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Cornwall
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Cornwall has dozens of traditional annual festivals and celebrations, from the week-long pasty celebration to centuries-old feast days in honour of Celtic Saints. Whether county-wide celebration or the tradition of one particular town, here are some of Cornwall’s most important and popular festivals that are celebrated yearly and encapsulate the county’s spirit.

St Piran’s Day

St Piran’s Day is the main holiday and national day of Cornwall, in honour of the county’s patron saint. There are parades across the major towns, involving traditional foods and dancing, with the day ending with singing songs in local pubs, particularly the Cornish anthem.

St Piran is also the patron saint of tin miners, with the holiday beginning as a tinners’ tradition. The celebrations differ depending on which part of the county you are in, but a great sense of Cornish pride can be felt wherever you are.

Trevithick Day

This train-themed festival takes place in Camborne, the town in which Richard Trevithick was from and famously tested his very first steam locomotive, to celebrate the achievements of this local hero. The festival is a big deal, with roads closing and many locals taking part in dancing and dressing up. The main attraction of the festival is the replica of Trevithick’s engine.

 

St Ives Feast Day

This ancient Cornish feast in St Ives celebrates the consecration of the parish church, honouring the Celtic saint St Ia in 1434. There is a procession through the town, and coins are given out to the children. The day also features Hurling the Silver Ball, a game in which children scramble for a small, cricket-ball-sized silver ball, with the aim of the game being to obtain the ball. The game is similar to rugby and medieval football, and the ball is blessed, being believed to bring good luck to whoever touches it.

 

Cornish Pasty Week and Global Pasty Championship

This week is a celebration of Cornwall’s national dish, the pasty! The Global Pasty Championship is hosted at the end of Pasty Week in the Lost Gardens of Heligan, with the 2026 competition having almost 100 participants. Individual bakers and bakery chains compete for several different titles, including best company, best individuals, alternative styles, and world’s fastest pasty crimper.

 

Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival

This festival is Europe’s largest nautical music event. Over 90 acts, both local and from all around the world, perform sea shanties throughout Falmouth’s outdoor spaces, pubs, and churches over three days. The festival helps to raise money for the RNLI, usually raising tens of thousands of pounds every year.

 

Truro City of Lights

Hundreds of handmade lanterns are paraded through Truro’s streets every winter in this massive community celebration. Schools and community groups, as well as professional artists, work on the lanterns, which range from small, handheld pieces to massive structures needing multiple people to manoeuvre them. Aside from the procession, the festival celebrates the beginning of the winter season, with street food and live ensemble music to create a festive atmosphere.

 

If you want to experience the magical culture of Cornwall for yourself, then The Valley Cornwall holiday cottages near Truro are the perfect base for exploring all that the county has to offer.