Walking the grounds will be Lord Bute and genius architect, William Burges, planning their radical alterations to the Castle, and within the house meet the maids and butlers who were part of the Bute household staff.    

Victorian parlour games for children, a Magic Lantern show,  croquet on the lawn and brass band music conjure up the atmosphere of this bygone era.          

Free entry if you come in costume yourself, plus there will be a prize for the best adult and child’s outfit.   

Castle Grounds
Normal admission applies
Free to Cardiff Castle Passholders

Special event ticket*: Adults £3.95; Seniors £3.25; Children £2.50

The Regimental Band of The Royal Welsh

Detachments from the Royal Navy, the Army, the Royal Air Force, the Wales University Royal Navy Unit, the Army’s University Officer Training Corp and the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets, will march from King Edward VII Avenue via Museum Avenue to the Welsh National War Memorial in Alexandra Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff where they will arrive by 10.40am and form up around the memorial.

Those detachments will be joined by columns of ex-Servicemen and women, organised by the Royal British Legion and Columns of civilians representing organisations connected with past conflicts.

The Regimental Band and Corp of Drums of The Royal Welsh will lead the detachments.

The north side will be formed by detachments of the various ex-Servicemen and women and Regimental Associations.

The east side will be formed by detachments of the Territorial Army and Glamorgan Counties Army Cadet Force (5th Cadet Battalion Royal Welsh), Air Cadets, Sea Cadets and Emergency Services.

The south side will be formed by detachments of the Navy, Army and Air Force and The Regimental Band and Corp of Drums of The Royal Welsh.

The west side will be formed by the official wreath layers and the Band of the Cardiff Canton Corps of the Salvation Army.

A selection of music will be played by The Regimental Band and Corp of Drums of The Royal Welsh from 10.40am until shortly before 11.00am.

The Band of the Cardiff Canton Corps of the Salvation Army Band will play at the Service, which will be conducted by the Reverend Stewart Lisk. Reverend Lisk will be accompanied by Mr Syd Nash, Chairman, The Royal British Legion, Vale of Glamorgan, Rabbi Wallenberg and Rabbi Doctor Charles Middleburgh, Reverend Father Raymond O’Shea T.D, K.H.S, O.L.J, St David’s Cathedral, Cardiff, a representative of the Welsh Churches, Major Peter Moran, Divisional Commander, Salvation Army (South and Mid Wales), and other representatives of the faith communities.

The leaders of Government, local government and opposition parties will be joined by Dr Peter Beck M.A, MD., F.R.C.P., Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan.

At 10.58am the service will begin with a bidding and words of scripture given by the Reverend Lisk followed by the Exhortation.

At 11.00am guns of the 104 Air Defence Regiment RA (V) from Raglan Barracks, Newport, will be fired to mark the Two Minutes’ Silence which will be observed. Its conclusion will again be marked by the firing of the gun. Following that firing a Bugler of The Regimental Band and Corp of Drums of The Royal Welsh will sound the ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille.’

Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan will then lay his wreath at the Memorial, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen. The laying of wreaths will continue in the following order: the Royal British Legion, the Naval Regional Officer on behalf of The Royal Navy, the Commander of 160 (Wales) Brigade on behalf of The British Army, the Air Officer Wales on behalf of the Royal Air Force, the President of the Merchant Navy Association (Wales), the Fire Service on behalf of the Civilian Services, the First Minister for Wales, the Leader of Cardiff Council and the Secretary of State for Wales, The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of Cardiff and the Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, and Opposition parties of the National Assembly for Wales and Cardiff Council.

When all the wreaths have been laid there will be a short Service which has been produced using material supplied by The Royal British Legion & Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. The Kohima Epitaph will be read by Peter Goodfellow, President of the Burma Star Association (Cardiff). The singing of the National Anthems will complete the ceremony.

At the conclusion of the service the wreath laying party will return to the front of Cardiff City Hall where they will gather with other civic dignitaries and members of Cardiff Council, and fronted by scouts and guides, before the columns of detachments from the Royal Navy, Army, Territorial Army, Royal Air Force, Wales University Royal Navy Unit, the Army’s University Officer Training Corp, Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets and ex-Servicemen and women present on parade will carry out a march past, culminating in a salute at the front of City Hall.

The Parade has been organised this year by The Regimental Sergeant Major and staff of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh.

Anthony Head and Colin Morgan

There will be Christmas magic in the air on Thursday November 12 when the cast of Merlin swap Camelot for Cardiff to turn on this year’s Christmas Lights at the Civic Centre on Thursday November 12 (from 5.30pm).

Merlin stars, including Colin Morgan who plays Merlin, Bradley James who plays King Arthur Angel Coulby who plays Gwen , Katie McGrath who plays Morgana will join acclaimed British actor Anthony Head who plays Uther in switching on the lights and officially opening bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland.

The BBC’s adaptation of the much loved tale focuses on Merlin as a young wizard on the cusp of adulthood and his ongoing clashes with a young King Arthur.

Entertainment also comes from Barney. The world’s favourite purple dinosaur who will lead the young and young at heart in a festive sing song!

Red Dragon FM Breakfast presenters Kam and Sally will also be on hand to get everyone in the festive mood and the Red Hot Santa’s will return with a brassy selection of Christmas classics.

bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland is one of many ways to celebrate Christmas in the capital other events include the Cardiff Bay’s ‘On the Road to Christmas’ festivities on November 14th. Cardiff’s Calennig New Year’s Eve celebrations, with free live music stage supported by Queen’s Arcade, the Admiral Family Fire Show; and the Admiral Free New Year’s Eve Bus Service. Plus fabulous Christmas shopping opportunities in the city with Christmas Park & Ride facilities supported by Admiral and much, much more.

Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture said: “I am delighted that cast members from the hit series Merlin will use their magic to switch on this years Christmas lights.

“The Christmas light switch-on and bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland marks the start of the festive fun in the capital and I would encourage everyone to come along and celebrate the Christmas countdown.”