Unmissable Events in Cornwall 2020
Important Dates for your 2020 Cornish Diaries…
The dust is about to settle on yet another year. No sooner have you boxed up the festive decorations and committed your New Year’s Resolutions to ink, it’s time to start filling your diaries with exciting dates to look forward to…
Here’s a selection of Cornish events guaranteed to light up 2020 and help fend away those January blues…
‘Obby ‘Oss Festival, Padstow, May Day
It’s one of Cornwall’s most ancient gatherings, an age-old tradition that’s survived the centuries and sees thousands of ‘Padstonians’ make the annual pilgrimage back to their home town. Every year on the 1st May, the narrow, winding streets of Padstow are adorned with flowers, flags and bunting in anticipation of one of its most animated parades. The origins of ‘Obby ‘Oss are believed to be rooted in Pagan fertility ceremonies and the coming of summer, intertwined with the ancient Celtic festival of Beltane (or Beltain) which marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and summer solstice.
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Picture the scene… dancers ‘cavorting’ along the streets dressed in red and blue ribbons and poked and prodded by masked ‘teasers’ dressed in black capes, all to the sounds of drums, accordions and song bursts, and followed by an entourage clothed in white and wearing cowslips and bluebells. During the 19th Century, this event was particularly raucous and even saw locals firing pistols into the air! Today, it’s slightly less gung-ho, but you can still expect plenty of jollification and packed crowds of merrymakers.
The Royal Cornwall Show, Wadebridge, 4th, 5th & 6th June
Make a date with the Royal Cornwall Show, a gathering of gargantuan proportions that celebrates the culture and heritage of Cornwall. Traced back to the 1700s, the show attracts people in their thousands, with a smorgasbord of exhibits and displays all celebrating the best of country living. Whether you’re watching show jumping in the main ring or learning about bee keeping and rare breeds in one of the surrounding marquees, you’ll find yourself immersed by this window into both ancient tradition and cutting-edge technology. There’s nowhere more Cornish than the county show, an annual array of ‘proper ‘andsome’ proportions that continues to attract rave reviews.
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Golowan Festival, Penzance, 19th – 28th June
The roots of Golowan lie in the Feast of St John, a midsummer celebration that during the 19th Century included bonfires, flaming tar barrels and burning torches. The tradition was revived during the 1990s, only this time focusing on a parade led by the Golowan Band and including ‘serpent dances’ and a ‘mock mayoral election’. The historic streets of Penzance are consumed by pomp and pageantry and dressed from lamppost to letterbox in floral decorations and bunting. Also known as ‘Mazey Day’, Golowan is one of Cornwall’s many family-friendly gatherings and showcases the region’s vibrant arts and crafts scene. The build-up to the celebration involves a dazzling firework display and the arrival of ‘Penglaz’, Penzance’s ‘Obby ‘Oss of ‘Mazey Eve’. Expect several parades, live music, street food and entertainment, giant sculptures and jostling crowds all come to enjoy this colourful, and slightly mysterious, Cornish jamboree.
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Eden Sessions; The Eden Project, Bodelva, June – July
Described as one of the wonders of the modern world, The Eden Project biomes provide a stunning backdrop to the Eden Sessions stage. Throughout the summer months, some of the world’s most famous musicians and musical artists jet into Cornwall to perform at this unique and intimate outdoor setting in front of packed crowds. Now enjoying its eighteenth year, ‘The Sessions’ have attracted the likes of Elton John, Oasis, Tom Jones, Moby, Amy Winehouse, Primal Scream, Paolo Nutini… the list goes on. The latest announcements for 2020 include Lionel Richie, 17th June, and The Script, 15th July. Surely one of the UK’s best alternative venues, Eden Sessions is gearing up for another spectacular summer full of more truly memorable performances. Click here for more information.
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Sundowner Sessions; Lusty Gaze Beach, near Newquay
The dreamy sunsets of Lusty Gaze beach provide the setting for another of Cornwall’s summer music venues. The Sundowner Sessions has lured in some big names over the years, the likes of Razorlight, Ben Howard, The Levellers, Morcheeba and Newton Faulkner all taking to the stage to serenade this beautiful cove, awarded ‘Most picturesque live music venue in the UK’ by The Times. This oceanside scene remains one of Cornwall’s better-kept secrets, offering up weekly music sessions that orbit around a stylish bar and restaurant. If you’re into ‘sophisticated’ raving, Friday 17th July 2020 is an important date for your Cornish diaries, headliners Symphonica and Mr Switch arriving at the bay to unleash orchestral harmonies and some Ibiza club classics (conducted by Miles Hancock).
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Tropical Pressure, Porthtowan, near Truro, 17th – 19th July
Another of Cornwall’s family-focused festivals, Tropical Pressure is back for 2020 ready to unloose all the positive vibes of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean upon the beautiful south Cornish coast. Eco Park is the venue for this happy gathering and this year’s musical line-up is crammed full of exciting artists keen to share their uplifting sounds from around the world. The festival has its own World Food Market where you can experience delicious vegetarian cuisine cooked from exquisite, artisan recipes with a strong focus on locally sourced, organic and fair-trade products. Festival organisers are keen to embrace the green revolution, with aims to make the event zero waste by 2025. This is one of Cornwall’s most laidback and welcoming shindigs, non-stop positive vibes and the opportunity to dance the nights away amid one of the county’s most spectacular settings.
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Boardmasters; Fistral Beach, Newquay, 5th – 9th August
Festivals don’t come much bigger than Newquay’s legendary Boardmasters. This momentous gathering is back with a vengeance after falling foul to last year’s Atlantic storms, and with it comes a line-up guaranteed to rock your world. Taking place across several venues and stages, Boardmasters is also a labyrinth of shopping popup stalls, eateries, wellbeing tents, circus skills, arts and crafts, soul sports demos and lots, lots more. The festival is famous for attracting some of the world’s elite wave-riders who descend upon this sparkling coastal sweep to compete in one of the World Surf League’s most prolific qualifying series, with an after party to match! Click here for ticket information.
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Cornwall Pride; Newquay, 29th August
The flamboyant coastal town of Newquay will once again host Cornwall Pride; an event that aims to bring together members of the LGBT community to enjoy one of the most exciting social gatherings of the year. Cornwall Pride is traditionally opened by a colourful street parade full of floats, walking bands and dance troops. This joyful vibe travels to the seaside garden verges of Killacourt, where part-goers can kick-back, mingle and mooch around the many stalls and take part in an array of family-friendly activities. There’ll be gastronomic delights aplenty and acres of open space to run wild or relax. All this ahead of the highly-anticipated Moonbow Party, an over 18s dance party with an exciting line-up of musical acts lasting into the early hours. To keep up to date on all Cornwall Pride’s latest news, follow its updates on Facebook.
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Cornwall Folk Festival, Wadebridge, North Cornwall, 28th – 31st August
Now in its 48th year, Cornwall Folk Fest is one of the most iconic folk festivals in the UK, attracting artists from all over the world. The event takes full advantage of the attractive town of Wadebridge, its many charming venues embracing this thriving get-together staged over the August Bank Holiday weekend. You can expect a packed line-up of acts throughout the daily schedule, as well as plenty of food and drinks stalls. The Town Hall provides the setting for the main concert stage; an intimate venue for the evening’s entertainment, plus you can enjoy live music sessions on the streets and in the town’s pubs and restaurants. O’Hooley & Tidow, Winter Wilson, Geoff Lakeman & Rib Murch, Gatehouse, Granny’s Attic, Coastal Belles will all feature at this year’s festival which will be headlined by international singer and song writing sensation, Dougie Maclean.
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Little Orchard Cider & Music Festival, Penhallow, 11th 13th September
Surrounded by sleepy meadows and ancient woodland, it would be hard to pick a more fitting venue for this much-loved Cornish festival than the idyllic surrounds of Healey’s Cider Farm. The Little Orchard Cider & Music Festival is gearing up for another spectacular year, combining one of the region’s most popular libations with hours of live music from some of the best bands and artists from both near and far. Last year saw the likes of Reef, The Zutons, and the Wurzels entertaining the sun-kissed crowds, and the hardworking festival impresarios are currently busy booking up another succession of legendary live acts. What’s lovely about this festival is the many tracks and trails that branch away from the live arena where you’ll stumble across buskers in the long grass and cider saloons in the wildflowers. Not many festivals capture the heady Cornish summer better than this rustic corker.
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Make sure you leave some space in your diaries for all your Cornish adventures. Toad Hall Cottages has got hundreds of delightful holiday properties tucked away in all four corners of this beguiling county, the ideal setting for this year’s staycation.