About this listing
This page is built from an archived 2016 events calendar. It shows what took place across the Snowdonia area that year and gives a sense of the annual rhythm. The events are in the past, dates may change from year to year, and anyone planning a visit should check with the organisers of each occasion for the current programme.
Late spring
- A land and seafood festival was held at Plas Heli in Pwllheli at the end of May.
- Fairbourne marked a hundred years of steam on its railway.
- Celtic fairs took place at Conwy harbour and, later, at Electric Mountain in Llanberis.
- A raft run crossed the Menai Strait, raising money for good causes.
June
- A three-day classic rally trial, the Three Castles, was based in Llandudno.
- The All Wales Boat Show took place at Plas Heli, the Welsh National Sailing Academy.
- Endurance fans had the Snowdonia Charity Challenge, the Three Peaks Yacht Race at Barmouth, the Snowdon Mountain Challenge and a duathlon at Dolgellau.
- Coed y Brenin hosted a trail marathon and a half marathon.
- Criccieth held a week-long festival opening with a food event.
- Barmouth had a country and western festival, a kite festival and a paddlesports festival, while Conwy held a pirate-themed weekend.
- Dolgellau’s Sunday market ran monthly on the third Sunday, except in January and February.
July
- Music: Conwy’s bluegrass festival, Conwy’s classical music week, and Dolgellau’s Sesiwn Fawr.
- Running: the International Snowdon Race, ten miles up and down the mountain from Llanberis, and the Snowdonia trail marathon.
- Shows: the Caernarfon agricultural show and the Royal Welsh Show, for which Meirionnydd was the host county.
- Railways: a summer of family events and a jazz train on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways.
- Triathlon: a festival at Capel Curig replaced the earlier Snowman event.
August
- Jazz and barbecue evenings at Tan y Bwlch
- Abersoch Regatta, run by the community over several days
- A first ultra marathon around the Llyn Peninsula, 75 miles in 24 hours
- Village and county shows at Eglwysbach, Llanrwst and Bala
- Big Brutal Swim in Llyn Padarn, Race the Train at Tywyn, and a cycle race around Bala
- A beach fun day at Llandanwg and a beach-lifestyle festival near Abersoch
September and beyond
Festival No.6 returned to Portmeirion for its fourth year, a ten-kilometre trail race followed at Coed y Brenin, and Conwy held a honey show where beekeepers and the public meet. The Snowdon Moonlight Challenge took trekkers up the mountain at night, and Dolgellau ran its twice-yearly fairs in September and April.
For place-based lists see the venue pages for Porthmadog, Plas Heli, Electric Mountain and Conwy.
Reading the calendar as a planning tool
Even though the dates have passed, the 2016 programme shows a pattern that tends to repeat. Late May and June bring the first wave of festivals and endurance races, July is dominated by music and the big shows, August is the peak for regattas, village shows and family railway days, and September closes the season with Portmeirion’s festival and mountain challenges by moonlight. April and winter months are quieter, though the autumn and spring fairs in Dolgellau and Santa-themed railway trips show that the area is not dormant out of season.
Tips for planning around events
- Book transport early. Race weekends and music festivals bring many visitors to small towns, and trains and buses can fill up.
- Expect road closures. Marathons and cycle races use local roads, so allow extra time on the day.
- Think about weather. Mountain events can be altered or cancelled in bad conditions; read the organiser’s notices.
- Mix events with walks. Many venues sit close to the trails described elsewhere on this site, so a festival day can become a wider outing.
- Respect local life. Village shows, honey fairs and agricultural events are community occasions first, and visitors are welcomed as guests.
Categories at a glance
Endurance events: Snowdon races and challenges, trail marathons, duathlon and ultra marathon. Water events: boat show, regatta, swim and paddle festival. Culture: Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Celtic fairs, classical and bluegrass music. Shows: Caernarfon, Eglwysbach, Llanrwst, Bala and the Royal Welsh. Railways: steam centenary, jazz train, family summer programme, race against a train.
About the listing itself
The source calendar invited visitors to send in details of events to be listed. This site no longer collects event submissions. For current dates, consult the websites of the individual organisers and the visitor information services for each town.