Whitsun is on May 24th this year and, although the festival day itself is a Sunday, it comes with the added bonus of a Bank Holiday Monday, making it the perfect opportunity to get out and explore some of the attractions of North Wales.
The range of activities on offer across the region is many and varied, from family outings to physical pursuits – here are just some of the choices available to you this year.
GreenWood Forest Park
Whitsun Family Fun starts at GreenWood Forest Park on Saturday May 23rd, with a calendar packed with donkey rides, circus skills, pirate shows and face painting, along with craft sessions by the Red Squirrel Trust Wales – you can reach the Park easily from the A55 Bangor exit.
Anglesey Walking Festival
The Isle of Anglesey Walking and Outdoor Festival 2015 also starts on May 23rd, and runs right through the Bank Holiday weekend and beyond to June 7th. Events range from a walking marathon or Walkathon to bus tours of Anglesey’s hidden treasures and spectacular coastline.
Steam Weekend at Penrhyn Castle
Head to Penrhyn Castle on May 23rd-24th for a weekend of Steam Days – a chance to blow off some steam in the castle’s Railway Museum, complete with good old-fashioned coal-shovelling and whistle-blowing. If you visit on the Bank Holiday Monday then you will be treated to a Victorian Day with games and activities from the period taking place across the park. Both events are free, apart from the castle’s normal admission charges.
The Great Strait Raft Run
Take to the high seas – well, the waters of the Menai Strait, anyway – for The Great Strait Raft Run on Monday May 25th. It sets out from Felinheli, an old slate port, and follows a route to the Menai Bridge at Porthaethwy, passing by historic Plas Newydd along the way.
Art at Plas Newydd
If you’re in the area for the whole weekend, head to Plas Newydd House and Gardens on Saturday May 23rd for an exhibition of artworks by local artist Sue Banks. It’s part of a season of art at Plas Newydd that will also feature Gareth Brindle Jones, another artist from the region, and runs through until June 24th.