The National Eisteddfod is traditionally held in the first week of August and the competitions are all held in the Welsh language. The Eisteddfod Act of 1959 allowed local authorities to give financial support to the event. Hundreds of tents, pavilions and little stands are erected in an open space to create the maes (field). The space required for this means that it is rare for the Eisteddfod to be in a city or town but instead it is held somewhere with more space. Car parking for day visitors alone requires several large fields, and many people camp on the site for the whole week.
全国诗歌音乐大会通常于每年8月的第一周举办，所有活动的官方语言都是威尔士语。1959年的全国诗人及音乐家大会法案允许地方政府资助这一盛会。每当举办全国诗歌音乐大会的时候，人们会在空地上搭建成百上千个大大小小的场馆和看台。举办这个盛会的地点并不一定要在城市或城镇里，相反，需要在有大片空地的地方。仅仅是白天前来的游客就需要很多空地来停车，更别提还有很多要在营地待一周的人了。
The festival has a heavy druidic flavour, with the crowning and chairing ceremonies for the victorious poets being attended by bards in flowing white costumes, dancing maidens , trumpet fanfares and a symbolic Horn of Plenty.
这个庆祝活动有着浓浓的督伊德教意味，诗人们伴随着少女的欢乐舞蹈、喇叭声以及丰收号角入场参加加冕以及赠送椅子的仪式，他们都穿着飘逸白色衣服。
As well as the main pavilion with the main stage, there are other venues through the week. Some are fixtures every year, hosting gigs (Maes B), plays and shows (Maes C) and other fixtures of the maes where groups, societies, councils, charities and shops exhibit and sell. Some eisteddfod-goers never go near the main pavilion, but spend their time wandering the maes and meeting friends.
除了主场馆的主舞台外，全国诗歌音乐大会周期间还有一些其他场馆。有些活动是每年都会固定举办的，如现场演奏会(B场馆)、话剧以及戏剧(C场馆)等；此外，还有一些场地供各类机构、理事会、慈善机构或商店展览或售卖货物。有些去参加全国诗歌音乐大会的人们可能根本就不会去主场馆参加加冕仪式，而是去周围的场地逛逛、见见朋友等。
