Cardiff Nights Out
The Cardiff music scene is established and wide-ranging. It is the home to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera. It has produced several leading acts itself and, as a Capital City, has acted as a springboard for numerous Welsh bands to go and become famous both nationally and internationally. These include Charlotte Church, The Automatic, Catatonia, Super Furry Animals, Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers, Budgie, and Shakin Stevens among others. If someone in Cardiff tells you they want Brains, don’t be alarmed, they’re referring to the local brewery, which produce the city’s favourite pint. The lively St Mary Street is the busiest area for bars and clubs at the weekend with Mill Lane and Mermaid Quay in Cardiff Bay providing popular alternatives.
Cardiff Nights Out – Locations
Cardiff has a strong nightlife, and is home to many bars, pubs and clubs. Most are situated in the city centre, especially St Mary’s St, and more recently Cardiff Bay has built up a strong night scene. The Brewery Quarter on St. Mary’s Street is a recently developed venue for bars and restaurants with a central courtyard. Charles’ St. is also a popular part of town, known for its gay clubs and bars, rivaling Brighton for its UK gay scene. With three universities and over 10,000 students, it’s not surprising that Cardiff has a lively student nightlife scene, and much of it is focused around the neighbourhood of Cathays. Bars and pubs here cater for students with drink deals, themed nights out, and cheap food. Look out for live bands in The Social, smoke-free drinking in Bar En Route and the legendary Sunday lunches in the Funky Buddha Lounge.
Cardiff Nights Out – Entertainment
Cardiff’s weekend Nightlife scene centres around St Mary Street with its wide choice of bars, pubs and clubs all within stumbling distance. Popular bars stay open until late, and when the weather’s right, enjoy a drink on the outdoor terraces of Mill Lane or the Brewery 1/4. Mermaid Quay in Cardiff Bay is also a popular weekend Nightlife hotspot, and is becoming just as popular in mid-week. You’ll also find a wide choice of restaurants. The nearby Red Dragon Centre is also home to several bars and pubs as well as a multi-screen cinema and ten-pin bowling. The Greyfriars Road area offers an alternative to the bustling St Mary Street on weekends, and is home to smart cocktail and wine bars such as Fatcats. Also, just around the corner, is Windsor Place, where you’ll find trendy bars such as Buffalo Bar, and the smoke-free 33 Windsor Place.
Cardiff Nights Out – Festivals
The Big Weekend Festival, is held annually in late July/August in the city centre and is the place for many theme park events, rides and regularly attracts annually over 200,000 visitors. The annual Cardiff Festival claims to be the UK’s largest free outdoor festival and plays host to a range of different festivals including the Children’s Festival that takes place in the grounds of Cardiff Castle. Cardiff hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1883, 1899, 1938, 1960 and 1978, and is set to host it again in 2008. Cardiff is unique in Wales in having two permanent stone circles used by the Gorsedd of Bards during Eisteddfodau. The original circle stands in Gorsedd Gardens in front of the National Museum while its 1978 replacement is situated in Bute Park. Every other year, Cardiff plays host to the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, a world renowned event on the Opera Calendar.
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