Celebrating Eryri and Llŷn's Culture
Mountains and seas, lakes and rivers, picturesque towns and villages… That’s Eryri on a postcard. But what you don’t get on a postcard is the cultural and artistic buzz that can be found throughout this area, twelve months a year. Central to that hustle and bustle are festivals and events of all kinds. Pack your bags. It’s time to pay them a visit!
Now that most of the summer festivals have been, we’ll take you directly to the next events on the calendar, before giving you a taste of all the things you can look forward to next year. Right, are you ready?
Glynllifon Park is the first stop. In mid-November, the Craft and Food Fair returns. As Christmas approaches, this is a popular festival packed with fabulous crafts and gifts, not to mention local food and drinks. Come and say hello to Santa in his grotto before wandering along the magnificent, wooded paths. Or dance, even, to the sound of the live music that accompanies the fair.
The Food and Crafts Fair that takes place in the village of Portmeirion in early December has a similar ambience. Has there ever been a more thrilling location to do your Christmas shopping than this spectacular Italian village? Above the tides of the Dwyryd estuary, there is a feast for the eyes around every corner. Along, of course, with a feast of Welsh crafts, a feast of local foods and drinks, and a feast of entertainment that caters for all.
From Portmeirion, follow the coast to the west. As you arrive in Pwllheli, the major town on the Llŷn peninsula, be sure to visit Neuadd Dwyfor. This is an arts centre which is also a theatre, cinema and library, and a superb place to get a taste of the area’s Welsh culture. There are regular live events, including two Noson Lawen events (evenings of mixed, informal entertainment) in September. Don’t forget that Pwllheli has a railway station and convenient bus connections; you don’t have to travel by car.
Bangor is another easy place to get to by bus and train. This is the city of the College on the Hill, the city of the famous Cathedral of St Deiniol. But also, the city of Pontio – a bustling and vibrant arts centre offering endless entertainment. Gigs, music, comedy, films, National Theatre Live and a myriad other things can be experienced here under one roof. In October and November, enjoy the wonderful sounds of the folk group Calan and exciting shows by National Dance Company Wales.
To the heart of Meirionnydd next, and one of Wales’s most iconic festivals: Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau. You'll have to wait until mid-July, but it'll be worth the wait. For an entire weekend, Welsh-language and folk music fills every nook and cranny of this pretty little town. The atmosphere is electric: on the streets, in the pubs and cafes, in the shops, and on the performing stages (there were eleven of them this year). It’s an all-encompassing festival in many respects, as the community and local businesses contribute significantly to its success. There's something here for the whole family.
We don't need to travel far to get to our next location: Blaenau Ffestiniog. The town is a prominent part of the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. By all means take the train: the beautiful Conwy Valley line terminates here. But there’s more to it than slate and railways. In early July, Gŵyl Car Gwyllt is a celebration of the town’s musical culture – a culture that has endowed Wales with many popular groups over the years. This is a festival full of fun, where the welcome is always warm. ‘Car Gwyllt’ translates literally as ‘Wild Car’. This was a device to transport quarrymen down the inclines at the end of a working day, not dissimilar to a speedy, small train. It would have been an exciting ride, no doubt, just like Gŵyl Car Gwyllt itself.
If Blaenau Ffestiniog was the slate capital of Wales, Caernarfon was the capital of ink. But ‘food capital’ might be a more apt description these days, as Caernarfon is home to one of the country's most successful food festivals. Every May, tens of thousands flock to Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon, while the old streets are packed to the rim with delicacies and amusements. In July, head back for a second fill – in the form of entertainment if not food – while enjoying the artistic offering of Gŵyl Arall. Comedy, music, literary talks, history tours and much more are part of the programme every year. If that's not enough, around the same time Gŵyl y Felinheli also entertains the crowds just three miles up the Menai Strait. This festival lasts a whole week, and is packed with stalls, entertainment, food and drink. Like so many of the other festivals on this list, these events are organised by volunteers: people who take pride in creating vibrant communities on their doorstep.
In mid-July, the Criccieth Festival lands in the Eifionydd seaside town. A whole week of comedy, walks, exhibitions, gigs, lectures, concerts and dinners – not forgetting the ceilidh for the whole family. Criccieth is a small town but this is a wide-ranging festival with something to appeal to everyone. Schedule your visit to coincide with it!
Follow the shores of Cardigan Bay southwards and you’ll reach Barmouth (Abermaw). It’s a popular visitor destination all year round, but the first weekend of July is a very good time to visit. This is when the Barmouth Food Festival is held in the town’s harbour. Over two days, there’ll be live music, stalls, activities for children, a crabbing competition, and a treasure hunt. All events are organised by the Town Council. Remember that you can also get here by train. Indeed, some would argue that this is the only way to arrive, as the incredible scenery of the Cambrian Coast Line makes it one of Britain's most wonderful train routes.
The Dyffryn Ogwen Climate Festival in Bethesda, which takes place in early May, is of a different nature. And perhaps ‘nature’ is an apt word in this regard – this is a festival that aims to educate the community about the climate change crisis and inspire people of all ages to take action. There are activities for children, guest speakers, stalls, games and refreshments. Plenty of fun, then, combined with some education and a chance to reflect. The festival highlights the potential for change when society comes together.
Nefyn holds its festival at the end of June. And it's perhaps the festival with the greatest name in the country: Penwythnos Porthi’r Penwaig (translates literally as ‘Feeding the Herring Weekend’). A name of course derived from the town's maritime history and its once thriving fishing industry. In a way, this is several festivals in one, as it includes a parade on the Saturday morning, a food festival in the afternoon, followed by musical entertainment on Saturday evening and on Sunday. Pay a visit next year to see for yourself what’s it like to ‘feed the herring’!
Moreover, north-west Wales has numerous other locations where you can get an endless fix of art and culture. Among them are the Dragon Theatre in Barmouth, a cosy theatre and community centre based in an old chapel; Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw Gallery in Llanbedrog, an impressive Gothic Victorian building a stone’s throw from the beach; The Old Courthouse in Caernarfon, which hosts concerts and gigs in a remarkable auditorium that was formerly a court of law; Galeri arts centre in Caernarfon which boasts a cafe, gallery, theatre and two cinema screens; Theatr Derek Williams on the site of Ysgol Godre’r Berwyn in Bala; and Storiel, an outstanding museum and art gallery in Bangor. And don’t forget about the Creative Gwynedd website, which contains a helpful list of all upcoming cultural events.
