Cornwall has an abundance of festivals throughout the year. Whatever your area of interest may be, you’re bound to find a festival for it. From food and drink, to music and arts, check out our guide to festivals in Cornwall.
April
St Endellion Easter Festival
The St Endellion Easter festival brings a wide range of musicians from all over the world to perform opera, choral, orchestral, chamber and recital concerts. David Watkins, Professor of Strings at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire and Gramophone Award winner will be Guest Music Director this year.
Address: Collegiate Church of St Endellion, 4 Marshalls Way, Trelights, Port Isaac PL29 3TE
Price: Prices vary according to each event
Event date/ time: 4 -12 April 2020, times vary according to each event
Roseland Festival
This is a festival of folk and jazz, history and art, films and photography, choirs and quartets, and walks and talks – so there’s something for everyone. Join in on workshops, film screenings, cooking demonstrations and concerts.
Address: Various venues across the Roseland peninsula from Tolverne to Pendower
Price: Ticket prices to be announced closer to the time
Event date/ time: 25 April – 9 May 2020
May
St Ives Food Festival
The St Ives Food Festival is the king of the foodie festivals in Cornwall. For three days, there will be chef demonstrations, street food stalls, an artisan market, evening music sessions, fireworks, workshops. There will also be a children’s area and outdoor games and entertainment.
Address: Porthminster Beach, St Ives TR26 2EA
Price: Free entry for daytime attractions, tickets coming soon for evening sessions in The Lighthouse Stage
Event date/ time: Friday 15th May 2020 from 6pm – 11pm, Saturday 16th May 2020 from 10am – 11pm, & Sunday 17th May 2020 from 10am – 10pm.
The Great Estate Festival
This family-friendly festival is a quirky celebration of all things merry. There will be music, comedians, inspirational speakers, a vintage fairground, woodland silent disco, glamping, hot tubs and a secret gin garden.
Address: Scorrier House, Scorrier, Redruth TR16 5AW
Price: Adult weekend tickets from £70, children’s tickets from £10, under 5s are free
Event date/ time: 29 – 31 May 2020
June
Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival
The annual Sea Shanty Festival in Falmouth is a fun and lively way to soak up the town’s seafaring past. Over 65 groups from the UK and Europe gather to perform their take on sea songs and shanties in venues across town, all while raising money for the RNLI.
Address: Various locations around Falmouth
Price: Free entry
Event date/ time: 12 – 14 June 2020
Golowan Festival
The Golowan Festival is a celebration of midsummer based on the Feast of St John. This year’s theme is ‘Golowan Gets Connected’ and is all about the importance of connecting with friends, family and communities for our wellbeing. The highlight of the festival is Mazey Day, when artists, schools and community groups take to the streets with music and giant sculptures. There will also be a huge market with a range of food and goods.
Address: Market Jew Street, Penzance TR18 2LG
Price: Free entry
Event date/ time: 19 – 28 June 2020
July
Tropical Pressure Festival
Tropical Pressure Festival is a celebration of food, dance and culture of tropical countries around the world, featuring live acts from Colombia, Brazil, Kenya, Cuba and Jamaica. At the World Food Market, you can try global vegetarian cuisine. There will also be a tea tent and cocktail courtyard. Once the sun sets, the venue becomes a sparkly wonderland, with a dance floor and silent disco, as well as other tropical themed events and entertainment.
Address: Mount Pleasant Ecological Park
Price: Adult weekend ticket from £130, young adult weekend ticket from £75, child weekend ticket from £55, under 4s are free
Event date/ time: 17 – 20 July 2020
Leopallooza Festival
Now in its 14th year, the Leopallooza Festival is a family-friendly music festival showcasing alternative, electronic and indie music. There will also be bars, extreme sports, a fairground, food stalls, kids’ attractions and market stalls.
Address: The Wyldes, Lower Exe Farm, Week St Mary, Bude EX22 6UX
Price: From £90
Event date/ time: 24 – 26 July 2020
August
Boardmasters Festival
Boardmasters Festival is one of the coolest events in the country, and the surf and music festival is part of the World Surf League qualifying series. This year the festival has an impressive lineup, and headliners include Skepta, The Kooks, Kings of Leon, The 1975 and Dizzee Rascal. There will be other events like yoga, gong baths, wellbeing workshops, beach cleans, street food, gourmet dining, live comedy and the UK’s largest silent disco.
Address: Trebelsue Farm, Watergate Bay, Newquay TR8 4HR
Price: There is a tiered ticket system – Camping tickets start from £179, Day tickets start from £69
Event date/ time: 5 – 9 August 2020
September
Taste of Scilly
The Taste of Scilly is a month long celebration of local food and drink from across the five inhabited islands. It aims to promote the low-food miles and slow-food culture of the archipelago – from lobster feasts to fresh produce markets, from barbecues on the beach to crab shack evenings, from evening supper boats to Taste of Scilly cocktails and cream teas. There will also be wine tasting at Scilly’s two vineyards and a brewery tour of Ales of Scilly.
Address: Various venues on the islands
Price: Prices vary depending on each event
Event date/ time: 1 – 30 September 2020
St Ives September Festival
The St Ives September Festival is a two week celebration of music and the arts. The festival boasts an extensive programme of events, including music, exhibitions, walks, open studios, talks, workshops, comedy, films, theatre, plays, stories, poetry and street entertainment.
Address: Various venues around St Ives
Price: Prices vary depending on each event
Event date/ time: 12 – 26 September 2020
October
Falmouth Oyster Festival
Back for its 24th year, the Falmouth Oyster Festival is one of Cornwall’s most popular food festivals. It celebrated the start of the oyster dredging season, the native Fal oyster and the diverse range of Cornish seafood. There will be tasting sessions, cooking demos by top chefs in Cornwall, live music, ale and wine bars, and food and craft stalls. Don’t miss the Working Boat race, the Grand Oyster Parade, the shucking competition and the Grand Oyster Draw.
Address: Events Square, Falmouth TR11 3QY
Price: Free entry
Event date/ time: 8 – 11 October 2020
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