Help get Welsh films on TV and Welsh music on the radio for St. David’s Day.

It is that time of year again; Christmas and New Year are done and done, so it is time to get our plans for St. David’s Day under way.

Over the past few years there has been some pretty good success around the US & Canada by good people such as yourselves contacting local radio stations and requesting Welsh music and greetings for St. David’s Day.

This year how about we up the ante – as well as contacting radio station how about we all try and contact local PBS stations and cable movie channels to see if they will show some Welsh programs and films too? Well it doesn’t hurt to ask does it!

To make it a bit easier, listed below is some contact information for selected cable movie channels and television stations as well a list of films they may be able to show.

Local PBS Stations

Some local affiliate stations purchased the rights last year to show ‘Katherine Jenkins: Live at the O2’ and ‘Men Aloud – Live From Wales’, whether they are still able to screen these shows probably varies from station to station, but it doesn’t hurt to ask if they can.

Over the years I have watched the following films on my local Chicago area PBS affiliates, so they are at least available to some stations: The Proud Valley (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), The Corn Is Green (1945).

For a list of PBS affiliates please click the links below:

http://www.pbs.org/stationfinder/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PBS_member_stations

Turner Classic Movies

TCM’s vast library of films spans several decades of cinema and includes thousands of film titles from MGM, United Artists, Warner Bros, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Productions, Columbia Pictures, StudioCanal, Janus Films and others.

I believe the following selection of films might be available for them to screen:

The Citadel (1938), The Proud Valley (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), The Corn Is Green (1945), The Lost Weekend (1946), Tiger Bay (1959), Zulu (1964), Under Milk Wood (1972).

Please send this list of films with a request to screen them in honour of St. David’s Day to: http://www.tcm.com/contact-tcm.html

BBC America

From what I know BBC America does not have a vast library of films at its fingertips and it is unlikely that they have that many Welsh films to offer. However contacting them to show a film starring Welsh actors or a Welsh TV series for St. David’s Day might not be a bad idea. If enough of us request say the whole of series one of ‘Gavin & Stacey’ be shown they might be persuaded.

You can contact BBC America at: http://www.bbcamerica.com/contact-us

IFC Films

I am not 100% sure what the back catalogue of films available by IFC is like, it would be worth taking a stab in the dark by requesting the following titles to be screened for St. David’s Day though:

Twin Town (1997), House of America (1997), Human Traffic (1999), Solomon & Gaenor (1999), Very Annie Mary (2001), Eldra (2002), The Edge of Love (2008), Sleep Furiously (2008), Patagonia (2010), Colin (2010), Mr. Nice (2011).

Oddly, IFC did make a film a few years ago called ‘Pontypool’ don’t get excited it’s a sort of zombie film set in ‘Pontypool’, Ontario.

You can contact IFC at: www.ifc.com/contact-us

Fox Movie Channel

Fox Movie Channel shows film primarily from 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, etc. I am aware that they have shown some of the following in the past, so it would be worth asking if they could do so again for St. David’s Day this year.

Human Traffic (1999), Twin Town (1997), The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995).

Contact Fox at: http://www.foxmoviechannel.com/contact.php

Upcoming Welsh Events in Chicago – Winter/Spring 2012

2011 was another year of top quality Welsh events in the windy city, with all that is going on Chicago could be the best place to be Welsh outside of Wales!!

First off a big Diolch yn Fawr to Sam & Ian at the Naperville based Welsh design company ‘Pretty Lethal Designs’ for the cracking upgrades to the Tafia website – Have a look at their work at www.prettylethaldesigns.com

JANUARY

Zulu Night
Sunday January 22, 7:00pm
Red Lion Lincoln Square
4749 North Rockwell Street, Chicago
‘This is a Welsh regiment, although there are some foreigners in it in mind’ It’s the annual get together to watch Zulu at the pub grab some fish & chips and couple of pints and maybe few Basil Hayden’s and a bit of Penderyn to commemorate the Battle of Rorke’s Drift.

Los Campesinos!
Friday January 27, 7:30pm
Metro
3730 N. Clark St, Chicago
Welsh indie pop/rockers ‘Los Campesinos!’ are back in Chicago! Bloody great band, come see what all the fuss is about when Los Campesinos! take the stage on January 27th, 2012. Tafia meetup at the Gingerman before and after the show. Look out for our competition at www.facebook.com/chicagotafia for a chance to win a couple of pairs of tickets.

FEBRUARY

Ireland v Wales – Six Nations Rugby
Sunday February 5, 9:00am
The Globe Pub
1934 West Irving Park Road, Chicago
The battle of the Celts – Round 1

Wales v Scotland – Six Nations Rugby
Sunday February 12, 9:00am
The Globe Pub
1934 West Irving Park Road, Chicago
The battle of the Celts – Round 2

England v Wales – Six Nations Rugby
Saturday February 25, 8:00am
The Globe Pub
1934 West Irving Park Road, Chicago
The primordial battle of good vs. evil or evil vs. good in this case, well the English ones are the evil buggers anyways.

The Chicago Tafia St. David’s Day Party
Sunday Feb 26th, 6:00pm
@ To Be Announced Shortly!, Chicago

MARCH

The Chicago Tafia St. David’s Day Pub Night
Thursday March 1st, 7:00pm
@ To Be Announced Shortly!, Chicago
Not sure where at this year, but with any luck it will be in view of the Wrigley Building lit up white, red & green for St. David’s Day.

Two Fat Cyclist’s
Friday March 9th, 7:30pm
Candlelite
7452 North Western Avenue, Chicago
Gig by Welsh musicians/cyclists Andy Edwards and Phil Jenkins at a place with cheap beer & good pizza! They cycle fast and eat even faster. They play guitars to a below average standard but do entertain very drunk people in local pubs. They are Andy Edwards & Phil Jenkins and these two mad Welsh buggers are cycling from Chicago to New York in a week and all for charity. Come out and give these lads a proper Chicago Welsh welcome and chip in a couple of quid towards their cause too if you can. For more info about the ride and donate some cash visit www.thetwofatcyclists.co.uk

Wales v Italy – Six Nations Rugby
Saturday March 10th 8:30am (may change if the clocks go forward by then)
The Globe Pub
1934 West Irving Park Road, Chicago
“Homer what’s your least favorite country, Italy or France? Homer-France. Scorpio-Haha nobody ever says Italy.”

Two Fat Cyclist’s
Saturday March 10th, 1:00pm
The Globe Pub
1934 West Irving Park Road, Chicago
Gig by Welsh musicians/cyclists Andy Edwards and Phil Jenkins to follow the Wales v Italy and Ireland v Scotland games. They cycle fast and eat even faster. They play guitars to a below average standard but do entertain very drunk people in local pubs. They are Andy Edwards & Phil Jenkins and these two mad Welsh buggers are cycling from Chicago to New York in a week and all for charity. Come out and give these lads a proper Chicago Welsh welcome and chip in a couple of quid towards their cause too if you can. For more info about the ride and donate some cash visit www.thetwofatcyclists.co.uk

Wales v France – Six Nations Rugby
Saturday March 17th 8:45am (may change if the clocks go forward by then)
The Globe Pub
1934 West Irving Park Road, Chicago
Let’s get our revenge on those cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

Welsh guys riding from Chicago to New York and playing gigs!

They cycle fast and eat even faster. They play guitars to a below average standard but do entertain very drunk people in local pubs. They are Andy Edwards & Phil Jenkins and these two mad Welsh buggers are cycling from Chicago to New York in a week and all for charity.

Come out and give these lads a proper Chicago Welsh welcome and chip in a couple of quid towards their cause too if you can.

Friday March 9th, 7:30pm
Candlelite
7452 North Western Avenue, Chicago
Gig by Welsh musicians/cyclists Andy Edwards and Phil Jenkins at a place with cheap beer & good pizza!

Saturday March 10th, 1:00pm
The Globe Pub
1934 West Irving Park Road, Chicago
Gig to kick off their charity ride from Chicago to New York by Welsh musicians/cyclists Andy Edwards and Phil Jenkins to follow the Wales v Italy & Ireland v Scotland games.

Phil & Andy will be stopping off in South Bend, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Chatham on their way to NYC.

For more info about the ride and donate some cash visit www.thetwofatcyclists.co.uk

Wales in the 2012 Six Nations Rugby

The choice for this year’s home base for the 6 Nations is….. The Globe Pub, 1934 West Irving Park Road, Chicago.  $20 cover to get in; don’t complain it’s the same price everywhere!

Ireland v Wales
Sunday February 5, 9:00am
The battle of the Celts – Round 1

Wales v Scotland
Sunday February 12, 9:00am
The battle of the Celts – Round 2

England v Wales
Saturday February 25, 8:00am
The primordial battle of good vs. evil or evil vs. good in this case, well the English ones are the evil buggers anyways.

Wales v Italy
Saturday March 10th 8:30am (time may change if the clocks go forward by then)
Gig by Welsh musicians/cyclists Andy Edwards and Phil Jenkins following the Ireland v Scotland game at 1:00pm to kick off their charity ride from Chicago to New York.  For more info about the ride and donate some cash visit www.thetwofatcyclists.co.uk

Wales v France
Saturday March 17th 8:45am (time may change if the clocks go forward by then)
Let’s get our revenge on those cheese-eating surrender monkeys!

Zulu Night
Sunday January 22, 7:00pm
Red Lion Lincoln Square
4749 North Rockwell Street, Chicago
‘This is a Welsh regiment, although there are some foreigners in it in mind’ It’s the annual get together to watch Zulu at the pub grab some fish & chips and couple of pints and maybe few Basil Hayden’s and a bit of Penderyn to commemorate the Battle of Rorke’s Drift.

Play Audio

Los Campesinos!
Friday January 27, 7:30pm
Metro
3730 N. Clark St, Chicago
Cardiff band ‘Los Campesinos!’ are back in Chicago! Bloody great band, get tickets if you have the chance.  Tafia meetup at the Gingerman before and after the show.

Handcrafted British Tribute Cheeses from Harmony Specialty Dairy Foods in Stratford, Wisconsin include: Abergele, Caerphilly, Cheshire & Double Gloucester style cheese.  Prices are fairly reasonable.  For further details visit: http://www.harmonyspecialty.com/products.html

Having a party this year? Welsh it up a bit with this damn fine Welsh style cider from Madison, Indiana.

At $6.99 a bottle the price isn’t bad either.

For more info visit:

http://www.thomasfamilywinery.us/cider

Welcome to the Chicago Tafia Welsh Society!

The Chicago Tafia was born in 1999 as the result of a discussion between a couple of ex-pats wondering aloud, “why do the Irish and the Scots have some kind of setup in the States that they can turn to for help and settling into a new country and the Welsh don’t?” It dawned on us that maybe we should stop complaining and do something about it to help future Welsh ex-pats navigating the roads of Immigration and settling into the city of Chicago.

The Tafia has now been going for close to a decade, and has come a long way from its early roots. Our website offers helpful links for Welsh Immigration and Travel, local British Import shops, photos of recent events, and other Welsh Societies. Our group’s activities are wide-ranging with social get-togethers for pub nights, gatherings to watch Welsh sporting events, musicians & films, celebrating St. David’s Day, and promoting Wales at the Chicago Celtic Festival to name but a few.

Over the years, the Tafia has also been involved with the organisation of over a dozen concerts at prominent Chicago venues for Welsh male voice choirs, including: the Pendyrus, Penrhyn, Bangor, Black Mountain, Burlington and CF1 choirs.

The Chicago Tafia has also been involved with a number of other projects to promote Welsh awareness, including working with the Illinois General Assembly in the signing into law of Bill HR0149 that proclaimed March 1, 2007, and each year thereafter, as St. David’s Day in the State of Illinois and recognizing the Welsh contribution to the state. In 2009 & 2010, we partnered with the British Consulate-General in Chicago and Colliers B&K to illuminate the iconic Chicago Wrigley Building red, white, and green (the colours of the Welsh flag) on Saint Davids Day on Sunday, March 1.

Our events are as varied as the culture of Wales, and throughout the year we are sure to have something for everyone. From waking up at 7am on a Saturday to watch rugby or staying out until the wee hours to watch Welsh bands, to a Dylan Thomas poetry reading or a Welsh Choir performing at a Chicago Cathedral, the Tafia gathers wherever something Welsh is occurring. Just look for the dragons!

We look forward to seeing you soon as one of our many events.

Hwyl

Dave Parry
The Chicago Tafia Welsh Society