The Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association, also known as WNGGA, was founded in 1929, after the first Cymanfa Ganu in North America was held on a field on Goat Island, located in the Niagara Reservation State Park in Niagara Falls, New York. The Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association is responsible for overseeing the Cymanfaoedd Ganu held in North America.
The Gymanfa Ganu at Niagara Falls was the first National Gymanfa Ganu (Guh-mahn'-va Gahn'-ee) to be held in the United States. Although exact estimates are unknown, it is believed that 3,000 were in attendance. The Welsh Americans of Youngstown, Ohio are generally given the majority of credit for helping to perpetuate this movement. However, there were many others involved in the planning for the event. Delegations from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan, traveling by train and auto to Niagara Falls, were joined there by equally enthusiastic Welsh from Ontario. After the success of the first Gymanfa Ganu, plans were already being made for another Gymanfa at Niagara Falls the following year. An organizational structure was put into place with Will Lewis (Youngstown, Ohio) as President; Ellis Hughes (Niagara Falls, New York) as Vice President; Dave Lewis (Youngstown, Ohio) as Secretary; and W. B. Jones (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) as Treasurer. This was the beginning of what has been known as the "Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association", renamed in 2011 to "Welsh North American Association" or WNAA.