A 20ft copper dragon will be among the attractions as Rhayader prepares for a week of free family activities during the October half-term holiday.

The Rhayader Dragon Festival will take place from Saturday, 24 October to Saturday, 31 October, featuring storytelling, traditional crafts, treasure trails and dragon-themed activities.

At the centre of the celebrations is Queen Belrenin, an enormous copper dragon housed at TimeScape Rhayader, where visitors can explore a specially created Dragon's Cave.

The event forms part of the Welsh Museums Festival, which will see more than 60 museums and galleries across Wales taking part in activities between 24 October and 1 November.

Visitors to Rhayader will be able to try traditional crafts, including block printing, spindle spinning and natural dyeing, alongside activities aimed at younger children.

Tuesday, 27 October will feature traditional Crankie storytelling, where participants can create moving story boxes, followed by an interactive evening exploring Victorian life in the Elan Valley. On Thursday, 29 October, the So Silly Crew will lead potion-making, dragon-making and dragon-racing activities at the CARAD theatre. The festival concludes on Halloween with another day of free activities, including crafts and appearances by Mystic Marge.

A new walking and cycling Dragon Trail also links TimeScape with the Elan Valley Visitor Centre, introducing visitors to the area's history, legends and folklore.

Elsewhere across the Cambrian News patch, Ceredigion Museum in Aberystwyth and Porthmadog Maritime Museum are among the venues participating in the wider Welsh Museums Festival.

This year's national festival places particular emphasis on environmentally friendly Halloween celebrations, encouraging families to create decorations using natural and recycled materials.

TimeScape Rhayader will open on additional days during half-term to accommodate visitors, and will be open to optional donations to assist the museum operationally.

Further information and the full programme are available through Rhayader's local events website.