FriendsFest: The One With The Ultimate Friends Celebration

Fact: I am Friends obsessed and will forever watch the re-reuns over and over, and laugh at the same bits over and over! For those avid Friends fanatics you will have seen FriendsFest is back. If like me you weren’t lucky enough to get tickets to the super exclusive event last year which sold out in 13 minutes, this year they have decided to take Friends on a 6 week road trip around the UK. This time around lady luck was on my side, and last week it was finally time to get my FriendsFest on. 

I cannot deny I was so excited to go. I have to admit the directions to Chiswick Gardens were pretty poor, a little few signs in the grounds at least wouldn’t have gone a miss, but fear not we found it. 

Unlike last year they decided to take things outside. The set-up was done well and on pretty spacious grounds so nothing felt cramped even when it got busier. Tickets cost £24.00 with a separate ticket giving you a time slot to Monica and Rachel’s apartment. On offer was a recreated set of Monica and Rachel’s apartment, Central Perk, a partial set of Joey and Chandler’s apartment, a silent disco, Moondance Diner, various foodie eats and the chapel in Vegas. 

Aside from Monica and Rachel’s apartment everything else is free flowing and you can visit it as many times as you like. We were bright eyed and bushy tailed and got there pretty early which is certainly ideal if you want to enjoy everything when it’s a bit quieter.

For those wanting to make a day of it there is a stage with deck chairs and tables to enjoy some Mac n Cheese, coffee, crepes or Friends themed cocktails at The Chicken and The Duck Bar, all whilst watching snippets of classic Friends episodes on the main stage. 

The tour comprises of the most iconic parts of Friends. Central Perk I found to be one of the most exciting parts. Get on stage and sing Smelly Cat, go behind the counter a la Gunther and ….. sit on THE sofa ….

Yes THE orange sofa! 

After pootling around, taking a trip to get married we eagerly awaited in an orderly queue for the crème de la crème and our final part of FriendsFest… The apartment tour. Kick starting things with the opening credits we twirled our umbrellas whilst sitting on the sofa in front of the fountain. Smile for the camera!

You don’t get ushered around but you certainly aren’t allowed to hang about. The apartment has the major artifacts with a few added extras. Let’s be realistic here it is a scaled down version both in relation to what is in the actual apartment, and space wise. Take a seat on the sofa’s, try and spot ugly naked guy whilst sitting on the window seat, sit and enjoy coffee (albeit the cups are glued to the table) at the kitchen table, peek inside the fridge and ….

THE DOOR! I really do want a door like this! 

There were somethings missing in comparison to last year, no real photo booth, no floating heads scenario and no salon. Not that I found this outdoor extravaganza disappointing by any means but I have to say although there were the added foodie places I thought that there would be more. With a price hike from £5 you can understand why. 

This is still a Friends fanatics dream and it was a fantastic day out, so if you have tickets go, get in the spirit of Friends and enjoy every second. 

I’m off to watch another episode of Friends! 

Nibbles ‘n’ Scribbles x