WITH the Blaenau Gwent National Eisteddfod just 29 days away, the striking Pink Pavilion, the focal point of the festival, is now in place.

The main pavilion, which measures 77 metres by 60 metres and stands 26.2 metres at its peak, will play host to dozens of different events over the course of the week-long Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale.

Brass band competitions, mixed choirs, a visual arts prize and the crowning of the Bard ceremony are just a selections of goings-on in the Pink Pavilion.

Made from uPVC, the pavilion will be joined by others, including the literary pavilion and science and technology pavilion, over the next fortnight with a view to having everything erected two weeks before the start of the Eisteddfod.

Site manager Meidrym Thomas said: "This will be the focal point at The Works, this is what the Eisteddfod is all about - it's quite a site."

The main pavilion is coloured pink to help promote awareness of charity Breast Cancer Care.

National Eisteddfod chief executive Elfed Roberts and deputy minister for regeneration and South Wales East AM, Jocelyn Davies were just two of the visitors at the site yesterday to check out the pavilion.

The Eisteddfod is being held in The Works, Ebbw Vale, from July 31 - August 7 and is expect to attract around 160,000 people.

It costs around £3 million to stage and brings between £6-8 million to the local economy.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Eisteddfod set to make mark on Ebbw Vale

WITH the Pink Pavilion in place in Ebbw Vale there is a real feeling that the town is getting ready to stage this year's National Eisteddfod.

Over the next two weeks the pavilion will be joined by others in readiness for the opening of the Eisteddfod at the end of the month.

Then, no fewer than 160,00 people will descend on Ebbw Vale for the eight days of this annual cultural festival.

That is an incredible number of visitors for a valleys town with a population of under 25,000, and could perhaps be a bit daunting. But of course it also represents a fantastic opportunity.

For, while the Eisteddfod costs around £3m to stage, it is believed to inject more than double that amount into the local economy of the host town or city.

The main pavilion is a real symbol of the event and given its sheer scale acts as a great advertisement for the Eisteddfod.

The fact that it is also bright pink to promote awareness of the charity Breast Cancer Care, makes it a real attention grabber.