The One Where I Went to Friends Fest

If you’re of a certain age then you will inevitably be a fan of Friends. To be honest, I came to it a bit late. I never actually watched the show when it aired on TV. It wasn’t until 2010 that I really started to watch re-runs of it and, finally, got hooked.

Fast-forward seven years and I have now seen every episode countless times. Season 5 is my favourite because I love when Chandler and Monica first got together. Whenever I need a quick pick-me-up, I automatically reach for an episode of Friends. There is something timeless about it that I think everyone in their twenties and thirties can relate to.

When I heard about Friends Fest last year I was disappointed that there were no Scottish events that I could go to. Once again this year it didn’t come north of the border, but I wasn’t about to let that put me off. I had decided that I was going and so I managed to get tickets for one of the London events, which just so happened to be last Wednesday.

On arriving at Friends Fest the first thing that caught my eye was the Vegas Wedding Chapel – a chance to dress up as either a Centurion or bride and pose for a picture. My boyfriend got dragged along and although I don’t think he’d ever admit it, I think he secretly had fun getting to dress up as a Centurion.

We then made a beeline for Central Perk. Just seeing the famous sign made me a little hyper and inside was a replica of the set. There was a lot to take in from the cakes and pastries to the coffee machine and iconic sofa. Much like Rachel, I sucked at being a waitress. Knowing she eventually landed her dream job was what kept me going during my waitressing years.

There were several options for food besides Central Perk. Outside there was a Moondance Diner, a My Sandwich van and a Mokolate truck. As well as this there was a Chick and Duck bar which was serving very pretty looking cocktails.

Our visit to Friends Fest included a set tour of Chandler and Joey’s apartment, the hallway and Monica’s apartment. Excitement levels were at fever pitch as the thirty-odd of us assembled were unleashed on the sets. First up was Joey and Chandler’s apartment. It was really hard to get a good photo as there were so many of us and there was so much to take in in such a limited time frame. Highlights for me included Hugsy, the big white dog and the fuse ball table.

We then had the chance to stand in the famous hallway  before heading over to Monica’s apartment. Again there was so much to take in, but I managed to snap the famous Jouets poster, the doorway and had a chance to sit on Monica’s couch.

Our final stop was the chance to recreate the opening sequence by sitting on the couch with an umbrella. I think I enjoyed this bit the most, even if I did mess up the second photo by holding my umbrella at the wrong angle. You’ll just have to take my word for it as the picture is too awful to share, but I absolutely love this one.

Friends Fest was everything I hoped it would be and more. I had fun seeing the iconic sets and getting to dress up and interact with props. The atmosphere was just so happy and it was amazing to see so many people sharing their affection for a show which ended thirteen years ago. Now I’m off to re-watch the entire series from the beginning again.