The Good Life Experience has announced its return to North Wales for the three-day event which runs from September 15-17 on the estate of former Prime Minister William Gladstone in Hawarden just 10 minutes from Chester.
The one-of-a-kind festival boasts music, literature, craft and design, pit cooking and the natural world – this festival is one of a kind.
Now in its fourth year, the weekend is the brainchild of Cerys Matthews, MBE founding member of multi-million selling band Catatonia and BBC Radio 6 DJ and her co-founders.
There is no VIP area in this festival, it’s one of the friendliest festivals on the circuit, inviting guests to be part of the story. All performers and contributors are hand-picked with passion and expertise in mind rather than hype.
Co-founder Charlie Gladstone believes that quality is king.
He said: “The founders focus on absolute excellence across the weekend, making sure that they select every single thing on site personally, from the gin to the blacksmith, from the rope makers to the headliner performers.”
This year’s line up includes Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen, BBC Wildlife presenter Kate Humble, songwriter Michael Head, Masterchef winner and Wahaca founder Thomasina Miers, Roger Phillips, the world’s leading mushroom expert, and author Frank Cottrell-Boyce. Sunday Times columnist and writer India Knight also joins the bill this year to talk about her love of dogs.
The Good Life Experience invites over 40 makers to show their wares and give demonstrations/classes, making this the first festival to fully recognise and embrace the renaissance of artisan makers.
The aim is that guests leave the festival inspired and energised, rather than exhausted and empty pocketed - and value for money is high on the agenda in this independent festival; there are endless free rides on the vintage (1930s) fairground, the vast majority of activities are free on entry, with children under 12 coming in for free, too.
Cerys added: “At our festival you can hear the best authors, best musicians, poets and chefs, be inspired by collectors and makers, and get your hands dirty wood carving or fire starting.”
There’s no glamping per se, guests stay in local B&Bs and hotels, camp or park their camper vans on the cricket green or opt for pre-erected bell tents which form a stunning canvas moat in front of the two great castles on the estate, just down the road from the world ’s finest residential library, Gladstone’s Library.
Weekend tickets are available from £91 at www.thegoodlifeexperience.co.uk/buy-tickets .
