Wikipedia
Criccieth is a town and community on Cardigan Bay, in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd in Wales. The town lies west of Porthmadog, east of Pwllheli and south of Caernarfon. It had a population of 1,826 in 2001, reducing to 1,753 at the 2011 census.
The town is a seaside resort, popular with families. Attractions include the ruins of Criccieth Castle, which have extensive views over the town and surrounding countryside. Nearby on Ffordd Castell (Castle Way) is Cadwalader's Ice Cream Parlour, opened in 1927, whilst Stryd Fawr (High Street) has several bistro style restaurants. In the centre lies Y Maes ("The Field", or town square), part of the original medieval town common.
The town is noted for its fairs, held on 23 May and 29 June every year, when large numbers of people visit the fairground and the market which spreads through many of the streets of the town.
Famous people associated with the town include the British prime minister, David Lloyd George, who grew up in the nearby village of Llanystumdwy, and poet William George. Group Captain Leslie Bonnet, RAF officer, writer and originator of the Welsh Harlequin Duck and his wife Joan Hutt, artist; both lived at Ymwlch just outside Criccieth from 1949 until their deaths in 1985.
Criccieth hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1975 and in 2003 was granted Fairtrade Town status. It won the Wales in Bloom competition each year from 1999 to 2004.
The town styles itself "The Pearl of Wales on the Shores of Snowdonia".