5 Reasons Why I Love Festival No. 6 in Portmeirion
5 Reasons Why I Love Festival No. 6 in Portmeirion
Where? Portmeirion Festival No. 6
Exactly? Situated atop a picturesque estuary in North Wales, Portmeirion is one of the most visited and quirkiest tourist destinations in the UK. For four nights and days in September the quaint, colourful village is transformed into a festival full of art, music, culture and partying.
Whether you’re into big headline acts on the main stage, dancing to DJ’s by the beach, listening to talks from authors and artists, doing paddle board yoga or quaffing champagne sat in a hot tub, whilst listening to a string quartet, there’s something for everyone at Festival No. 6.
Why? When Festival Number 6 asked me to be a brand ambassador at the start of the season it was total no brainer, I jumped at the chance. And this weekend just gone I went to the festival with Charlie in a Mercedes Marco Polo camper van and we had the most amazing, magical time.
Keep scrolling to see my Style Traveller photo diary of the event and 5 reasons why I love Festival Number 6!!
One – The Incredible Location – Portmeirion Village
Portmeirion is the brainchild and lifes work of designer Sir Clough William-Ellis. After visiting Portofino, Italy in the early 1920’s he returned to his native home of Wales and set about recreating his dream Mediterranean village on the banks of the River Dwryd in Portmeirion. Today the tourist attraction is owned by a charitable trust.
There is no other UK festival that has such a beautiful and quirky location, it’s the perfect backdrop to an eclectic and vibrant event like Festival No. 6!
Where we stayed? I was very lucky to be given a Mercedes Benz V-Class Marco Polo specifically for the trip!! So we stayed in the motor home fields, which was such a great experience as it’s situated at the top of the hill and looks down over the whole festival.
Having stayed in various forms of lodgings during festivals, from tents, to tipis to boutique yurts, I can safely say the camper van is definitely the nicest one yet. You have your own running water, heating and plug sockets in the van, plus when the roof is up you can stand, which you can’t really do comfortably in tents and tipis. Also unlike in the boutique fields, there are minimal queues for the showers and wc because a many of the vans have their own facilities. I’m converted!
Above Bonnie wears coat and boots by Hunter
Bonnie posing along side the Mercedes Marco Polo in Hunter jacket and boots.
The standard festival pose in front of a suitably muddy sign!!
The hotel and pool at Portmeirion, which doubles up as a VIP area and one of the dance music stages at the event.
Bonnie enjoying a hot chai tea at Ghandi’s flipflop bedouin tent restaurant.
2 The Food and Drink
From banqueting tables at Clough’s restaurant (above) which are hosted by celebrity chefs, to quirky ways to enjoy your drinks such as the Ketel One Vodka, Bloody Mary and Expresso Martini making classes (pictured below), the food and beverage range on offer at the festival is excellent.
Having been to a few festivals this summer I do think No 6 and Wilderness have been the best in terms of quality as well as variety of food on offer. There’s everything from hog roasts, to vegan Indian, tacos, gourmet burgers, Raclette to fruit crumble! You wont go hungry.
Charlie and I at the Ketel One Vodka – Bloody Mary master class.
3 The Super Quirky Music Stages and Event Spaces
The super quirky dance and sound stations are truly imaginative! From Virgin Trains’ oriental floating house music stage to indie bands at Into The Woods the music venues are so cute and interesting.
There are talks, comedy and lectures in the Romanesque columns of the main village square which is spectacular. You can visit artists and string quartets and authors in the colourful village houses and Town Hall.
Dance till dawn by the beach or watch illuminated processions by the Main Stage. The areas the organisers have created are fantastic and really make it feel like you’re travelling into different stories and worlds everywhere you go.
The beach side DJ!
Dancing at The Virgin Trains City Limits floating music stage.
4 The history, culture and tradition
Not only is the village itself a grade listed area but the Welsh heritage is upheld in the form of the Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir singing national songs and modern tunes alike, such as songs by Rag & Bone Man, who also performed on the Sunday on the Main Stage.
But there are classical music gigs as well as the poetry forums, artists in session, dramatics and fancy dress, lectures from authors and wellbeing in the form of yoga classes and so so much more.
The closing show on the main stage.
5 The Jaw dropping Spectacle
Each night the festival hosts a light procession which you are all invited to join. From the torch carrying parade to the illuminated unicorn procession pictured above and below. Follow the parade through the village and up to the main stage with the giant illuminated, beachballs thrown into the audience.
The procession reaches the main stage.
The heliosphere
We were literally right underneath the Heliosphere acrobat with her giant spherical globe. She swoops and flies over the crowds to create a magical, mesmerising and memorable performance.
Good bye from Festival No. 6 next stop London Fashion Week…
Bonnie wears coat and boots by Hunter
For more of Bonnie’s Festival Trips from this season click here.
Or for more posts on Portmeirion click this link.
Bon Voyage xx
Wow what an absolutely amazing sounding festival no wonder you love it.
That coat as well from Hunters is just absolutely incredible!
From your post I can see why you love this festival, it sounds amazing and Gina no your picture are great!!!
This festival looks like it was so much fun. I love your flower crown. I was lucky to make it to a few fun festivals around here this summer.
What an amazing location for a festival! You look and sound like you had a really awesome experience!
Wow, it looks like so much fun! Super awesome pictures too! Thanks for sharing :)
Oh my god this is stunning! It gives me the feeling of the festival in Tangled coming into real life with flags and lanterns and flowers and people dancing! Thanks a lot for your introduction – I’ll search about it on Google immediately!
Looks amazing. Sounds like you had a great time. I love festivals !! They have great ones here in New York
This looks soooo magical! OMGosh I want to go!
This looks like so much fun! And you are right, it is so colorful!
This festival looks absolutley amazing! It sounds like it has everything you can imagine. The VIP area in a hotel is a fab idea and I love that there is a hot tub! I am totally in agreement with you – campervans are the way to go!
I’ve not hear of this festival before but it sounds amazing. The location is just gorgeous! I love that there is so much to do and see apart from the dance music. The food sounds great for a festival too.
I’m jealous of the camper van, owning one is my festival dream!
What a fun festival. That heliosphere is amazing! Your outfit was so nice too. Perfect choice for the event!
I had never heard of this location or this festival before reading this post! Thank you for educating me :-) The coat is gorgeous, and I love your flower crown. And that scenery – incredible!
That outside concert venue looks like so much fun! What bands did you get to see? I love that the village square hosts so many different events. It looks like a blast!
Looks fantastic, regardless of whether the weather held up. I’ve got to say, there’s something particularly entrancing about that bubble photo you’ve taken there. It looks like another world entirely, and sometimes that’s a great place to be!
Festival No. 6… even the name of the festival sounds fun! The village is indeed look as Mediterranean village, warm and colorful. Your pictures are fabulous giving the feeling of the festival.
Wow! What an amazing festival in an even more amazing setting!! It looks like you had a fab time, your photos are gorgeous!
This looks like an absolutely amazing experience, and you look so pretty Bonnie! Super lucky of you to be lent the camper, I’ve never slept in a camper van before x
I have never ever been to a festival and all these posts with beautiful festival pictures are really making me plan for one soon. :)
Wow!! What an amazing festival. It look like you are having a blast there. What a great experience. Nice photos.
Wow that festival looked like it was a really great time! I loved all the pictures that you put up!, all of the colors and decorations looked amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Woah this festival looks so fun and fantastic! And I loved your outfit through it all too!
This place looks magical. Straight out of a story book, well the adult version lol
I can see why you enjoyed the festival. It sounds like good fun. Love the location too.
What an fun experience! You’re totally right, base on your photos the place and the vibe are so amazing! Hopeully I can visit this place someday and experience festival No. 6!
Festival at Portmeirion is so colorful and lively. Closing ceremony of the show is also very beautiful. Food looks very yummy hotel is also very beautiful.
Looks pretty awesome. And I love your jacket!