Pictures have revealed the "disgusting" state of toilets at a much-criticised country and western festival in Carmarthenshire, with rubbish strewn across the floor, a door off its hinges, and what appears to be excrement covering a lavatory. The This Ain't Texas Country Festival, held on the outskirts of Carmarthen on Saturday, has drawn heavy criticism from ticket holders.
Attendees slam organisation, food, and entertainment
Many complained about the price of food and drink, poor organisation, and low-quality live acts on the main stage, which some described as "very bad karaoke." One man called it "the Welsh version of the Willy Wonka Experience," referencing an infamous Willy Wonka-inspired event in Scotland in 2024 that left attendees furious and demanding refunds.
Meisha Evans said: "The urinal facilities were completely open and visible to passers-by, including children, which I found wholly inappropriate at a family event. I have seen videos of the other toilets which were disgusting." Tyrone Davies described the toilets as "ghastly." Another woman said: "I stopped people bringing their children in there for a while because of how bad it was. Doors weren’t locking and there was no toilet paper. The portaloos were a bit better but not great."
Toilet conditions revealed in photos and video
Images show dirty cubicles with rubbish on the floor, excrement on and around a toilet bowl, a small hole in the wall, cans and paper strewn about, and a damaged cubicle door taken off its hinges. The festival was held at Carmarthen Showground.
Some attendees enjoyed their day. One person said: "Personally our group enjoyed, we had a laugh and though singing was not great we made our own fun and will go again next year." Another said: "I arrived at 6.30pm and had a nice evening. Food was not great quality and a lot had run out - I just assumed it had been so busy. I felt safe, the car was nearby and staff were friendly."
Mixed reactions and organiser response
One woman said she enjoyed the festival but added: "But the entertainment was awful, the bars tiny, inexperienced staff, extortionate prices, security was hopeless, food was awful and over priced, fair music too loud, but the lady working at the toilets did a superb job. Two hay bales and poor karaoke singers do not make Texas!"
Organisers have not responded to Wales Online's requests for comment but admitted in a social media post that "not everything went exactly as planned." They apologised for shortcomings, noting that due to overwhelming demand, team and performers were split across two locations on the same weekend, and severe weather destroyed half of the bar setups less than 12 hours before the event. They said they are already acting on feedback and plan to return next year "bigger and better than ever."
A Facebook group called "This Ain't Texas Complaints" has hundreds of members. The festival is moving to Dorset for another event on Friday, advertised as a "full-on Americana Country and Western experience" with tribute acts including Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, and Beyonce.
