INTRODUCED last year, the Rhayader Dragon Festival is back this weekend with the day stretching out to a whole week of dragon themed events.

CARAD Rhayader Museum and Gallery volunteers and helpers have worked to make this a magical festival for the town with the main events centred on the Saturday, October 28.

Dragon Day with the coronation of the Rhayader Dragon now named “Belrenin" will include a grand street procession.

There is a magical Lantern Garden for Belrenin’s crowning ceremony complete with Dragon Drummers.

Visit the Dragon Keeper to receive a gift and join in the coronation.

Muster at CARAD from 5.30pm for the lantern procession as the dragon bestows her gifts on the town.

Other celebrations to be found include a craft fair with demonstrations, while children’s activities include face painting, decorating a dragon’s egg biscuit, and dressing up for the Dragon’s Snap photo booth.

Festivities continue into the evening with the band Cartoon Violence headlining with games and hot food and games at The Lost ARC; a YFC Dragon Race night at the Lion Royal Hotel, and Halloween karaoke at the Crown Hotel.

Other events begin tonight (Friday, October 27), with a Dragon Tails Slumber Party at CARAD.

The Slumber Party for all little and large dragons has a fiery hot chocolate or two before listening and enjoying dragon tails with the fabulous storyteller Graham Langley. Admission costs £2 and the event is suitable for all ages.

There is also the judging of the best dressed window competition with the winner announced at 5pm.

The Dragon’s Court Trail will be starting off and running all week.

Rhayader schoolchildren have been drawing and colouring pictures of dragons, giving them names. They are placed in shop windows. Collect all the names to win a prize.

This Saturday and Sunday, the Elan Valley Visitor Centre has a dragon trail through Cnwch woods from 10am in association with its craft fair.

There are Archie’s Adventures minibus trips to see the famous dragon sculpture at the British Ironwork Centre at Oswestry on Tuesday, October 31, and Wednesday, November 1.

Oriel Fach gallery lets you pop in to paint a dragon’s eye pebble on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, November 3.

Rhayader Library has storytimes in English at 2.30pm and in Welsh at 3.15pm on Wednesday.

The Gilfach Nature Reserve has a guided story walk to a secret location where a dragon made its nest at 10am on Wednesday.

And the Freedom Leisure Centre has a Dragon Swimming session for eight to 15-year-olds at 4pm on Thursday.

Run through the mouth of the dragon and across the inflatable then slide down into the deep water.

The CARAD copper dragon is also ready to star in her own right as the belle of this weekend’s Dragon Fest ball.