As Festival No.6 gets ready to celebrate its fifth year in its beautiful home of Portmeirion, we’ve picked out ten cultural delights taking place at this year’s festival that you definitely don’t want to miss.
- David Bowie Reimagined
For a very special tribute at this year’s festival, Festival No.6 has commissioned composer-in-residence Joe Duddell to work with the world famous Manchester Camerata Chamber Orchestra on an exclusive David Bowie Reimagined performance. This exclusive work will feature arrangement of iconic songs from across Bowies career. With special guest also performing, this promises to be one of the highlights of the festival season.
2. Irvine Welsh
Festival No.6 is delighted to welcome back the brilliant Irvine Welsh. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Trainspotting and the follow-up of which is currently being filmed by Danny Boyle. Irvine’s a born storyteller and his appearance at No.6 this year will once again prove unforgettable.
3. Ricky Tomlinson
One of the UK’s most loved actors, Ricky Tomlinson will appear at this year’s festival. Having appeared in many TV series including the brilliant The Royle Family and Cracker. At No.6, Ricky will be in conversation with Johnny Vegas about Ragged, the film based on Ricky’s true experiences as a political prisoner on hunger strike in the early 70’s.
4. Welsh Byronthonaid Choir
The 60 strong Brythoniaid Male Voice Choir are firm favourites at Festival No.6 and their daily performances on the Central Piazza cannot be missed. The choir were formed in 1964 and their cover version of New Order’s Blue Monday was a Youtube sensation. They also have recently won first prize in the National Eisteddfod of Wales for the fifth year in a row.
5. DJ Yoda Does Sci-Fi
DJ Yoda will present a Portmeirion movie special of “DJ Yoda Does Sci-fi” to celebrate 40 years since Doctor Who was filmed at Portmeirion. DJ Yoda will also pay homage to The Prisoner on its 50-year anniversary with a themed audio-visual spectacular.
6. Carnival No.6
Carnival No.6 returns to Festival No.6 this year, weaving its way through the village on Saturday afternoon. A riot of colourful costumes and music, expect sequined samba headdresses, marching bands, flamboyant feathery backpacks and glittering gowns. Festivalgoers can now sign up in advance to take part.
7. Cassette Boy
Festival No.6 is delighted to welcome the internet sensation Cassetteboy to this year’s festival for what promises to be one of the leftfield highlights. Cassetteboy are a huge viral sensation, an English electronic music and comedy duo whose political and celebrity pastiches have scored millions and millions of Youtube views.
8. Johnny Vegas
Surprisingly, this is Johnny’s debut appearance at Festival No.6. Hi wilfully shambolic and dangerously out-of-control stage persona capable of producing moments of spontaneous magic will draw a huge crowd and promises to be a show to remember.
9. Dr John Cooper Clarke
Poet, movie star, rock star, TV & radio presenter, comedian, social and cultural commentator – the list goes on. Dr John Cooper Clarke returns to the festival following his brilliant appearance in 2013, which was one of the highlights of the festival.
10. The QI Quiz hosted by John Mitchinson
The utterly brilliant John Mitchinson, one of the brains behind the award-winning BBC TV show QI will host a very special quiz at Portmeirion, created just for No.6.
These are just a selection of the cultural highlights taking place at this year’s festival, as always there is a huge and unrivalled arts and culture line-up at Festival No.6 which you do not want to miss.
Festival No.6 is an intimate, bespoke banquet of music, arts and culture, taking place over the weekend of the 1-4 September in the magical village of Portmeirion, Wales, home of the cult TV series The Prisoner. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Hot Chip, Bastille and many more music acts will be performing at this year’s festival.
Acts will perform across the entire site, by the whimsical Italianate architecture of the village, the historic town hall, piazza, Bristol Colonnade, the picturesque Estuary stage, the atmospheric woods and the promenade along the River Dwyryd.
For more information and final tickets – visit: http://festivalnumber6.com/
