Welsh Music Festival Integrated into Popular Video Game

The Glastonbarry festival, a Welsh music event significantly smaller than its namesake Glastonbury, has gained new recognition. Situated in the seaside town of Barry, a location popular with “Gavin and Stacey” enthusiasts, the festival has been incorporated into the acclaimed video game Microsoft Flight Simulator by its developers. A recent update to the game now allows players to observe the festival’s distinctive blue and white tent in Barry from an aerial perspective. Festival director Matt Blumberg expressed his delight, stating, “It’s fantastic.” He added, “It’s a bit of luck, us ending up in there but it’s great for people to be able to go and explore.” With a maximum attendance of 7,000, the festival originated from a “silly idea” conceived by two friends. Since 2013, it has taken place in Romilly Park, located in the Vale of Glamorgan. Glastonbarry’s schedule features tribute performances honoring a diverse range of artists, including Abba, AC/DC, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Arctic Monkeys, Bon Jovi, and Eminem. Mr. Blumberg commented, “It’s good fun. We don’t take ourselves too seriously.” He further elaborated on the festival’s nature: “It is all tribute acts – some people turn their nose up at that, but it is what it says on the tin. It’s a bit of a laugh, people dress up, they come and sing along to their favourite songs and it’s a lovely atmosphere.” For Glastonbarry 2025, a Tom Jones tribute act is scheduled to headline on Saturday, while a Queen tribute will be the main attraction on Sunday. “Something for everyone, really,” he noted. He also mentioned, “Some of them have been coming since the very first festival. A lot of the acts we use have come back year after year. They’re just great.” The inclusion of Glastonbarry in the game appears to stem from its presence on Bing Maps, a mapping service owned by Microsoft, which supplies a significant portion of Microsoft Flight Simulator’s data. The game utilizes this map data to create realistic terrain, resulting in enhanced realism for various UK cities. It is believed that a recent map update coincided with the Glastonbarry tent being erected for last July’s festival. Consequently, the festival was incorporated into the game, offering a more realistic depiction of the location through its world update system. World Update XVII: UK and Ireland also introduced several new Welsh Points of Interest to the game. These are specific, detailed locations integrated by the Microsoft Flight Simulator team to enhance player immersion. In a statement released with the update, Microsoft declared: “Microsoft Flight Simulator partnered with Bing Maps, Gaya Simulations, and iniBuilds to create this latest spectacular offering for aviators.” Cardiff Airport is among five UK airports newly incorporated into the game. Additional Welsh landmarks recently added are Pembroke Castle and St Davids Cathedral, both situated in Pembrokeshire, along with the Menai Suspension Bridge, which connects Anglesey to the north Wales mainland. These additions supplement the game’s four pre-existing Welsh points of interest: the Principality Stadium and Wales Millennium Centre, both located in Cardiff; Caernarfon Castle in Gwynedd; and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wrexham county. The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, home to the national rugby team, holds the distinction of being Wales’s largest stadium. With a capacity of 74,500, it also serves as a venue for diverse events and concerts, having recently hosted performances by Taylor Swift and Billy Joel. Opened in 2009, the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay functions as Wales’s national arts hub. The facility presents theatre, comedy, opera, ballet, and musicals across multiple stages, with its primary performance area, the Donald Gordon Theatre, ranking as the second-largest stage in Europe. The initial fortification at Caernarfon Castle was constructed in the late 11th century. King Edward I of England established both the medieval fortress and its adjacent town. Currently, the castle accommodates the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum. Completed in 1805, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable waterway. This 18-arched structure, made of cast-iron and stone, transports the Llangollen Canal over the River Dee near Wrexham and remains in use by narrowboats today. Pembroke Castle’s first fortification emerged in 1093. It subsequently served as the seat of the Earl of Pembroke and underwent extensive restoration starting in 1928, facilitated by Major-General Sir Ivor Philipps. St Davids Cathedral is situated in the UK’s smallest city. Originating from a monastic community established in 589 AD by St David, the patron saint of Wales, the cathedral has since been restored and was rededicated on St Davids Day 2012 by the Right Reverend Wyn Evans, Bishop of St Davids. The Claerwen Dam, a gravity dam constructed on a solid rock foundation, was finished in 1952. Located at the Claerwen Reservoir in Elan Valley, Powys, the dam is primarily composed of concrete, with its external surface faced with stone. Near Llanidloes, the Llyn Clywedog Dam was constructed to form an artificial reservoir. Completed in 1967, its purpose was to manage the River Severn’s flow by discharging water into the river channel during periods of low flow. Powis Castle, a medieval castle, fortress, and country house, is located near Welshpool. The initial fortification on the site was erected by the Welsh princes of Powys Wenwynwyn, with the earliest mentions of the castle dating back to 1111. Nevertheless, the current castle was constructed in the 13th century. Barmouth Bridge is a single-track wooden railway viaduct situated in the town of Gwynedd. Originally opened in 1867, the bridge underwent restoration by Network Rail over several years starting in 2021, and was fully reopened on 2 December 2023. Completed in 1892, the Vyrnwy Tower was constructed for the purpose of extracting water from Lake Vyrnwy. This distinctive straining tower, located near Llanwddyn in Powys, supplies water to Liverpool. Harlech Castle is integrated into a rocky knoll within the town of Gwynedd. Edward I built it between 1282 and 1289 during his invasion of Wales. The castle held significant historical importance in Wales, being captured by Owain Glyndwr in 1404, and a siege in 1468 is commemorated in the song “Men of Harlech.” The Menai Suspension Bridge crosses the Menai Strait, linking Anglesey to mainland Wales. Completed in 1826, it was recognized as the world’s first major suspension bridge upon its opening. The Britannia Bridge also crosses the Menai Strait, providing a connection between Anglesey and Bangor. Engineer Robert Stephenson designed and constructed it, personally fitting the final rivet and opening the bridge on 5 March 1850. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.