Festive Things To Do in Cornwall
The Cornish Christmas spirit is a force to be reckoned with. During the festive season this magical county transforms into a sparkling trove of merry gatherings and glittering attractions.
We’ve handpicked a few Cornish Christmas events from a long and joyful list, all of them guaranteed to fill both you and your loved ones full to the brim with Christmas cheer…
Ice Skating at Eden
12th October – 23rd February
It’s the only indoor ice-skating rink in the whole of Cornwall. Part of the Eden Project’s Festival of Christmas, this enchanting feature is open from 12th October to 23rd February and continues to delight all those who take to the ice. The whole family can enjoy skating sessions, lessons, and ice play when they enter this winter wonderland. Wheelchair skaters are also welcome, and penguin and snowman skating aids are available for children finding their feet. The ice skating rink is one of the highlights of Eden’s exciting Christmas schedule which also includes: glittering chorus recitals, lantern walks through the incredible Biomes, a traditional brass band playing carols beneath a giant Christmas tree accompanied by mince pies and mulled wine, Father Christmas and his busy band of elves in their grotto, minstrels and storytellers spreading special Yuletide tales, craft workshops and Christmas shopping stalls.
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Montol Midwinter Festival, Penzance
21st December
Cornwall upholds many time-honoured traditions and nowhere more so than the historic port town of Penance, which every year stages a festival celebrating the feast of St Thomas the Apostle and the winter solstice. Newcomers will be captivated by the masked processions and the celebration of ‘Old Christmas’ ways; the ceremonial ‘guise dancing’ remains one of the West Country’s oldest customs. The parade is led by the ‘Lord of Misrule’, elected to preside over the feast of Christmastide, and incorporates the lighting of beacons around the town. Montol is the highlight of an exciting week of festive activities, including: lantern and mask-making workshops, strolling bands, storytelling and players, games, carol singers and plenty of festive food fayre. You don’t need to be a culture vulture or a history buff to appreciate this flamboyant and mysterious muster, a chance to experience some Cornish days of yore.
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Panto Season at the Princess Pavilion, Falmouth
13th December – 5th January
A swashbuckling adventure upon the high seas is sure to keep the audience on the edges of their seats. The Miracle Theatre returns to Falmouth’s Princess Pavilion for its all-dancing, all-singing, all-action adaption of Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’. Where better setting for this famous nautical tale than the historic maritime town of Falmouth. Expect laughter, suspense, sailor’s shanties and plenty of sea salty swashbuckling when you book your tickets for this hearty seaside panto, an outing the whole family will enjoy.
Charlestown Boxing Day Swim, Charlestown Harbour
11am, 26th December
Take the plunge and be a part of a longstanding festive tradition. Every year, hundreds of plucky souls head to the historic harbour of Charlestown for a revitalising Boxing Day dip. This popular charity event is a great antidote to your Christmas excesses, as well as delivering a shivery rush of endorphins as you dash into the big blue. Charlestown Harbour is an exquisite late Georgian port that’s frequently used in period dramas, most recently appearing in the BBC’s award-winning adaption of Poldark. Wild swimmers travel from far and wide to take part in this festive dunking, many of them making the shoreline dash in fancy-dress. Swimmers must be eleven years old and over, while participants under the age of sixteen must be accompanied by an adult. No wetsuits allowed!
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Bodmin & Wenford Railway’s ‘Santa by Steam’
30th November – 24th December
This Christmas, travel to the heart of Cornwall for the experience of a lifetime when you book your tickets to board a classic steam-hauled train bound for Santa’s secret grotto. Departing from Bodmin Railway Station, you will be chaperoned by the ‘railway elves’ and enticed by freshly baked mince pies, seasonal tipples, and Christmas carols to fill you full of festive cheer. Santa will make a special appearance, spending time with everyone and noting down all your Christmas wishes. This is a magical adventure the whole family can enjoy, so sit back and revel in a magical journey. This special service also offers autism-friendly and wheelchair accessible trains during its busy schedule.
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Rogue Theatre ‘Winter Wood’, Tehidy Woods North Cliffs,
Twice listed in the ‘Best UK Christmas Days Out’ by the Guardian Newspaper and winner of Best Theatre Show by the What’s on Cornwall Awards (WOCA), this winter take a trip to Tehidy Woods, North Cliffs, on the Godrevy Heritage Coast, for a magical experience full of stories, singing, dancing, marvels, faeries and wintery wonders. Listen to the legends of Old Man Winter as you explore the twisting paths beneath the ancient boughs beyond the Woodland Gate, led by mischievous woodland sprites. This year’s Winter Wood has been described as ‘one of Cornwall’s most well-loved festive traditions with a more dazzling, wild and magical spirit than ever’ with brand new enchanting stories that will captivate and excite. A real family favourite in the mythical and tangled woods of Kernow.
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The Lost Gardens of Heligan ‘Christmas Fair’
6th & 7th December
The Lost Gardens of Heligan have been described as Cornwall’s sleeping beauty, having been resurrected from the undergrowth and transformed into a beautiful 200-acre enclave and working estate. Winter is an enchanting time at Heligan, embracing a busy festive calendar full of Yuletide delights, including markets stalls choc-a-bloc with the crafts and wares of local artisans. The Christmas Fair is all set to be a cheery and bustling affair, the ideal opportunity to pick up some Christmas gifts while enjoying some delicious seasonal cuisine – including churro and crepes – and some uplifting live music and shanty choir singers. You can also enjoy the ‘Heligan by Night’ event, when these precious gardens are illuminated under the stars. All of this in one of the region’s most spectacular and beautiful settings, what’s not to like.
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Christmas at Trelissick
With its magnificent and far-reaching views of the Fal Estuary, the Trelissick estate embraces hundreds of roaming acres, from ancient woodland trails to garden paths flanked with dazzling flora both native and tropical. For Christmas this historic realm will be putting on a bumper festive spread, including colourful and illuminated evening walks along its winding tree-lined trails, an opportunity to get up close and personal with a beguiling troop of reindeer flown in especially from their native and chillier climes. There will also be a visit from Father Christmas (along with his merry band of storytelling elves) who will be making a pit-stop to Trelissick ahead of his busy winter work schedule. As if that isn’t enough, the dining halls of Trelissick will be serving up Christmas lunches, with all the trimmings, to hoards of hungry guests.
This Christmas smuggle your loved ones away to the sandy shores of Cornwall for a magical holiday full of fond, festive memories to last a lifetime. Take your pick from hundreds of cosy holiday cottages tucked away in all four corners of the beautiful county of Cornwall…from snug boltholes ideal for romantic retreats to spacious, family-sized dwellings – we’ve got the lot!