There were three spectacular nights of great entertainment over the Whitsun bank holiday in the superb Follies Theatre in Folly Farm when Texaco's annual Charity Weekend took place. Benefiting charities this year included the Lady Taverners, the Noah's Ark Appeal and NCH Cymru - Action for Children.

In association with the South Wales Male Choir - Côr Meibion De Cymru, who provided the wonderful key choral element in Saturday's 'Sights and Sounds in Wales', Texaco must be well pleased to have sponsored such a variety of high quality entertainment in what many people now regard as the best 'live' music venue in Pembrokeshire.

On stage with the 101 strong choir under the inimitable baton of director of music and conductor, Dr. Haydn James, were musicians and dancers from Wales and the USA, making this the first of two very special Welsh-American nights.

The audience were treated to 'Riverdance' style dancing by Saundersfoot-based Broga Rince, introduced by presenter Brian Harries, to the talent of the 2003 Texaco Young Musician of Wales, trumpeter Daniel de Gruchy-Lambert accompanied by his father Bill de Gruchy-Lambert from Machen and the beautifully balanced and powerful voices of the choir accompanied by Sian Gwawr, whose final item in the first half, 'American Trilogy', served as a great intro for Côr Meibion De Cymru's guests from Macon, Georgia, USA.

Country southern rock band 'Cathead Dooly' is a great band. They received a true Pembrokeshire welcome as they opened the second half with a 16-minute, four-song set that got not just the audience, but the choir as well, finger and toe-tapping, not to mention hand-clapping as the five guys 'wowed' every one of the Follies theatre.

In some respects, the theatre became the star, for as producer Phil Howells remarked: "Where else can you find a venue with comfortable audience seating, uninterrupted sight-lines and excellent acoustics that suits unamplified choir, solo-trumpeter, dance troupe and rock band not just under one roof, but on the same bill. It's a remarkable place."

The foyer of the Follies Theatre became a classy banqueting hall by Sunday night when Gordon Parry hosted 120 guests for the five-course, wine inclusive, 'Good Lord!' Celebrity Gala Dinner in aid of Noah's Ark Appeal.

Special mention was drawn to Pembrokeshire this year, with the Pembrokeshire College catering team of staff and students cooking and serving the bill of fare. The ingredients were donated from far and wide from traders and suppliers and guest celebrities Jane Harvey (BBC X Ray), Hywel James (HTV) with Cenarth (just over the border) poet Elened Phillips, Brian Harries (BBC Radio Wales) and Narberth's own Wyn Calvin MBE entertained between courses.

Cathead Dooly's Brian Whitehead had special cause to celebrate in song that night as he had discovered a long-lost relative in the dinner party. The guitar playing singing preacher and carpenter did so in style.

The unveiling of a plaque by Lord Parry and the cutting of the ribbon by Philip Evans, chairman of the Wales Tourist Board, officially opened the new refurbished Follies Theatre, with guests being entertained by Cathead Dooly who found a real soul mate in Annmarie Riley, Neyland's rising singing star joining them for two numbers.

Lord Parry presented the band with certificates making them 'Honourary Welshmen' and guitarist Aubrey Ray surprised His Lordship with the performance of a specially written song for the occasion - 'A Wales Homecoming' - an emotional simple ballad in southern style that will undoubtedly be heard many times in the year to come.

Monday night was rock night and how well the two featured bands got the audience - some now in the building for the third successive night - rocking in the aisles. Two 90-minute sets began with Owen Money and The Soulsharks. There cannot be a more entertaining seven-piece band than these men from South Wales - with the uproarious humour of Merthyr's comedian, singer and broadcaster - thrown in for good measure.

By the time Cathead Dooly took the stage, the audience were rocking and ready for the American element of the show. They were not disappointed. Keith Dean, Aubrey Ray, Brian Whitehead and Chuck Spivey (four musicians and a drummer Dr. Bruce Allen!) wowed Pembrokeshire with terrific talent - the audience tiers were bouncing and the ecstatic crowd wouldn't let them leave without an encore.

Two flags adorned each side of the stage that night - the Dragon of Wales and the Stars and Stripes - joined in music by a Welsh and an American band. "C'mon back soon, y'all hear - yours truly Cathead Dooly!"