Morning.  

The fairground attractions  this year included for the first time at Llandudno the 1886 steam gallopers beautifully restored by Howard Brothers of Derbyshire.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINKS:

All the Fun of the Fair - 2009

   Saturday Mid-Day Parade - 2009

The Mid-Day Parade on the Promenade - 2009

Events and Victorians in Fancy Dress - 2009

Yet More Victorians in Fancy Dress - 2009

Llandudno Transport Festival - Bodafon Fields - 2009

The Wreck of the "Royal Charter" off Anglesey - 1859

 
Great photographs below from earlier years:



Bon Jour Madam
Welcome all - the long and the short and the tall!

Lady on stilts - photograph © Noel Walley  2006

Each year the organisers progress their mission gradually to return
this now famous annual event to its charm of yesteryear.
The photographs below recall the Extravaganzas of recent years.
Links at the end to previous years 2002 to 2008.

 
Photograph © Noel Walley 2005


One of several fine fairground organs at the extravaganza
Photograph © Stephen Watson 2007


 
Photograph © Stephen Watson 2007

Below more traditional fairground attractions:



The Cakewalk is not often seen in Britain these days.


 
One of the steam roundabouts .....
Photograph © Noel Walley 2005

..... steam tractors in Mostyn Street
"MTOTO" T3 tractor U4171 built by Fowlers of Leeds in 1917
Photograph © Stephen Watson 2007


  
more traditional roundabouts ......
Photograph © Noel Walley 2006
  

...... and their modern equivalents.
Photograph © Stephen Watson 2007


*****
The daily mid-day Parade
Photographs below © Noel Walley 2005/2008


Heading the Parade as usual ... the original "chitty, chitty, bang, bang"
 

...... and the brass band played
  


The mad hatter presents his compliments and HM the Queen of Hearts harangues the bystanders.




Great showman's steam engines, there are many at the Extravaganza, immaculately turned out.



Foden agricultural tractor "Victoria" DJ1142 built 1899, the oldest known Foden engine in existence.

Photograph © Stephen Watson 2008



Click this link to "Rebecca's Daughters"



Victorian gentry join the Grand Parade each day and take part in the fancy dress competition.



Many of Britain's Best Town Criers have joined the Victorian ladies and gentlemen in procession..



One of several great bands taking part

Oh!  La La!



The daily parade of participating vehicles (including many steam tractors and wagons),
brass bands, and carnival troops, and also visitors and citizens in Victorian or Edwardian costume.
 The parade travels through the town streets and via the promenade where it disperses.

"Royal" and "Imperial" patronage for the RNLI  Gift Stall on the Promenade

Photograph © Lyn Brown 2007

The Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza is closely associated with a display of many types of
 veteran and vintage vehicles in the Festival of Transport held simultaneously
at the showground site at Bodafon Farm Park near the Little Orme.



A bus service of vintage buses and coaches operates between the Showground and Central Llandudno.
Buses like this Wallasey Corporation double decker often take part in the parades.



The 1925 Morris Commercial Town Bus visiting from Co. Durham.

Llandudno Queen of the North Wales Resorts This independent website is compiled and published by Noel Walley. He is the copyright owner and webmaster to whom all requests for permission to publish photographs should be made. Email: Webmaster

Llandudno Tourist Information Centre All requests for tourist information including brochures, guides, and leaflets etc. and all questions concerning accommodation and official facilities in Llandudno should be addressed to The Conwy County Borough Council at Llandudno Tourist Information Centre The Library Building, Mostyn Street, Llandudno. Telephone:  01492 876413   Email:  llandudnotic@conwy.gov.uk

Compilation and photographs © 2002-8 Noel Walley    Last updated May 2009

Email: Webmaster