Scientists are always telling us that life began in primeval mud, and this year's Festival was indeed a bit like that. Sculptors' vehicles were completely bogged down when they tried to move oak logs into position on day one, and a farm tractor had to come to the rescue. Four days later the sun was blazing, the sculptures had been created and the rains were a distant memory.

An eclectic group of sculptors working with felled oak trees, recycled building materials, old iron, melted aluminium and rubber tyres contributed to one of the most interesting Caerleon Arts Festivals yet. We were described by the South Wales Argus as Gwent's most idiosyncratic event. We took it as a compliment!

We also rang the changes in other ways. The official opening, by BBC presenter Nicola Heywood Thomas, was combined with the School Art Awards at the Celtic Manor. We held an extensive series of evening entertainments which in many ways surpassed our wildest expectations. We offered opera for the first time - performed by Steve Benavente and the Priory Singers. Their superb Dido and Aeneas should have been in the Amphitheatre, but thanks to Caerleon Comprehensive School we had a wet weather alternative, as we did with the Gala Concert, with Markham Colliery Brass Band, Bethan Nia the harpist and singer and Mark Prescott on the fiddle.

St Cadoc's Church was packed when Blaenavon Male Voice Choir and Demi Holborn joined forces for an amazing night of music. There were also capacity audiences at Curro's Restaurant for the Spanish Night and at the White Hart for a folk evening with Mabon. And the Amphitheatre finally came into its own on a fine and perfect evening when the Festival Players performed their unique and immensely enjoyable interpretation of Much Ado About Nothing.

Because of the danger of showers, other musical events were switched on the last two days from the Field to the Hanbury Quay, by courtesy of landlord Mike Cook. The move proved to be such a success that the Hanbury Arms ran out of beer early on Sunday evening - another first surely!

Festival Chair Tim Davidson was delighted with the general feedback from the public.

"There was something for everyone, and confining the sculpting and field events to three days on July 11th, 12th and 13th was vindicated by the fact that the previous weekend's weather was appalling," he said. 

"The event is really helping to bring Caerleon to the attention of more and more people, which can't be a bad thing amidst all this economic gloom."

Festival volunteers are always welcome. Planning, fund raising and staging the festival all amount to a lot of hard work, but there's also much fun to be had. Extra help and expertise are badly needed.

Please ring 01633 430194 if you think you can help.