Dragon’s Breath FAQs

The Dragon’s Breath, is a new ‘nigh time’ event being held in the NBGW over 4 nights in October 2024. The event will be run by professional outdoor arts company ‘Walk the Plank’ and will include a fire trail, music, poetry and performances on a route through the Garden.

You will be able to explore at your own pace following pathways.

You will be standing and walking for most of your time at the event. 

It is highly recommended to book your tickets in advance in order to avoid any disappointment.

For the safety and enjoyment of all our visitors, dogs are NOT permitted at The Dragon’s Breath event.

The event will run for 4 nights from Thursday October 24th to Sunday October 27th 2024.

In order to ensure that the event can be enjoyed by everyone to the upmost, it has been designed as a continuous experience, with strictly fixed entry time slots, starting from 6pm onwards, which must be pre-booked in advance.

To ensure the enjoyment and safety of all our visitors, we allocate a set number of tickets per timeslot and would ask that all visitors adhere to their booked timeslot. Our entry time slots are every 30 minutes from 6pm-6.30pm through to 9.30pm – 10pm.

”The Dragon’s Breath’ is suitable for all ages. It is a delightful family experience to be enjoyed equally by young and old alike.

‘The Dragon’s Breath’ takes place entirely outdoors, during late autumn after dark. The event will go ahead whatever the weather (other than in very exceptional circumstances, if we considered it unsafe to open).

So it will be cold, dark and on rainy days, wet! Please wrap up warmly & wear appropriate outdoor clothing and footwear suitable for wintery weather. You will be walking along pathways but these may become wet and muddy.

Please don’t bring:

• Chairs
• Very large bags – we won’t be operating a cloak room
• Golf umbrellas / very large umbrellas. Smaller are fine. 

• Alcohol
• Any candles, lanterns, fireworks or other fire sources. 

If alcohol or fire-related items are found they will be confiscated and not returned.

We welcome families and children of all ages to this event. We ask that children are accompanied by an adult at all times for their own safety.

A delicious selection of hot food and drink will be available to purchase across the site throughout the evening.

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options will be available.

Further details regarding the vendors that will be joining us for the event will be released soon.

There will be limited on-site parking available in the NBGW car park. However, due to the number of tickets on sale, there will be additional park and ride car parks available. When booking your tickets, you must tell us if you want to park in our on-site car park or one of the park & ride car parks.

There will be two ‘Park & Ride’ car parks available:

1. East of the Garden in ‘Leekes at Cross Hands Business Park, Cross Hands SA14 6RB.

2. West of the Garden in Carmarthen Showground, SA33 5DR.

Due to the limited spaces available, there is a charge of £4 per car to park in the on-site car park at NBGW.

Parking in one of the two Park & Rides is FREE.

• Accessible toilets are available on site and will be clearly marked on a map you will be able to view on arrival. Our team will also be able to direct you to the nearest toilet. 
• A Changing Places Toilet is available near to the entrance – please ask a member of staff on arrival. Please bring your own sling.

• The installation is spread through outdoor areas of the Gardens, moving up a slight hill and down again. 
• Artworks will be viewable from hard-standing pathways. 
• A  footpath will follow most of the route, however some areas are slightly uneven or are gravel paths. We recommend that visitors bring chairs with wheels suitable for gravel.

This event is designed to be experienced through walking. There will be some places to sit near food stalls but extensive seating won’t be provided.

A limited number mobility scooters will be available on a first come first served basis. These must be booked in advance directly by contacting the NBGW. There will be a £5 charge.

All tickets must be pre-booked online in advance through our ticketing website.

Buy tickets – The Dragon’s Breath – Anadl Y Ddraig – National Botanic Garden of Wales (tickettailor.com)

Yes, you must book in advance. We recommend that you book early as each timed entry slot has a fixed capacity and popular slots are likely to sell out quickly.
Click here to buy tickets and avoid disappointment.

Once you have booked, you will receive an automated email (to the email address you submitted during the booking process – please remember to check your email junk/spam folder for this) confirming the details of your booking. At the time of booking and on the email confirmation you will see an Order/Booking Number, please make a note (take a screen shot) of your Order Number, so you can have it ready for check in.

We do not send you any actual tickets, you will just need your order number on the day. You do not need to print or show your email confirmation on arrival – we will be able to admit you using your Order/Booking Number and/or the full name of the lead booking person.

Please ensure that you arrive with your Order/Booking Number readily available or that you are aware of the FULL NAME OF THE LEAD BOOKING PERSON.

Refunds are not available.

However, subject strictly to availability it may be possible to transfer your booked ticket to an alternative night. Any transfer request must be made at least 10 days prior to your original booked night. In the event that the preferred new date /timeslot is full, you will need to either select an alternative date/timeslot or retain your original booking.

In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a night of the event, customers are referred to our Refunds/Transfers and Cancellation Policy and will be offered:

1. a transfer of their booking to an alternative night (at the equivalent financial value of their original booking, subject to availability),
2. a refund, in the event that a) not suitable.

Any such transfers/refunds must be requested within 28 days of the date of the date you were booked to attend.

Please note, we will not be liable for any other costs incurred by customers.
The booking/transaction fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.

Thanks you for your understanding.

You need to book a child ticket for children aged 2-17 years old. Under 2s are FREE.

Carers are welcome to come to the event for Free. However, they must have at least one full paying child/adult in the group. To claim a carer place, you must email in a form of valid, in date Carer I.D/Proof of Carer Evidence, along with your order/booking number to dragonsbreath@gardenofwales.org.uk. Please note, that you DO NOT need a Carer ticket.